Seven more detained in Kurla rape and murder cases

Seven person were today detained for questioning by police, a day after a teenager was arrested in connection with rape and murder of a minor in suburban Kurla.

Seven person were on Friday detained for questioning by police, a day after a teenager was arrested in connection with rape and murder of a minor in suburban Kurla.

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Javed Rehman Shaikh (19), a technician with a cable operator, was arrested on Thursday on charges of raping and murdering an eight-year-old girl in suburban Kurla last month.

After brief questioning of Javed, "we have picked up seven persons to probe their role in all the three cases," a police official said.

On February 9, the body of a five-year-old girl, who was raped and murdered, was found in a drain in Nehru Nagar. On March 7, a nine-year-old girl was found raped and murdered on the terrace of a building in Nehru Nagar police quarters.

Police are yet to make a breakthrough in these cases.

Meanwhile, residents in suburban Kurla are worried as the killer of the two girls is yet to be nabbed.

"We were slightly relieved to hear that an accused involved in rape and murder of a minor was held. But, the rapist who killed the two minors in February and March is still absconding. It is worrying us," said Mangesh Satam, father of a nine-year-old girl.

Another Kurla resident Mohammed Aslam Shaikh said they were well aware of the sketch of the suspect involved in the killings. "The sketch is printed in our mind," he said.

Meanwhile, Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjeev Dayal appealed to the people not to worry. "People need not worry. We have not scaled down our deployment in the area. There is a significant progress in other cases also," he said.

There were over 29 police teams, including a special team headed by two Joint Police Commissioners, which were working continuously to solve the remaining cases, he added.