A 27-year-old man has been sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment by a court in Thane district for attempting to murder a minor girl after she rejected his advances.

On Tuesday, Special Judge (POCSO) VV Virkar pronounced the conviction and imposed a Rs 26,000 punishment on the convicted Thane man. The charges were filed under the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in connection with the occurrence in 2018, reported PTI. 

Per the PTI report, Special Public Prosecutor Rekha Hiwrale said the victim and culprit knew each other because they resided in the same community in Bhayander, Thane. The man had repeatedly harassed and pursued the girl, forcing her to report to her mother.

Despite the girl`s mother`s warnings, the accused maintained his advances, causing her to accompany her daughter to school for her safety. However, on January 3, 2018, while on their way to school, the accused followed them and stabbed the girl with a knife, causing wounds on her face, chest, hands, and back after pushing her mother aside, the PTI report added. 

Reportedly, the bystanders took the injured girl to a local hospital, where she was treated for stab wounds.

The judge determined that the prosecution had effectively proven all accusations against the accused beyond a reasonable doubt, with 12 prosecution witnesses testifying during the trial, PTI report added. 

Meanwhile, in another unrelated incident, two persons allegedly kidnapped a three-year-old girl from Navi Mumbai on Tuesday, The girl was playing outside her home in Ekta Nagar slum in Kopri village of Vashi, a police official told PTI. 

Two persons arrived at the spot on a scooter, offered the girl some sweets and took her away on the two-wheeler, stating the complaint filed by the child`s mother who is a labourer. According to the report, the motive behind the kidnapping is not yet ascertained. 

The police have filed a case against the accused persons, including one identified by the complainant, per the PTI report. The case has been registered under Section 363 (kidnapping) of the Indian Penal Code, the official told PTI and added that they are trying to trace the child.

With PTI inputs

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