Mob assaults ‘rapist’ in Sangli police station

PUNE: Angry with the delay caused in arresting a suspect in a rape case, a mob attacked the alleged rapist within the premises of Miraj police station in Sangli

PUNE: Angry with the delay caused in arresting a suspect in a rape case, a mob attacked the alleged rapist within the premises of Miraj police station in Sangli district, on Monday.

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The rape victim, a 27-year-old married woman, had committed suicide two days ago, blaming Amit Annasaheb Kurane (27), a resident of Sangli, for her death.

Relatives of the victim alleged that she would not have ended her life had the police acted on her complaint immediately.

The relatives of the victim and residents of the area staged a dharna outside the Miraj police station after the body was found on Saturday. They refused to accept the body till the suspect was arrested. The police arrested Amit and his parents Annasaheb and Sunita later on Monday.

But when Amit got off the police vehicle within the premises of the police station, the crowd, consisting mostly of women, became violent and attacked him. They beat Amit and even tore his shirt while others shouted slogans against him.

The police had a tough time protecting the accused and escorting him inside the station.

He was later produced before a local court and remanded to seven days’ police custody. The police have also registered a separate offence against his parents. Amit was arrested from Mumbai while his parents were picked up from Karad in Satara district.

While speaking with the media on the case, Sangli deputy superintendent of police Dhiraj Jadhav said that stern action would be taken against the personnel who delayed action after the complaint was registered by the rape victim.

The victim used to live in a village in Karnataka with her husband and was married with a six-year-old daughter. She had come to visit her parents in Sangli and was waiting for an ST bus back to her village when Amit offered her a lift. He then took her to his farm house and raped her. He later took the woman to his house and raped her again, claimed sources from the police.

The incident took place on June 17 and the victim approached the police station on June 23. But the police officials had apparently refused to entertain her.

According to the victim’s parents, she was ashamed of returning to her husband and requested Amit’s parents to take care of her.

The parents of the accused, however, threatened to kill her when she insisted with her request. They also registered a complaint against the victim alleging that she was extorting them.

Ever since the incident, the victim had been staying at Amit’s farmhouse. But, when she came to know about the complaint being registered against her, she hung herself from a fan the same day.

The victim left behind a suicide note and also wrote on a wall inside the farm house that Amit forced her to commit suicide, said sources from the police.

Amit’s parents have been booked for abetting suicide while he has been charged with rape and outraging the modesty of a woman.