NT Reporter | Panaji
Agassaim police have arrested two youths –Altaf Mujawar (19) and Om Naik (21) – for allegedly sexually abusing two minor sisters, while Calangute police have arrested a guesthouse owner Rajat Chauhan (31) for providing accommodation to the victims in the guesthouse without verification and consent of parents.
Police said that, on Sunday, three minor girls aged 11, 13 and 15 were rescued from a guesthouse in Calangute, and the duo, that was present along with the minors, was
apprehended.
Police said that on the night of June 8, a man reported that his two minor daughters, 15 and 13 years old, had left the residence on June 7 and did
not return.
Subsequently, his neighbour, who is residing in a rented room, reported that her 11-year-old daughter was also missing from June 7 and suspected that her daughter might have gone with the man’s
daughters.
Sources in the police said that one of the accused youths had befriended the victims through a social media platform a
month ago.
The girls were referred to the Victim Assistance Unit (VAU), Bambolim, to record their statement. Through the statement of the victims, it was revealed that two of them were sexually abused in the guesthouse, police said.
According to police, during the inquiry at the guesthouse, it was revealed that both the accused persons had checked into two different guesthouse rooms.
Agassaim police registered two separate FIRs on charges of kidnapping and rape.
The FIRs have been registered under the relevant sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Goa Children’s Act and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Calangute police have registered an FIR against Chauhan and guesthouse manager/receptionist Mansoor Peer (35) under relevant sections of the Goa Children’s Act and the POCSO Act.
Stating that the police are sealing the guesthouse and moving for cancellation of its licence, North Goa Superintendent of Police Rahul Gupta said, “Hotel managements and owners will not be spared if they give a room to any child in the absence of family or relatives accompanying him/her. This is in violation of the Goa Children’s Act. If any such violation is noticed in future too, strict action will be taken.”
