The case of alleged sexual exploitation of two minor girls in Ghatkopar area of Mumbai has now gained political and administrative significance. Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde and BJP leader Kirit Somaiya have raised serious questions on the functioning of the police while protesting outside the Ghatkopar police station. The main reason for the controversy is the arrest of the accused Firoz Iqbal as well as the families of the victims by the police.
During the protest, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya told news agency ANI that the accused Firoz Iqbal had tried to molest four girls, two of whom were only five and six years old. Somaiya alleged that the police were initially not in favor of arresting the accused. He said, “After pressure from the victims’ families, the police arrested Iqbal, but in a shocking development, the police arrested the victims’ families and put them in jail. We will sit here until these families get justice and the policemen who helped the accused are not suspended.”
Mayor Ritu Tawde also strongly supported this protest. He completely rejected the police claim that the mob had attacked the police team during the arrest. The mayor claimed that the video evidence he had contradicted the police story.
Mayor Tawde said, “I have seen the video, there was no attack on the police. The family members were only attacking the accused. It is natural that any family’s blood would boil after such a despicable act and their reaction was merely a reaction to the action. At a time when the family needs solace, the police are putting them in jail. The family members are still inside.”
#WATCH | Mumbai, Maharashtra | Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawade says, “… In front of the house of two little girls, Firoz Iqbal Sheikh raped those two girls. The police arrived at the scene, and they arrested Firoz. While they were taking him away, it’s natural that the family’s blood… pic.twitter.com/g4F9cCtYWp
— ANI (@ANI) April 28, 2026
On the other hand, according to the official statement issued by the police, when the police team reached Nityanand Nagar to arrest the accused Shaikh, a crowd of 40-50 people disrupted the government work. Police claim that the mob beat up the officers while trying to reach the accused.
In this clash, a police constable has suffered serious head injury, while a Maharashtra Security Force (MSF) personnel has suffered a fractured hand. In this case, the police have registered two separate cases under the POCSO Act against the main accused Firoz Iqbal Shaikh for sexual exploitation of minors and against the victims under the sections of attack on government employees and riots.
Police have so far arrested a total of five people in this case, while 30-40 other unidentified people are being investigated. Following strong protests by the Mayor and BJP leaders, heavy police force is deployed in the area and senior officials are trying to control the situation and hold talks with the leaders. The protesters demand that the families of the victims be released immediately and the officials who take discriminatory action be punished.
Also read:
TMC goons bombed and fired at BJP candidate’s house! CISF jawan injured
Notorious drug smuggler and close aide of Don Dawood Ibrahim Salim Dola brought to India
“Shashi Tharoor admitted that Congress is anti-women”, claims Kiren Rijiju.
Comments are closed.