Mumbai: Western Railway GRP turn guardians of girl abandoned, raped

Vasai GRP probed the case, tracked down accused. Pic/Hanif Patel

The Government Railway Police (GRP) on Western Railway have been engaged in treating and rehabilitating a 17-year-old girl who was gang-raped by three men over two months. The girl was found sleeping on a bench at Dadar station in a poor condition on August 7. Based on one name that they got from her, the police arrested three men from Naigaon.

A Mumbai Central GRP constable who was patrolling Dadar station noticed the girl. "The woman police constable approached the girl, who seemed mentally disturbed and was not able to speak. We gave her medical aid. She was taken to a gynaecologist and we found out that she was raped," said Western Railway GRP's Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Pradeep Chavan.

The GRP provided the girl with counselling with the help of Tata Institute of Social Science (TISS) and the Dongri children's shelter. According to the girl, someone named Ajay took her from Vasai railway station to a tailor's shop and raped her sometime in July. Then two more people repeated the act. "We only had that one name, Ajay. We registered a case with Vasai GRP and started probing the case," Chavan said.

The Vasai GRP checked the station's CCTV footage from July 20-30 but found nothing. A manhunt was launched for Ajay, who was suspected to be a truck driver. "We probed hundreds of people and at least 40 were brought to the police station. Of these, five were shortlisted as suspects," Chavan added.

The police also continued to try to speak to the girl. "We got a clue about a truck driver named Ajay from the five suspects. He was staying in Naigaon," an officer privy to the probe said.

Abandoned by stepmother

Police visited the area and found Ajay. They also discovered that the girl's father died by suicide in 2020 after his second wife left him due to frequent fights. The girl's biological mother died when she was three years old. She had been living with her stepmother who abandoned her. "We found the Accidental Death Report registered after her father's death. The girl identified her father and narrated her ordeal," the officer added.

According to the police, Ajay raped the girl on multiple occasions and two more men also raped her. The police suspect this happened over two months.

"We have medical reports that suggest there were ruptures on the vaginal wall. The doctor said that this could be either because of an infection she's suffering from or because of sexual assault," said Police Inspector Bapusaheb Bagal, the investigating officer.

‘We are looking after her'

"When we found her, we were not aware of her pain. Once we got to know about it, we wanted her to feel that we are her parents and that we will look after everything. We are trying to get her vocational training with the help of counsellors," Bagal added.

The police officers also paid her medical bills and fed her. Policewomen have been deployed to help her. Currently, the girl is recovering in the hospital. "We have recorded her statement twice. We will record one final statement to get every detail," Bagal added.

The police arrested three water tanker drivers identified as Ajay Jaiswal, Munna Yadav and Akram Chaudhary between August 20 and 26 and booked them for rape under the Indian Penal Code and relevant provisions of the POCSO Act.

"This is how the police are being sensitised to deal with crime against women. I have reviewed the case and have instructed the investigating officer to collect all evidence, including forensics, to make a watertight case. We will also demand a special public prosecutor," said Quaiser Khalid, GRP commissioner.

Aug 7
Day the girl was found

Aug 20
Day first accused was held