Mumbai Gang Rape: All 5 Accused Arrested, Case Fast-Tracked, Special Prosecutor Appointed
In swift action that has earned them accolades; the Mumbai Police has arrested all the 5 accused in the gang-rape of the young photojournalist in Mumbai. As reported earlier, on Thursday, 5 men accosted the 22-year-old photojournalist and took turns to rape her. She and her male colleague were on an assignment at an abandoned mill compound in Mumbai. Her male colleague was beaten and tied up during the incident.
The names of the arrested accused are Kasim Bangali, Salim Ansari, Chand Sheikh, Siraj Rehman and Vijay Jadhav. All the accused are said to be in their 20s. They have been remanded to police custody.
The last accused, Salim Ansari, 27, had managed to escape to Delhi from where he was arrested on Sunday. He was being brought to Mumbai by train. Police said that he was trying to escape to Bangladesh.
Revealing chilling details of the incident in its remand application, the police said that the culprits, wanted to ensure that no evidence was left behind. They asked the survivor to get dressed up and check her belongings and ensure nothing was left behind.
The police said that two of the culprits, clicked photograph of the girl threatening to kill her if she reported the incident. Police said that no clips of photos were taken during the rape.
The mobile phones have since been seized and police said it will be used as key evidence in the case.
After the incident, she and her male colleague were then taken to the railway tracks and asked to go towards the Mahalaxmi station, while the culprits escaped in the opposite direction.
The state government has announced that noted lawyer Ujjwal Nikam will be the special public prosecutor in the case. It said that the case will be tired by a fast-track court.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the family of the survivor thanked the police, media and public at large and said they are "optimistic that the severest punishment is meted out" to the accused.
"Now that stringent laws are in place, we are optimistic that your and the government's efforts will help fast track the matter so that the severest of punishment is meted out. This will ensure that even the most sick-minded think twice before they act in such an inhuman and insensitive way," the family said in their statement.
Media reports, meanwhile said that the gang leader, Bangali, has told the police that the five of them have raped four women at the same mill compound in the past one year.