Physically disabled man arrested by Taloja police for raping young girls

A 48-year-old physically-challenged man, who befriended young girls and women brought up by single parents via dating app, has been arrested by Taloja police on Monday for raping them

A 48-year-old physically-challenged man, who befriended young girls and women brought up by single parents via dating app and then raped them, has been arrested by Taloja police on Monday.

A 48-year-old physically disabled man was arrested by Taloja for raping young girls. (HT FILE PHOTO)

The accused, who also worked as a real estate agent, used to first win their confidence and then offered them financial help and then rapes them after inviting home. He used to also click their photos and then later start blackmailing them.

The accused, identified as Surajbhan Singh (48), has raped at least two women of which one is a minor.

According to police, the modus operandi of the accused is to interact with young girls and women on a dating site and figure out the most vulnerable ones. He would target those who have only a single parent. He would then give emotional support and also offer financial help to win the trust of the victims.

“The accused used to also go ahead and promise marriage to the victims and ask them to meet him at his residence. Eventually, he would rape them and click pictures using which he would further threaten them to visit him more often,” Sunil Gurav, assistant police inspector from Taloja police station, said.

In the case registered with Taloja police, the victim, a 16-year-old girl from Airoli, was lured by the offer to pay her college fees as she had lost her father. From July 2021, the accused raped her around 10 times at his residence in Taloja by threatening to make her photos viral. After getting fed up with the regular abuse, she decided to lodge a complaint.

“Following this case, an 18-year-old girl from Kharghar came forward and informed us about her abuse that happened multiple times in 2017. We then lodged a complaint and transferred it to Kharghar as the incident happened when he was staying in Kharghar earlier,” Gurav added.

The accused, who is unmarried, lives with a live-in partner with whom he has a child too. He is physically challenged as he was born with polio in his leg. He is currently under police custody till August 26.

“We are also investigating if the accused targeted more girls in a similar way,” Gurav said. He has been arrested under sections of IPC and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.