Third accused nabbed in Bhiwandi gang rape

Two days after the horrific gang rape of a 20-year-old housewife in Bhiwandi, Nizampura police officials have arrested the third accused in the case.

The survivor and her 21-year-old husband (above) had married in May and had come to the city to witness the Ganpati celebrations

The police have ascertained that seven people were involved in the robbery, of which three raped the victim. mid-day had reported yesterday (‘Apathetic neighbours ignored woman's cried for help') on how nearly 20 families in the vicinity of the victim's house had ignored her bloodcurdling screams.

mid-day's report yesterday

According to police officials, the third arrested accused has been identified as Rajkumar Sahani (25), who was arrested from Bhiwandi. While Sahani was involved in the robbery, Santosh Shedge (18) and Navin Bagade (32), who were arrested on Monday, had raped the 20-year-old with another man.

Speaking to mid-day, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Thane-Zone II) Sudhir Dabhade said, "All the accused involved in the gang rape and robbery case are history-sheeters. We have ascertained that seven people were involved in the case, of which three gang-raped the victim and the remaining four accomplices stood holding the husband outside the house. We have the names of all seven accused, and three have already been arrested."

"Initially, the accused had entered the house with the sole intention of robbery, and that is why they had snatched the victim's mangalsutra. But later, three of the accused decided to gang-rape her," said an official from the Nizampura police. According to the police, the four absconding accused have not left the city. Officials claimed that the men are hiding in Bhiwandi and Virar areas.