The Nehru Nagar police on Saturday arrested three youths for reportedly raping a mentally challenged girl over months. The matter came to light after the 24-year-old victim experienced severe pain in the abdomen. After a medical examination, the doctors informed her brother that she was six–months pregnant.
The girl, when asked by her brother, took names of three people, who lived in the neighbourhood. He also learnt that the men had raped his sister on several occasions. Consequently, he approached the police and lodged a complaint. The accused were then arrested from the area.
The arrested accused — Prashant Kambale (23), Saleem Shaikh (19), and Salman Shaikh (19) — live at Hanumar Nagar in Kurla.
The victim, a native of Aurangabad, lives with her 26-year-old sister, who is also mentally challenged and 18-year-old brother. Both the girls were looked after by their brother as their parents passed away a few years ago.
“On the complaint of the victim and her brother, we have registered the offence under relevant sections defining rape as per Indian Penal Code and arrested the accused from the same area on Saturday. The victim is mentally not sound, but she understands basic things and said that the accused had raped her,” said senior inspector Bhimdev Rathod of Chembur police station and in charge of the Nehru Nagar police station.
Police inspector S. Bhandare of Nehru Nagar police station said that Kamble, who was a labourer, is a close friend of the victim’s brother and would often sleep in their house.