Mumabi, Jan 22 (NIE): Four men have been arrested and a minor have been detained for allegedly gangraping a 30-year-old woman. According to police, the woman was allegedly gangraped twice, though both instances were unrelated. The incidents took place within a kilometre of each other on the intervening night of January 15 and 16.
Police said the woman had attended a programme in the eastern suburbs of Mumbai. Later, while she was walking towards her residence at 11.30 pm on January 15, three of the accused — a 19-year-old, a 21-year-old and a 17-year-old boy — accosted her and took her to a secluded location.
A police officer said, “The three accused spotted her on the road and they took her to the service road, which is behind the parked vehicles. Then they forced themselves on her, one after the other.” After allegedly raping her, the three fled from the spot.
“Later when the victim started walking towards her residence, she was again accosted by two men less than a kilometre away from the spot where she was raped the first time. The two men also took her to an isolated location. They forced themselves on her and while resisting she suffered a head injury,” said an officer.
Later, the woman walked to her home in a state of semi-consciousness and fell asleep. When she woke up the next day, she realised that she had sustained injuries on her body, and got herself admitted to a hospital. The woman, a widow, then confided her ordeal to the consulting doctor, who then informed the police.
“We sent a team but she could not remember everything,” said an officer. But based on her statement, investigators started approaching their local informers, who tipped them off about the location of two men — one 18 years old and the other 21 — who allegedly raped her on the second instance. “We got the two suspects to the police station for investigation. After they confessed to the crime, they were arrested on Friday,” said an officer.
During inquiry, the investigators learned about the involvement of the first three people, who allegedly raped her the first time. The two adults were picked up from their home and after their alleged confession were arrested Monday. The minor, who also allegedly confessed, was detained. The police said the five were produced in court and have been remanded in custody.