Shakti Mills rape accused held for another murder

Akshay Chavhan and Akash Jadhav

One of the juveniles accused in the rape of a call centre employee at Shakti Mills in 2013, Akash Jadhav aka Gotya, has struck again. After getting externed in 2018 for two years for other crimes (he couldn't be in the Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai localities), he has returned before the end of his sentence and allegedly murdered a 24-year-old in Wadala (West).

According to cops, the scuffle took place due to petty word exchange which resulted in Akshay Chavhan's death. The incident occurred on February 18, and Jadhav, along with his six associates, are under arrest and have been already under arrest and in police custody till February 25.

On February 18, at around 12.30 am, Wadala resident Kalpesh Wakde, 28, was partying with his friend Akshay Chavhan, aka Guru. As they later walked towards Rihaab Building in Wadala, they saw Siddhant Lad, Kaustubh raykar aka KK, Tejas Varekar aka Vadya and Akash Jadhav aka Gotya, coming towards them. "I was talking with Siddhant, and, while chatting, suddenly, Akash attacked me. When I gathered my senses, I saw they had surrounded Akshay and were stabbing him," Kalpesh said in his statement. "When I tried to save Akshay, they beat me up too. I was saved by my friend Aniket Pawar, aka Babu, who was passing by," he added.

According to sources, the attack was so brutal that not a single person from the crowd that had gathered came forward to help. Jadhav, who had a chopper in his hand, was challenging the crowd. "He said that if anyone comes forward to help Akshay, he too would be chopped into pieces." Chavhan was rushed to KEM Hospital and after battling for his life for four days, he died on Friday night.

The cops have arrested Kaustubh Raykar, Tejas Varekar, Siddhant Lad, Ketan Paste, Himanshu Panchal, Mahesh and Akash Jadhav alias Gotya. "Earlier all the accused were booked under IPC section 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (breach of the peace), 34 (common intention) and 307 (attempt to murder). Now we have removed 307 and booked all of them under 302 (murder)," said Bhagwat Bansod, Senior Inspector of RAK Marg Police station.

Jadhav was a minor when he was convicted for raping a call centre employee at the Shakti Mills compound in 2013. He was 17 at the time of the crime and was one of the two minors convicted. He was sent to Nashik Borstal School for three years. But, soon after the release from the Borstal school in 2017, he was booked again for several serious crimes including attempt to murder in Agripada. According to a source in Mumbai Police, "There is no improvement in him. In fact, he is trying to establish himself as a bhai."

Also Read: Shakti Mills rapist recruited gangsters on Whatsapp in a bid to 'rule Mumbai'

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