A security guard was arrested on Sunday for allegedly sexually assaulting an eight-year-old girl inside a restroom in south Mumbai's Pydhonie area, sparking widespread outrage and protests by local residents.
The child was admitted to a hospital for treatment, while the accused was arrested soon after a complaint was lodged, police said.
Hundreds of people gathered outside the Pydhonie police station, demanding exemplary punishment for the accused.The protesters also briefly blocked the road outside the police station, disrupting traffic before police dispersed the crowd and restored normalcy.
Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar, who visited the police station after learning about the incident, was surrounded by some protesters who raised slogans demanding strict action against the accused.
Heavy police deployment has been made in the area to prevent any flare-up or untoward incident, an official said.
In a post on X, NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar called the alleged assault on the minor an "outrageous and extremely serious" incident, coming soon after the sentencing in the Nasrapur case involving the rape and murder of a three-year-old child in Pune district.
Pawar claimed that the "absence of swift justice" in all such cases had weakened the deterrence of the law and called for the speedy disposal of such trials as well as the immediate implementation of the Shakti Act, which has stringent provisions for such crimes.
The Opposition MLA said he had raised the demand during the recently concluded legislature session and urged the government to act, while praying for the girl's speedy recovery.
In the Nasrapur case, a 65-year-old man was convicted and awarded a triple death sentence within 60 days of the crime, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had said last month.
(With inputs from PTI)