Neighbour booked under POCSO for harassing 13-year-old girl in Gota society

A 13-year-old girl living in a residential society in Gota was allegedly harassed by a 33-year-old neighbour who cornered her inside a lift, asked for her mobile number and told her, “I like you a lot.” The accused, identified as Soma Parmar, has been booked under provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act by Sola High Court police.

As per the FIR filed by the minor’s mother, the girl, a Class 7 student, had left for school in the morning but returned home a few minutes later. When her mother asked her why she had come back, the girl said that while taking the elevator down, her neighbour, Parmar, had entered and asked for her phone number. “He told her that he liked her very much, which frightened her, so she immediately came back,” a police officer said.

The complaint also mentioned that the accused had been observing the girl closely for some time. “Whenever she went to or returned from school, he would disturbingly stare at her,” the FIR stated.

Following the latest incident, the girl’s mother once again confronted Parmar. This led to an argument, during which neighbours intervened and alerted the police. A team from the Sola High Court police station arrived at the scene and recorded the statements of the girl and her family.

Based on the evidence, Parmar was booked under the POCSO Act, which deals with sexual offences against children, and further sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita related to harassment of minors.

Police officials said the case highlights concerns over child safety even within residential societies, where parents assume their children are relatively secure. “This is not an isolated case. Parents should always encourage children to speak up immediately,” an officer from the Sola police station said.

The investigation is currently underway, and police are verifying whether Parmar had attempted similar behaviour with other children in the locality