As investigations reveal that the same paedophile is behind recent spate of child molestations and sexual assault, Thane and Navi Mumbai police launch manhunt
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If you live in Thane or Navi Mumbai and have children aged between nine and 14, keep an eye out for this paedophile. The pervert has raped and molested 12 kids in the last year and a half alone. He usually draws children to secluded spots under the pretext of delivering a parcel for their family, but mid-day has discovered that he has other modus operandi as well. Sometimes, he even manages to trick parents into leaving kids alone at home.
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This CCTV grab is from yet another incident in Thane (rural)
The paedophile has raped nine children and molested three since 2017, striking terror into the hearts of parents. The Thane crime branch and Navi Mumbai police have launched a massive manhunt for the serial child rapist. Six teams of the best police detectives sifting through as much as 20 TB of CCTV footage from 1,000 cameras across the two cities, as well as the Thane rural jurisdiction.
Tukaram Nimbalkar, sub-inspector at Rabale police station, "Two cases are registered in our jurisdiction, one on June 21 and the other from 2017. Last year's case was unsolved until we showed this man's picture to the survivor and she identified him as her attacker too. He changes his look from case to case, but his build, walk and modus operandi is the same."
This CCTV grab is from yet another incident in Thane (rural)
Pradeep Tidar, senior inspector at Kharghar police station, added, "He follows his targets and their family members to track their activity. Then, he poses as a courier boy or a friend of the child's parents, and asks the girl to accompany him."
The Thane crime branch has been searching for him for a month, but are yet to identify him, said an officer. "He speaks in Hindi and wears smart outfits, so he looks professional and trustworthy. We found that he would track the target and would ask locals about the child's family and their daily routine." On April 25, mid-day had reported on the usual MO of the 'parcel pervert', but further investigations have revealed that the rapist uses several other tricks and has managed to trick even adults in the past.
The accused is seen clearly in this CCTV image from a sexual assault case in Kharghar
Tricked mum into leaving
Where: Rabale
When: June 21, 2018
Age: 12 years
The survivor was at home with her mother, until the accused came and told the mum that her husband was calling her to a shop. "My husband wanted to take a shop on rent. He told me that my husband was calling me to the shop immediately to speak to the landlord. I went with the accused, and left my daughter at home. The shop was closed, but the man asked me to wait there," the mother recalled.
Meanwhile, the pervert made an excuse of recharging his phone, and quickly circled back to the girl's house. He told the girl that her mother was calling her, so she went with him. He took her to the three under-construction buildings, looking for a secluded spot. The mum added, "He took her to the seventh floor, and started shouting that there was an insect under her clothes, and she would have to remove her dress. When she didn't do it, he himself forced him on her and beat her up badly. She started shouting, and the man left her when he heard people approaching the spot.
"I was a fool to leave her alone. I found her crying at the building, and she told me everything when I took her home.
Girl jumps from terrace
Where: Nalasopara
When: April 3, 2018
Age: 13 years
The teenage girl had gone out to fetch medicines and groceries, and on her way home, he followed her. He asked her to show him the way to a building. The girl's uncle said, "After they reached the address, he threatened her with a knife and asked her to follow him to the terrace. She ran to the edge of the terrace, while the accused kept threatening her and asking her to remove her clothes."
When the girl's family members saw her sitting on the terrace parapet, they thought she was attempting suicide. "She fell and we caught her in a big plastic sheet. Five minutes later, she revealed that someone had tried to rape her. We went upstairs, but no one was there," the uncle recalled.
'I have your father's parcel'
Where: Near APMC, Vashi
When: August 14, 2017
Age: 14
The girl had gone to the market to buy ribbons for school. While she was returning home, the accused approached her and told her that he had a parcel for her father. The survivor's aunt said, "He said her father had asked her to collect the parcel. The girl went with him to an under-construction building. He told her that an insect entered her dress, and if she didn't remove her clothes, she would get cancer."
The teen tried to look for the insect, but he pulled out his knife and raped her. "Our girl was in trauma after the incident. She could not even give her Std X board exams after that. She appeared for the exam this year," said the aunt.
Raped brother and sister
Where: Vashi
When: October 9, 2017
Age: 7-year-old boy and 9-year-old girl
The siblings were playing outside their house, while their parents were at work at a construction site. The accused came and told the children their parents were calling them. He took the kids to the railway tracks and raped them.
Raped and robbed
Where: Kharghar
When: July 2, 2017
Age: 10
"My daughter had gone to drop her sister at school. On her way back, the accused told her that her sister had fallen ill and she had to go back to the school immediately," recalled the survivor's mother. The pervert hailed a rickshaw to Kharghar station, telling the girl that he had to collect a parcel first. "He took her to an isolated spot and forced himself on her. He also robbed her gold earrings and then fled from the spot. My daughter walked to the main road in her injured condition, and a rickshaw driver brought her home. She is trying to forget the incident, but is still battling depression," said the mum.
Crying alone for three hours
Where: Kharghar
When: April 13, 2017
Age: 9 years
The accused approached the girl at her house and told her to sign for a gas cylinder delivery. "She didn't even understand what it was about, so she went along with him. He raped her near the railway station and then left her there. She was crying for almost three hours until we found her there and brought her home," said the survivor's uncle.
Also read: Navi Mumbai: 'Parcel man' sexually assaults girls under 13 on the pretext of handing over parcel
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