Mumbai: Couple Arrested For Rape & Murder Of Teenager In Thane; Protesters Demand For Death Penalty

Mumbai: In a case reminiscent of the 2014 Badlapur sexual assault, residents of Kalyan staged massive protests on Thursday, demanding the death penalty for a couple accused of kidnapping and murdering a 13-year-old girl. The protests, which saw thousands taking to the streets, occurred as the girl's body was handed over to her family after a post-mortem at JJ Hospital. Earlier, a candlelight march was held by Kalyan residents.

The accused, Vishal Gawli, 35, and his wife Sakshi, were produced in Kalyan’s Additional Sessions and Special POCSO Court amid heavy police deployment. The court remanded them to seven days of police custody to investigate the motive and potential involvement of others in the crime. Gawli, a history sheeter with four prior cases, including sexual assault and outraging the modesty of women, was apprehended in Shegaon, Buldhana, on Wednesday.

After committing the crime, he fled Kalyan and sought refuge at his wife’s maternal home, attempting to evade arrest by shaving his beard. Sakshi, his third wife, and a private bank employee was arrested in Kalyan on Tuesday night. The police have charged the couple under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including kidnapping and murder and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Further investigations are underway to uncover additional details and any possible accomplices. According to sources, residents of Gawli's locality described him as a menace, alleging he frequently assaulted men and molested women and girls in the area. In 2023, he was involved in a POCSO case.

The victim’s mother recounted the incident while talking to reporters, stating, “My daughter returned home early from school as she was feeling unwell. The accused stalked her, caught her, but she managed to escape and reach home. I approached the police and filed a case against him.” Following the complaint, Gawli was arrested and remained in jail for two months before being released on bail.