Man held for raping minor girl in jungle in Thane's Bhiwandi area

Thane, May 15 (PTI) A 20-year-old man was arrested for allegedly raping a minor girl in Bhiwandi in Thane district, a police official said on Thursday.

The girl was raped late night on May 13 in the Khargoda-Junadurkhi jungle after the accused forced her two friends to flee from the spot, the Bhiwandi taluka police station official said.

"Several teams were formed to solve the case. During a search in the jungle, we found a man moving suspiciously in the area. On detailed questioning, the man, identified as Shivam Ashok Valvi, confessed to the crime. He works in a brick kiln nearby. He was tracked within 24 hours of the incident," the official said.

Valvi has been charged with rape, criminal intimidation and other offences under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the official said. PTI COR BNM