Udhna police arrest 56-year-old labour contractor for alleged rape of two minor sisters

Udhna police arrested a 56-year-old labour contractor for allegedly raping two minor sisters. (Representational image)

SURAT: A ‘Good Touch, Bad Touch’ awareness session at an ashram shala in Maharashtra’s Nandurbar district led to the disclosure of the alleged rape of two minor sisters in Surat, following which Udhna police arrested a 56-year-old construction labour contractor. The 11-year-old girl disclosed during the session that she had been raped by a man identified as Piriya Valvi. She also told the school authorities that the accused had allegedly raped her 14-year-old elder sister as well. The girls were sexually assaulted in May when they went to meet their mother, who was employed by Valvi at a construction site in Udhna. The school authorities informed the girl’s mother, following which Nandurbar police registered a zero FIR and transferred the case to Udhna police, where the alleged offences took place. Based on the complaint, Udhna police arrested Valvi, who is also native of Nandurbar, on charges under the BNS and Pocso Act. According to police, the victims’ 39-year-old mother works as a construction labourer and was living in Udhna. In May, the sisters had come to Surat to stay with their mother during their school vacation. Police said that while their mother was away at work, Valvi allegedly visited their house and raped the girls on separate occasions, a few days apart. He allegedly threatened them with dire consequences if they disclosed the incidents to anyone. After the vacation, the sisters returned to their ashram school in Nandurbar. On Aug 25, the school organised a group session on ‘Good Touch, Bad Touch’. During the session, the younger girl approached a woman officer and disclosed that Valvi had raped her. She also complained of abdominal pain. The school authorities informed her mother, who travelled to Nandurbar. After speaking to her daughter privately, the mother learnt about the sexual assault and was also told that her elder sister had been similarly targeted by Valvi. The mother subsequently spoke to the elder girl, who also confirmed the allegation. Udhna police have arranged medical examinations of both girls and are awaiting the reports. Valvi, who is married and has two sons, lives with his family in Udhna. Police said he had employed the girls’ mother as a construction labourer at a site.