Thane, July 13: The Mahatma Phule police in Kalyan have arrested an 18-year-old boy from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, for allegedly committing theft and rape of a 23-year-old mute woman. The police formed five different teams and started the investigation with the help of CCTV footage. The police team took almost a week to trace him as the accused kept changing his location.
The police said the victim resides in Kolshewadi in Kalyan east. She works with a courier company. The police said the victim left home on July 2 at 5am. His brother dropped him on the Kalyan railway station east side. She walked to the west side of the railway station. She was passing through the railway colony area, when the accused was stalking and following her.
"It was around 5:30am the accused caught hold of her to take her in an isolated place and raped her. The accused took her mobile phone and fled away from the spot," said a police officer from Mahatma Phule police station.
A case has been registered under section 376, 376 (2) (L), 341 and 392 of the Indian penal code.
Vivek Pansare, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Kalyan Division said, "We formed five different teams and started scanning the CCTV footage to get a picture of the accused. The picture was then circulated among auto-rickshaw drivers, shopkeepers and locals to get his identity. It helped us identify him and got clues about the accused being staying in Bhiwandi. We reached his residence, but he had already left the place. The team further traced him in Ahmedabad in Gujarat," added Pansare.
The police said the arrested accused is identified as Ashwin Bhai Rathava (18). "He was produced in court and remanded in police custody till July 16," added Pansare.
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