A 34-year-old man from the district allegedly raped a child after luring her with a chocolate.
The accused, Vineet Dhawade, a worker in a local factory, lured the three-and-a-half year girl, living in the neighbourhood, to come to his house in Bhayander by offering her a chocolate on February 26, said G B Borade, API, Kashimira Police Station,.
The accused then took the child inside his house where no one else was present and allegedly raped her, he said.
The child was initially not able to give concrete information about the offence, but later her parents took her into confidence following which she informed them about the rape, he said.
Subsequently, the parents lodged a complaint on Monday, based on which the accused was arrested, he said.
The accused has been charged under IPC section 376 and also sections 4, 8 and 12 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, police said.
