Pune: Muezzin Booked For Sexual Assault On 9-Year-Old Boy In Kondhwa Masjid

Mubarak Ansari

Kondhwa, 17th November 2023: A 27-year-old man, who works as muezzin (one who calls for prayer) at a mosque in the Mithanagar area of Kondhwa, Pune, has been booked for allegedly sexually assaulting a nine-year-old boy, who had gone to offer namaz (prayer).

Based on a complaint from a 46-year-old social worker, Kondhwa police have registered an FIR against the muezzin, who resides at the masjid, for offences under sections 8 (punishment for sexual assault) and 12 (punishment for sexual harassment) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

According to the police, the incident took place around 3 pm on November 10 (Friday). The FIR was registered on November 15.

“My nephew had gone for namaz. Later the accused muezzin took him to his room in the masjid under the pretext of teaching him how to pray and then sexually abused him,” the complainant stated in the FIR.

The muezzin is yet to be arrested.

Assistant Police Inspector Rajesh Usgaonkar told Punekar News, “The investigation is going on. The accused is yet to be arrested.”

Another officer added, “We have learnt that the accused had asked three children to wait back after the namaz. He called them inside his room one by one. Investigations are on to find out more details.”

Note: The name of the accused and place have been withheld to protect the identity of the victim as per the POCSO Act.