NAVI MUMBAI: A 55-year-old man from New Panvel has been booked for allegedly sexually abusing his minor daughter over 10 years, after the girl approached police and lodged a complaint detailing the abuse. Man booked under POCSO after daughter alleges years of sexual abuseThe case was registered at Khandeshwar Police Station on Wednesday under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Following the complaint, the accused was taken into custody. “She is the youngest of the three siblings. The mother had abandoned the kids. She was under constant vigil of the accused,” a police officer said. According to the FIR, the alleged abuse began in 2016 when the girl was around seven years old and continued over several years at the family’s residence in New Panvel.The survivor alleged that her father repeatedly subjected her to sexual misconduct and other inappropriate acts during her childhood. The complaint further states that she was allegedly forced to witness sexual acts and was subjected to various forms of sexual abuse at home.The abuse allegedly escalated over time and in 2024, after she had attained puberty, the accused allegedly assaulted her and forcibly had sexual intercourse with her against her will while she was alone at home.Police said the survivor remained silent for years before finally approaching the police. “Recently, through ChatGPT she learned about the ways to contact the police and accordingly connected with the child helpline and they in turn informed us. The accused runs a welding shop and has been arrested,” said the police officer.