Mumbai: Crime Branch Rescues 17-Year-Old Missing Girl; Father Arrested for Sexual Abuse

In a shocking incident, the Crime Branch Unit 3 of Mumbai Police successfully located a 17-year-old girl, who had gone missing from the Tardeo area, within 24 hours of her disappearance. However, what emerged during questioning has horrified the authorities. The girl revealed that her own father, who had reported her missing, had been sexually abusing her for the past five years, forcing her to flee from her home.

The police have arrested the accused father, following the girl's complaint. He has been charged under multiple sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Indian Penal Code.

According to the police, the accused father had lodged a complaint at Tardeo Police Station on Wednesday, claiming that his daughter had been kidnapped after she left home around 7:30 AM. The police launched a manhunt with the Crime Branch's assistance and traced the girl’s mobile location to Mahalaxmi Station by Thursday afternoon.

Upon being questioned, the girl revealed that she had run away to escape her father’s sexual abuse. She added that her father had threatened and assaulted her when she resisted. She also disclosed that she had been too scared to tell anyone in her family but had confided in a 20-year-old friend from Thane. To prove her claims, she secretly recorded a video of her father abusing her using his phone.

The girl had left her home on Wednesday and taken refuge at her friend’s house. However, her friend, fearing legal trouble for sheltering a minor, brought her to Mahalaxmi Station and tried to convince her to return home. It was during this time that the Crime Branch traced and rescued her.

The accused father, who lived with his wife and two children, has been booked under various sections of the IPC and the POCSO Act, including charges of rape.

Further investigations are ongoing. The case has sent shockwaves through the community, as police continue their efforts to ensure justice for the victim.