Maharashtra Police Arrests 33 Accused in Dombivli Gang-Rape Case Involving Minor

The alleged perpetrators have been booked for raping a teenaged girl over an eight-month-long period.

Crimes against women remain high despite protests.

(Photo: Lijumol Joseph/The Quint)

All 33 persons accused of raping a teenaged girl in Maharashtra's Thane district have been arrested, police officials said on Monday, 27 September.

"All 33 accused, including two minors, have been arrested. The two minor accused have been sent to the Child Correction Home," the Maharashtra Police stated, as quoted by news agency ANI.

The alleged perpetrators have been booked for raping a 15-year-old girl on multiple occasions, over an eight-month-long period spanning from 29 January to 22 September.

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The Manpada police in Thane's Dombivli had lodged a case against the 33 alleged perpetrators on 22 September, based on the minor's complaint.

The First Information Report (FIR) in the case had been registered under the Indian Penal Code sections 376 (rape), 376(n) (repeated rape), 376(d) (gang-rape), 376 (3) (rape on a woman under sixteen years of age), as well as the provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

"It all started when the lover of the girl raped her in January and made a video of the incident. He started blackmailing her on the basis of that video. Later on, his friends and acquaintances gang-raped her at least on four to five occasions at different places, including Dombivli, Badlapur, Murbad and Rabale in the district."

Dattatray Karale, Additional Commissioner of Police (East region), as quoted by PTI

A special investigation team (SIT) has been constituted to probe the case.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition, Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis had taken to Twitter to condemn the crime.

"Deplorable, Disgusting. Anguished to hear-14 year girl being gang raped by 30 men in Bhopar, Dombivli," he had stated.

(With inputs from ANI and PTI.)