While son is away, railway cop rapes daughter-in-law

In an incident that exposes sexual predation brooding over the two places where a woman would expect safety, a 24-year-old was raped on Wednesday night in her house by her father-in-law who is in the railway police.

The Kolsewadi police in Kalyan have arrested Railway Protection Force (RPF) constable Rakesh Kumar Ghanshyam Sharma alias RK for raping his daughter-in-law. On Thursday, the RPF department suspended Sharma.

Sharma (53), attached with the Kasara RPF police, lives in the same building where his son lives but in a separate apartment.

Since his wife had gone to visit her native village in Uttar Pradesh a few days ago, his daughter-in-law had been cooking for him. On Wednesday around 11 pm, Sharma went to his son's flat. His daughter in-law (24) was in the house with his grandson. Sharma asked about his son and she he told him he had gone to Mumbai for work.

Sharma suddenly grabbed his daughter-in-law, tore off her nightgown and raped her. The victim somehow managed to free herself from him and started shouting.

She ran to her neighbour's house and narrated the entire episode. Her neighbour took her to Kolsewadi police station to lodge a rape FIR against Sharma.

On Thursday morning, the Kolsewadi police arrested Sharma. "We have arrested Sharma on the charge of raping his daughter-in-law. We have sent the victim and the accused for medical examinations. Sharma will be produced in Kalyan court on Friday," said an officer of Kolsewadi police station.

Sharma, who was formerly in the military, was drunk at the time of committing the crime, cops said. His son and daughter-in-law work as salespersons in a marketing company. After getting news of the incident, the RPF headquarters suspended Sharma.

"This incident is a blot. We have suspended Sharma," said Anil Sharma, Inspector General of Police, RPF.u00a0