Police arrests two men for allegedly raping a differently-abled woman

The Kherwadi police said it had arrested two men namely Sandip Kurhade and Lakhan Kaale, both residents of Thane for allegedly raping a hearing-impaired woman on Tuesday, October 8. The victim worked as a maid in Kalpataru Sparkle society in the upscale suburb of Bandra (East). The incident took place on October 6 and the woman’s family filed a First Information Report (FIR) on the same day. On Tuesday, the accused were produced before a local court which sent them to police custody till October 15.  

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Sudden disappearance 

Sources indicate that the woman’s whereabouts were unknown after she went out of the society on Sunday afternoon. When she did not return after a long time, her employers informed her parents who reside in Virar. They lodged a complaint with the Kherwadi police station. Subsequently, the victim’s mobile phone was found to be active and showed her location in Thane. However, she was found at the Dadar railway station on Monday. After Kurhade was arrested, the woman told the police about her ordeal in writing. 

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The marriage pretext 

The preliminary investigation indicates that Kurhade and the victim came to know each other through WhatsApp. He asked her to meet near Kalpataru Sparkle as he wanted to discuss something. According to the police, he took her to Thane for introducing her to his parents on the pretext of marriage. But, the parents reportedly refused to give permission for the alliance. Subsequently, Kurhade and his friend Kaale allegedly raped her inside a shanty. Kaale raped her once again while dropping her back. He too was apprehended by the police from Thane. Both of them have been booked under the Indian Penal Code sections 366 (kidnapping or inducing woman to compel her marriage), 376 (2) (rape of a woman suffering from mental or physical disability) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention). 

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A police officer said, "The accused contacted her via WhatsApp video call and convinced her to meet near Kalpataru Sparkle. Kurhade, on the pretext of marrying her, took her to Thane. There, both of them raped her inside a shanty." 

(With PTI inputs)

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