In connection with the Sakinaka rape and murder incident that took place on Thursday, 9 September, Mumbai police commissioner Hemant Nagrale addressed a press briefing and said that the accused has confessed to the crime.
Mohan Chouhan, a tempo driver who hails from Uttar Pradesh, had been initially booked for rape on Friday evening. After the woman died of the injuries inflicted upon her, the charge of murder was added to the First Information Report (FIR) against him.
Commissioner Nagrale noted that the police has established the sequence of events of how the incident happened.
Moreover, the police have also recovered the object used by the accused in the crime. However, Nagrale asked the press not to speculate on what the weapon used was.
“SC/ST (Prevention of atrocities) Act has been added against the accused as the deceased victim was from a particular community. The accused remains in custody till 21 September," Nagrale told the press.
The charge sheet will be filed within a month in the case. Advocate Raja Thackeray will be the Special Counsel for this case, he said.
Nagrale added, “We will complete the investigation within a fortnight and we will wait for the DNA profiling reports and other chemical analysis.”
Meanwhile, National Commission of Scheduled Caste Vice Chairman Arun Halder met Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil, Chief Secretary, Joint Commissioner of Police, among other officials.
Halder appreciated efforts of the police in the detection and investigation of the case.
The state government also sanctioned Rs 20 lakh to help the victim’s three daughters through various schemes and CM relief fund.
Mumbai Police 'Beefs Up' Security
Meanwhile, Mumbai Police on Monday reportedly issued orders to "beef up" security and night patrolling outside railway stations, women’s public toilets and secluded areas.
Police will also be watchful of unclaimed vehicles and tempos parked at any one location for a long span of time, reported News18.
There will also be a provision for QR codes at secluded places. Further, a list of sexual offenders would also be made available to local police.
Preventive action, reported News18, citing the police, will also be taken against drug addicts.
The Incident
A 34-year old woman was raped and brutally assaulted inside a stationary tempo in Sakinaka area of suburban Mumbai on Thursday. She later died in a city hospital, police said, reported PTI.
The woman had suffered serious injuries in her private parts and also lost a lot of blood and was fighting for her life at the Rajawadi Hospital since the early hours of Friday, 10 September, an official had said.
While addressing the media, Nagrale informed that the accused knew the victim from earlier. They had lived on the same stretch of road in Sakinaka.
He said, "They have met four-five times before. There were some dues that the victim was asking from the accused, after which the incident happened."
Chouhan had assaulted the woman at Khairane road in Sakinaka following a verbal tussle between the two. After she lost consciousness, the perpetrator had taken her inside a tempo and raped her, The Indian Express reported. The crime was not premeditated, the police commissioner indicated.
(With inputs from The Indian Express, PTI, and News18.)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)