Three days after six contractual workers were caught red handed while indulging in a binge session inside a ambulance used to ferry Covid-19 patients, another horrifying and outrageous incident was reported from Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation’s (MBMC) institutional quarantine facility in the New Golden Nest area of Bhayandar (e).
On Saturday, the Navghar police arrested a bouncer (private security guard) for sexually assaulting a 20-year-old married woman who was placed under quarantine in the facility.
Although the horrific crime took place on multiple occasions in the first week of June, the woman approached the municipal and police officials with the help of social worker-Ramzan Khatri on Saturday following which the accused identified as-Vikram Shere (27) was immediately arrested and booked under sections 376 (2) and 506 of the IPC.
In her statement to the police, the woman said that she along with her niece and daughter were placed in quarantine between May 24 to June 5. The accused under the pretext of giving milk and water had barged into the room and raped her.
He even threatened to harm her daughter if she revealed the incident to anybody.
“Yes, based on the complaint we have arrested the accused who was remanded to police custody till Wednesday by the District Session Court, Thane.” confirmed, Senior Police Inspector Sampatrao Patil.
The woman’s elder sister had recently succumbed to the infection while undergoing treatment at MBMC’s medical facility in Bhayandar.
Both the incidents have raised a serious question mark on the efficiency and preparedness of the MBMC in its combat against the pandemic.
Security agency on cops' radar
Doling out lakhs of rupees every month, the MBMC has hired Sainik Security for its services, including provision of bouncers to accompany officials during demolition and eviction drives. However, from taking bribes to attacking traders and now a heinous offence like rape, the bouncers have repeatedly been in the news -- mostly for wrong reasons.
“It’s a serious issue, we will conduct a detailed probe into the matter” said SP Shivaji Rathod.
The process of background checks to recruit guards by the agency is now under the scanner.
