Police have arrested a 43-year old man for allegedly molesting a minor girl in Maharashtra's Thane district, an official said on Monday, PTI reported. The incident took place when the eight-year old girl was alone at her house in Diva area on November 20, they said, but no reason was specified for the complaint being filed by her family after a month. The accused, who was her neighbour, allegedly touched the girl inappropriately and molested her, an official from Mumbra police station said. The victim's father lodged a police complaint on Saturday after which the accused was arrested and booked under section 72 (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and relevant provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, he said. Earlier, the police in Maharashtra's Thane district registered a case against a couple for allegedly molesting a girl and thrashing her parents and grandmother, an officer said on Sunday. Citing the complaint, the officer said that a nine-year-old girl was recently playing outside her home in the Dombivali area when a man, who is her neighbour, called her to his house and allegedly touched her inappropriately. When the girl's mother confronted the neighbour over his behaviour, the man and his wife became aggressive. The couple allegedly assaulted the woman, her husband and mother, the officer added. The Manpada Police in Thane have booked the couple under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, he added. In another incident, A man and two of his associates were arrested after a disturbing incident where they allegedly molested a woman during an argument, forcing her to prostrate and apologise. The incident occurred in Nagpur's MIDC area and came to light after a video of the altercation went viral on social media. According to police reports, the incident began on the night of December 18, when the woman confronted 38-year-old Vikas Borkar over his alleged mistreatment of a stray dog. After the argument, Borkar, along with his friends Rajesh Mishra and Pankaj Barekar, returned to the woman's location. In a shocking escalation of the confrontation, Borkar and his companions forced the woman to lie down on the ground, making her prostrate and apologise for the disagreement. The incident was recorded on video and quickly circulated across social media platforms, drawing widespread condemnation. The police acted swiftly after the woman filed a complaint, and Borkar, along with his two friends, was arrested under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. The police official from MIDC Police Station confirmed the arrests, adding that the accused were charged with molestation, assault, and other related offences. The woman, aged 44, has been provided support, and investigations are ongoing. "Such behaviour is absolutely unacceptable. We have taken immediate action, and the accused are in police custody," said a police spokesperson. The police also urged social media users to refrain from circulating videos of sensitive incidents, emphasising the need for privacy and respect for the victims. In the meantime, the incident has sparked outrage among residents and animal rights activists, with many calling for stronger action against those who harm animals. The woman, who reportedly acted out of concern for the stray dog, has been receiving support from various quarters for her courage in standing up to the accused. As per PTI reports, the police will continue to investigate the matter, ensuring that justice is served. (With inputs from PTI)
23 December,2024 01:05 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentA group of 11 men brutally hacked a man to death in broad daylight in Dhule city on Tuesday. He was also shot in the head. CCTV footage of the gruesome incident was leaked and has since gone viral. Cops said this was done in an attempt to generate panic in the city. Vivek Pansare, deputy SP (Dhule), told mid-day, "We have short-listed some persons who have criminal records, and they are circulating the CCTV footage via WhatsApp and social media to create panic in the city. We are taking help from the Cyber Cell to identify the people who are spreading this video." Rival gangsThe victim, Rafiquddin Shafiquddin Shaikh alias Gudya (33), was booked in more than 30 criminal cases of extortion, rape and murder. He was out on bail. Also read - Caught on camera: Bhiwandi Congress leader brutally murdered, suspect identified "The killers and the deceased, all have criminal records. They hail from rival gangs," said an officer from Dhule police. Six teams have been formed to hunt the accused. The attack took place on the morning of July 18, while Shaikh was drinking tea at a roadside stall. The attackers arrived with swords and hockey sticks and stabbed him 27 times. After he collapsed, they dragged his body out of the tea shop and left it on the road, before escaping on bikes and scooters. Disturbing imagesThe disturbing video footage shows one of the assailants stabbing the victim repeatedly in the head, before he was pulled away by the others. Another video shot immediately after the attack shows Shaikh’s mangled body lying in a pool of blood. Also read - Watch video: Kabaddi player Sukhvinder Narwhal's murder caught on CCTV camera "We have initiated a departmental inquiry to find out how the video was leaked, because we strictly asked our staff not to reveal the video to the public due to the disturbing images," Pansare added. No arrests madeThe police have not made any arrests so far. With the help of the eyewitnesses, including the tea stall owner and staff, they have filed a First Information Report. The Shahar police registered the FIR against 11 accused under Sections 302 (murder), 120B (criminal conspiracy), 504 (intentional insult), 506 (criminal intimidation), along with the Arms Act, Bombay Police Act and the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act. The accused have been identified as Vicky Goyal, Shyam Goyal, Bhima Devre, Dadu Devre, Vilas Goyal alias Chhota Papa, Vijay Goyal Alias Bada Papa, Rajesh Devre alias Badri and others. Vicky is booked in 10 criminal cases and Vijay has 11 criminal cases.
23 December,2024 12:25 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA team of Mumbai police was allegedly attacked by a mob at Ambivali railway station on December 4. According to GRP DCP Manoj Patil, a stone-pelting incident occurred at Ambivali railway station. “A team of Mumbai police had arrived to apprehend a suspect when they were attacked by a mob with stones. The mob was brought under control, and four officers were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment,” he told Mid Day. Stone pelting incident at Ambivali railway station injures 4 Mumbai Police officers. The officers were there to apprehend an accused on the night of December 4, when the accused's relatives attacked them. The Thane police have registered an FIR and are in the process of identifying the mob and apprehending the accused. “The mob had initially gathered outside the railway station premises, and therefore, the Thane police will investigate the matter,” he added. According to the police, the mob included relatives of the accused, and the police are currently investigating the matter. "The incident happened after the arrest of a person by MIDC police and no involvement of Railways in any way. Train operation was not affected. A few glasses were broken at the station because of the stone pelting. State police are taking action against the perpetrators based on footage shared with them for the overall incident," CR chief spokesperson Dr Swapnil Nila said. (With inputs from Rajendra B. Aklekar)
23 December,2024 12:13 PM IST | Mumbai | Apoorva AgasheThe Gorai police, investigating the murder of 21-year-old Raghunandan Paswan, arrested a 24-year-old fish seller from Bhayandar on Wednesday. The accused allegedly killed Paswan by slashing his neck with a fish-cutting sickle. Facing difficulties disposing of the body, he reportedly dismembered it, placed the parts in empty paint drums and transported them via auto-rickshaw to the Gorai area where he dumped the remains the next day. It is reported that Paswan and the sister of the accused were in a relationship, which the girl’s family disapproved. The family had also warned Paswan against it. According to the police, on October 31, Paswan travelled to Mumbai to meet the girl. When he called the girl, her phone was switched off. He then contacted her brother (the accused) who invited him to Bhayandar to meet her. Paswan and the accused consumed alcohol together. Paswan got heavily intoxicated and started vomiting, so the accused had him lie down to rest in a shop nearby while he sat and continued drinking. Meanwhile, thoughts of the ongoing conflict back in their village over his sister fueled his anger. In a fit of rage, he allegedly killed Paswan by slitting his throat with a sickle while he was asleep. The accused then dismembered the body and packed it in plastic drums to dispose of. The body parts were disposed of in paint drums The accused had been residing in Bhayandar with his wife. His elder brother lives in Borivli where their sister also lived and she often visited his house in Bhayandar. The investigation revealed that prior to starting his fish-selling business, the accused was involved in the illegal sale of country liquor, supplying it from the Gorai Uttan area to Bhayandar and surrounding areas using auto-rickshaws. He had connections with several rickshaw drivers who would transport the liquor for a higher fee. To dispose of the body, the accused hired one of these drivers and left the remains in a roadside pit amid the bushes along the road from Babarpada to Picxy Sea Resort in Shefali village, Gorai. Paswan was a resident of Kanhauli village in Darbhanga district of Bihar. He had been working at an AC pipe manufacturing company in Saraswadi, Pune, for the last 10 months. The accused hails from a village about 22 km from Paswan's village. Before moving to Pune, Paswan worked at a medical shop in Darbhanga district, where he met and fell in love with the accused’s 16-year-old sister, and they frequently spoke over the phone. Paswan’s father, Jitendra, a security guard at a hospital in Darbhanga, told mid-day that upon learning about the relationship, he decided to move to Pune with his family. After staying there for about a month and a half, he arranged work for Paswan and then returned to Bihar with the rest of the family. He called Paswan every morning and evening to check on his well-being. Raghunandan Paswan’s clothes that were disposed of with his body parts As per Jitendra’s statement given to the police, he spoke to Paswan around 10 pm on October 31. Paswan informed him that he had arrived from Pune to Andheri with his friend Ashish to meet Sumit. Around 7 am the following day, Jitendra called Paswan again, but his mobile phone was switched off. He tried repeatedly, but his phone remained unreachable. Jitendra called Ashish but didn’t answer the phone. He contacted Ashish's brother, Pradeep, who informed him that he had spoken to Paswan at 1.30 am on November 1 and also mentioned that he was planning to meet Paswan, but couldn’t join him due to his night shift. Pradeep called Paswan in the morning but his phone was switched off. When Jitendra called Sumit, he responded saying, “Ye ladki ka matter isme humko mat ghasito (This matter involves a girl… don’t dram me into it),” before disconnecting the call. This raised Jitendra's suspicions and he immediately left for Mumbai. He arrived at a relative’s house in Juhu on November 7 and began searching for Paswan. A missing complaint was subsequently filed at Andheri police station on Monday (November 11), a day after the dismembered body was found. On Tuesday, Head Constable Pandey, attached to Andheri police station’s missing person’s department, circulated the missing person’s report on social media. Before that, the Gorai police had shared photos of the body and items found at the crime scene to aid in the identification process. Meanwhile, an informant in Bhayander notified Senior Inspector Jitendra Kamble of Bhayander police that an auto-rickshaw driver had mentioned transporting items with the accused and later discarding them. The only identification mark police found on the body Acting on this tip, Bhayander police promptly detained the auto driver and the accused, handing them over to Gorai police for further investigation. “The accused confessed to the murder and we are now probing to determine if he acted alone or if others were involved,” an officer added. Guided by DCP Zone XI Anand Bhoite and ACP Sunil Jaybhay, under the supervision of Senior Police Inspector Gajanan Vikhe, Police Inspector Vijay Jadhav and API Amol Baviskar, along with the Gorai police team are investigating the case. DCP Bhoite confirmed the arrest of one accused and said that any other individuals, if involved, will also not be spared. Speaking with mid-day, Paswan’s father Jitendra said, “My son was lured as part of a conspiracy and butchered like a goat. Anyone involved in this brutal murder deserves to be hanged.”
23 December,2024 12:12 PM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanThe Tilak Nagar police have arrested the fourth accused in the alleged Somaiya Vidyavihar admission racket, where at least 49 students seeking admission to Class 11 at SK Somaiya College, KJ Somaiya College, and SK Somaiya Vidyamandir School were found to have submitted forged documents. These documents, uploaded by the accused, also point to the involvement of two senior clerks employed at the colleges. The fourth accused played the role of “verifying” documents, a task assigned to him by the state education department as part of the FYJC admission process. According to Tilak Nagar police officials, the fourth accused has been identified as Pandit Ramesh Karanke, 42, a junior clerk at Hindi High School, a government-run institution near Ghatkopar railway station. Karanke was given an additional duty in the FYJC admission process because his school was selected as a centre to assist students with admissions. The previously arrested accused include Mahendra Vishnu Patil, 45, of SK Somaiya College, and Arjun Rathod, 43, of KJ Somaiya College—both of whom have been employed by the varsity for over two decades. Patil and Rathod allegedly manipulated the grades of low-scoring students and uploaded forged mark sheets and leaving certificates (LCs) to the government’s website. The third accused, Devendra Suryakanth Sadaye, 55, reportedly assisted the duo by filling out and uploading admission forms on behalf of students. Karanke’s role involved verifying documents uploaded to the admission portal. Rathod allegedly provided him with at least 17 forged student documents and instructed him to approve them. For each mark sheet and leaving certificate, Karanke charged Rs 10,000, earning a total of Rs 1.2 lakh for verifying 17 documents. A resident of Dombivli, Karanke was apprehended following a technical investigation into the digital activity of the first three accused. Police found that money had been transferred to Karanke’s account from Rathod’s bank account. Early on Friday morning, after extensive tracking, Karanke was arrested at his residence. He was produced in court later that afternoon and remanded to police custody until December 24. Police now plan to interrogate Karanke further and examine his digital records and phone call history to determine the extent of his involvement and the duration of his association with the other accused in the racket.
23 December,2024 12:02 PM IST | Mumbai | Aishwarya IyerThe police in Maharashtra's Thane district have registered a case against nine individuals, including the owner of a financial consultancy firm and a bank manager, for allegedly defrauding people of a total of Rs 1.74 crore under the guise of facilitating loan approvals. The accused purportedly took large sums of money as processing fees but failed to provide the promised loans, according to a complaint lodged by one of the victims. The case came to light following a complaint by a 40-year-old builder residing in Kamothe, Navi Mumbai. According to the builder, the accused promised to help him secure a loan of Rs 4 crore for his professional activities. As part of the process, they demanded Rs 24.41 lakh as a processing fee. Despite the payment, the loan was neither sanctioned nor refunded. In addition to the builder, several other victims were similarly deceived, with the accused collecting substantial amounts of money from them. Though the exact number of victims has not been disclosed, the total financial loss incurred collectively by all complainants amounts to Rs 1.74 crore, as per PTI reports. The accused include the owner of the financial consultancy firm, a bank manager, and seven others who reportedly conspired to execute the scam. They lured loan-seekers with assurances of quick loan approvals, presenting themselves as legitimate intermediaries. However, after taking the money, they failed to deliver on their promises and allegedly disappeared or evaded follow-ups from the victims. Acting on the builder’s complaint, the Naupada police registered a First Information Report (FIR) on Saturday. The FIR cites sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Section 316(2) for criminal breach of trust, Section 318(4) for cheating, and Section 3(5) for criminal acts committed with shared intent. Investigations are ongoing to identify the full extent of the scam and ascertain the involvement of each accused party.
23 December,2024 11:42 AM IST | MumbaiIn a significant operation, police arrested eight Bangladeshi nationals, including a woman, for residing illegally in Maharashtra’s Thane district. The arrests were made during raids conducted in Bhiwandi town over the weekend, police officials confirmed on Monday. Acting on a tip-off and a subsequent complaint, the authorities carried out targeted raids at Kalher and Kongaon on Saturday and Sunday. The eight individuals, aged between 22 and 42 years, were unable to produce any valid documents to justify their stay in India, as per PTI reports. Investigations revealed that the accused were engaged in various low-income jobs to sustain themselves while residing in the region. Among them, three worked as scrap sellers, two were labourers, one was a mason, and another worked as a plumber, according to the police. The suspects were immediately taken into custody following the raids. They have been charged under relevant provisions of the Foreign Nationals Act and the Indian Passport Act. These laws are designed to regulate the stay of foreign nationals in the country and ensure compliance with visa and passport regulations. Authorities are now investigating how the individuals managed to enter the country and remain undetected for an extended period. This case has once again brought attention to the issue of illegal immigration, particularly in urban and semi-urban areas where such individuals often blend into local communities, making detection challenging. As per PTI, a senior police officer stated that preliminary inquiries are ongoing to ascertain whether the arrested individuals were part of any organised network facilitating illegal immigration or were acting independently. The officer further emphasised the importance of vigilance among landlords and residents to report suspected cases of unauthorised stays in their localities. Earlier this year it was reported that Police have arrested eight Bangladeshi nationals from Maharashtra's Navi Mumbai township for allegedly staying in India illegally, an official said on Tuesday, reported news agency PTI. Acting on a tip-off, the anti-human trafficking cell of Navi Mumbai police raided a flat at a housing complex in Shahbaz village of Belapur area on Monday morning. They found five women and three men from Bangladesh, in the age group of 20 to 40 years, staying there illegally without any valid documents for the last four years, the official from NRI Sagri police station said, reported PTI. (With inputs from PTI)
23 December,2024 11:36 AM IST | MumbaiThe Malvani Police in Mumbai have arrested two people for allegedly possessing 10 kg of ganja. The accused have been identified as Anil Kumar Harichandra Singh, 25, and 24-year-old Ankit Nemchandra Jaiswal, both residents of Palghar, near Mumbai. According to sources, acting on a tip-off, the Malvani Police apprehended Singh and Jaiswal near Jurassic Park, close to Gaavdevi Mandir Road Tabela in Malad, in the early hours of Saturday. During the search, 10 kg of ganja, worth approximately Rs 3.5 lakh, was recovered from them, the police said. The operation was carried out by Detection Staff Officer Sub-Inspector Amar Shinde and his team under the guidance of Senior Inspector Shailendra Nagarkar. The accused were booked under relevant sections of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and produced before a local court in Mumbai on Saturday. The police are now investigating to determine to whom the accused intended to sell such a large quantity of ganja.
22 December,2024 07:31 PM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanThe police in Maharashtra's Thane district have registered a case against a couple for allegedly molesting a girl and thrashing her parents and grandmother, an officer said on Sunday.Citing the complaint, the officer said that a nine-year-old girl was recently playing outside her home in the Dombivali area when a man, who is her neighbour, called her to his house and allegedly touched her inappropriately.When the girl's mother confronted the neighbour over his behaviour, the man and his wife became aggressive. The couple allegedly assaulted the woman, her husband and mother, the officer added.The Manpada Police in Thane have booked the couple under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, he added. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
22 December,2024 06:12 PM IST | Thane | PTIA 25-year-old jewellery store salesman was fatally shot by two men on a motorcycle in Shahapur in Maharashtra's Thane district, a police officer said on Sunday, reported news agency PTI. The shooting took place around 10.30 pm on Saturday outside Mahalaxmi Jewellers in the Gotheghar area, where the victim Dineshkumar Manaram, his employer, and another individual were concluding their day. "Two motorcycle-borne persons fired some rounds, which hit Chaudhary, who succumbed to his wounds some time later at a hospital in Thane. He passed away in the early hours of Sunday. They stole a bag Chaudhary was carrying," the Shahapur Police Station officer said. Chaudhary was a salesman with Mahalaxmi Jewellers, Senior Inspector Jitendra Thakur said, adding the motive of the incident remains unclear, stated PTI. "A probe has begun under the supervision of Deputy Superintendent of Police Milind Shinde. Roadblocks have been set up in several places in the district to nab the assailants. CCTV footage from the area as well as stretches of Mumbai-Nashik highway are being checked to ascertain their route of escape," the official informed. The firing incident has sparked concern among local business owners. The Shahapur Trade Association has expressed their dissatisfaction and urged law enforcement to swiftly apprehend those responsible for this violent act. Thane packaging company owner booked for employing minors as labourers In a significant crackdown on child labour, a 49-year-old man has been booked for allegedly employing children as labourers at his packaging company in Maharashtra's Thane district. The police registered a case after a joint raid conducted by the labour department, women and child welfare authorities, and local police on Friday. According to an official from the Narpoli police station, the raid took place at four different shops owned by the accused in Vehale village, located in the Bhiwandi area of Thane. The company owner, who operates a packaging business, was found to have employed several minors at his premises. During the raid, the authorities discovered eight minor girls and one minor boy engaged in packing electronic goods, a task that they were forced to perform under questionable conditions. The authorities acted after receiving a tip-off and a subsequent investigation. The presence of the minor workers at the company raised immediate concerns over child exploitation and illegal child labour. As per the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, employing minors in such conditions is a criminal offence, and the police moved swiftly to file an FIR against the accused. The packaging company, where the minors were discovered working, has now come under investigation, with the authorities looking into how long the children had been employed and the nature of their work. (With inputs from PTI)
22 December,2024 04:58 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentA four-year-old boy was killed on Saturday evening when he was knocked down by a car in Wadala area of Mumbai, police said, reported the PTI. The boy was playing on a road in Wadala when the incident took place, a police official said. The driver was arrested in connection with the matter, the official said. The incident occurred near Ambedkar College when Bhushan Gole was reversing the car, an official said. The driver didn't flee the spot. He was taken to the police station, the official said. "Prima facie, the driver was not under the influence of alcohol," he added, as per the PTI. The driver was arrested under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) and further investigation is underway, the news agency reported. Bus driver ferrying 26 students to football event found drunk in Thane Meanwhile, in an another incident, a bus driver ferrying 26 students to football event on Saturday was allegedly found under the influence of alcohol in Thane district of Maharashtra, reported the PTI. The incident took place on Friday near Subhash Chowk in Kalyan when the bus was travelling from Ulhasnagar in the district to Virar in neighbouring Palghar along with as many as 26 students onboard. The driver was caught by a traffic police officials in Thane's Kalyan area when the official suspected the driver being drunk and stopped the vehicle for checking. "Constable Suresh Patil noticed the bus was swerving despite the road being clear and the driver did not seem to be in complete control. He got the bus to stop and subjected driver Surendra Gautam to a breathalyser test, which returned out to be positive," Kalyan traffic police senior inspector Rajesh Shirsat said, as per the PTI. The traffic police official stopped the bus and later reported the matter to local police. "If Patil had not acted quickly, the bus could have met with an accident. The driver was fined and will face further action, while the bus has been seized and its owner notified. We arranged another bus for the students to reach Virar for the football tournament," Shirsat added.
21 December,2024 10:46 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
