Byculla man rapes 18-yr-old after rescuing her from stray dogs, held

A 45-year-old man was remanded in jail custody on Sunday after being arrested by the Nagpada police for raping an 18-year-old woman from Punjab earlier this month.

A 45-year-old man was remanded in jail custody on Sunday after being arrested by the Nagpada police for raping an 18-year-old woman from Punjab earlier this month.

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The arrested accused has been identified as Mohammed Akhtar Riyazuddin Siddique, a resident of Sankli Street, Byculla. He was arrested last week and remanded in police custody for seven days. On Sunday, as investigations had been completed, the court remanded him to jail custody.

The police said the survivor, a receptionist with an interior decor firm in Punjab, had come to Mumbai following a fight with her parents. “On November 9, the survivor reached Bandra at 4.10am. She then went to Mumbai Central and was roaming outside the station premises when a group of stray dogs started barking and following her. She ran 500m before the accused rescued her. He then gave her breakfast and assured her a room at Kamathipura. He took the girl to the room and bought lunch for her. They both had lunch together and then Siddique raped her. The woman tried to fight back but he told her that she was in a red light area and no one would respond to her screams. He also threatened her against going to the police,” said an officer from Nagpada police station.

Police said the woman later found a police constable who was patrolling the area and narrated the incident following which a case was registered under section 376 (punishment for rape) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

“Both the survivor and the accused were sent for medical tests and further investigation in the case is underway,” said a police officer.