After Crime Branch officers arrested the accused from Kurla railway station, he confessed to the crime and revealed he had abused other children as well
Gopal Rangayya Chindam
Officers of the Crime Branch unit 4 arrested a 60-year-old jogta (person who begs in the name of god) for sexually assaulting a 16-year-old boy on the pretext of taking rice from him. The incident took place when the accused, identified as Gopal Rangayya Chindam, came begging at his Antop Hill house. As the victim was alone, the man took advantage of the situation and assaulted him. Later, after his mother filed a police complaint on June 26, the cops traced him to the Kurla railway station.
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Alone at home
Speaking to mid-day, a crime branch officer said, "The complainant is a single mother, who lives with her son at Maharashtra Nagar, Antop Hill. She works as a maid. On the day of the incident, she left for work around 7 am and her son was alone at home. Around 9.30 am the accused knocked on the door. When the boy opened it, Chindam begged for some money."
"As the victim didn't have money, the accused asked for some rice and mentioned that if he refused, it would bring bad luck for his family. The moment he went inside to get the rice, Chindam entered the house and locked the door. Then he covered the boy's mouth, tied his hands and sexually abused him. Before leaving he also threatened to kill him if he revealed the matter to anyone," the officer added.
Police sources said that when the victim's mother returned home, she found her son profusely sweating. On asking him, he narrated the entire incident to her. She immediately approached the Antop Hill police and filed a complaint in the matter.
"After the boy underwent medical tests, a case was registered against the accused under sections 377 and 452 of IPC and relevant sections of the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The Crime Branch is conducting a parallel investigation in the case," said an officer from Antop Hill police station.
Informer traces him
Inspector Sandesh Revale, who is in-charge of the Crime Branch unit 4, said, "Based on the details provided by the victim, we prepared a sketch of the accused. After that we searched for him in Bangalipura, Kopari Agar and other neighbourhood areas but couldn't trace him. Then we circulated the sketch among informers. Soon after an informer told us that he lived near Kurla police station."
On June 29, the Crime Branch sleuths laid a trap near platform number 9 and arrested Chindam. During interrogation he confessed to the crime and said that he had assaulted some other kids as well.
"Chindam stays with his family and earns his living by begging. He has been handed over to the Antop Hill police station for further investigation," said a crime branch officer.
Also Read: Thane Crime: 8-year-old boy sodomised, 15-year-old girl raped in two separate incidents in Mumbra
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