A 55-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a six-year-old girl inside a mosque in Chikkaballapur, sparking outrage in the community. The incident occurred in a room at Shams Masjid, where the accused, identified as Mahapyus, reportedly lured the child by offering her chocolates before committing the crime.
According to police reports, Mahapyus had been residing in Chikkaballapura for 20 years, working as a street-side clothing vendor. The room where the assault took place had been allocated to his son, who serves as a cleric at another mosque, by the local Jamaat Committee. The victim's mother filed a complaint at the Chikkaballapura Women's Police Station, leading to the accused's arrest and subsequent judicial custody.
The incident has triggered strong reactions from local residents, who confronted the mosque cleric, questioning why he had provided his father access to the room. The victim's mother reportedly physically assaulted the accused before police intervention. Authorities have assured a thorough investigation, while child rights activists demand stricter safety measures in religious institutions to prevent such heinous crimes.
