The Crime Branch of the Navi Mumbai Police on Wednesday arrested a 30-year-old man wanted in connection with 13 cases of rape and molestation of minor girls in Mumbai and surrounding areas, reported PTI.
The accused, identified as Rehan Qureshi, allegedly molested and sexually harassed minor girls in the slum areas of Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, and Thane and Palghar districts, said Navi Mumbai Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Tushar Doshi on Thursday. “As of now, we have found his involvement in at least 13 cases of sexual assault of minors,” said Doshi. “We suspect his involvement in other cases also.”
The Navi Mumbai and Mumbai Crime Branch officials worked together to arrest Qureshi after he allegedly sexually abused two girls, aged 13 and 15, at Nallasopara in Palghar in the second week of September, reported The Hindu. He was arrested from Mira Road in Thane district after the police identified him through CCTV camera footage at the Mira Road railway station and in Navi Mumbai.
The Navi Mumbai police had declared a cash award of Rs 25,000 for anyone providing information about the accused.
According to Doshi, Qureshi would allegedly approach a minor girl at her house and say that her father had called her. After the girl would accompany him, he would take her to a secluded spot and sexually assault her, police said.
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