Two held for raping a challenged woman

The woman fell into their trap and met the accused duo, who abducted her and took her to Thane on the pretext of marrying her. Kale offered to drop her home and raped her again

Kherwadi police has arrested two men for raping a 25year-old hearing and speech impaired woman, inside a shanty at Thane on October 6. The woman, who worked as a house help at a Bandra (E) high-rise, was abducted by the two men on the pretext of marriage and was taken to Thane, where they raped her. The duo have been booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and arrested on Tuesday morning.

Police said the woman was approached by the two accused — Sachin Kurhade, 22 and Lakhan Kale, 19 — through a video call and asked her to meet them near Kalpataru Sparkle building, at Bandra (E), where she was employed as a house help. The woman fell into their trap and met the accused duo, who abducted her and took her to Thane on the pretext of marrying her. Kale offered to drop her home and raped her again. When the woman was dropped off at home, she narrated the incident to her mother, who approached the police and registered a complaint.

Kherwadi police registered a case of rape and kidnapping, following which an investigation was initiated. Police scrutinised the CCTV camera footage of the building, where they identified Kurhade and Kale. A network of informers was activated, who gave a tip-off about the duo’s location, from where they were arrested on Tuesday morning.

The duo has been booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code for kidnapping (section 366) and rape of a woman suffering from mental or physical disability (section 376(2)).