Aug 31, 2011: Man goes to jail for raping friend's wife

TNN | Aug 31, 2011, 10.04AM IST

NEW DELHI: A trial court has sentenced a man to seven years rigorous imprisonment for raping his colleague's wife despite the victim's husband, a key prosecution witness, turning hostile during the trial.

Noting that the victim's husband deserted her when she needed him the most , additional sessions judge Rakesh Tewari convicted Chitranjan Kumar and slapped a fine of Rs 5,000 on him.

"During the trial, the victim's husband was won over by some kind of threat or allurement. It is a sorry state of affairs that a husband, who is expected to stand by his wife at such a crisis, deserted her," the judge said.

The prosecution said that the incident occurred in September 2008, when Chitranjan, working in a factory in Bawana in northwest Delhi and living in the same building along with the victim's family on different floors, had raped the woman after finding her alone.

During the trial, Chitranjan contended that he was falsely implicated as he had taken a loan of Rs 10,000 from the victim's husband and was unable to return it. The court, however, rejected his statement saying that a married woman will not choose the stigma of having been raped for the sake of Rs 10,000.

Link: Man goes to jail for raping friend's wife

Aug 31, 2011: Engineer arrested for killing wife

PTI | Aug 31, 2011, 12.54PM IST

THANE: A 24-year-old civil engineer here was arrested on the charges of murdering his young wife, police said today.

Vartak Nagar Police said the engineer with L&T, Siddhesh Dalvi allegedly strangulated his wife Sushmita yesterday and informed relatives that she had committed suicide.

However, postmortem reports indicated that it was a case of murder and not suicide, police said.

The couple tied the knot just less than one year ago and it was a love marriage. The duo is said to have had a dispute over a child issue resulting in the murder.

"Siddhesh told us that he had gone out around 11 30am to buy biscuits. When he returned, he found his wife hanging by a t-shirt from the ceiling fan," said senior police inspector N N Kakad.

Siddhesh claimed to have brought her body down. However, the blood from her nose and mouth, her pale face gave away the killing. Also, police found it hard to digest that the deceased used a T-shirt to hang herself from the fan.

"The T-shirt was too short to be used for hanging and even the fan was intact. The post-mortem report states that she died due to smothering and strangulation," said Kakad.

Police, which initially had registered a case of accidental death later arrested Siddhesh for murder. He was produced in court and has been remanded to police custody till September 5.

Siddhesh and Sushmita were cousins before they fell in love and married each other in December 2010. After the wedding, the couple moved in to a rented flat in Shammi Society, Vasant Vihar.

Siddhesh worked with a construction company, while Sushmita was a homemaker. Sushmita wanted to have a child but Siddhesh wanted to wait till they had a house of their own, police said. This was a source of constant friction between the couple, they added.

Link: Engineer arrested for killing wife

Aug 31, 2011: Woman kingpin of Goa sex racket held from Mumbai

PTI | Aug 31, 2011, 06.05PM IST

PANAJI: A 35-year-old woman was arrested from Mumbai on the charges of allegedly running a prostitution racket in the coastal state, police said on Wednesday.

A team of Goa Police, led by deputy superintendent of police Sammy Tavares and police inspector Uttam Raut Desai, on Tuesday apprehended Shahin Pathan from the suburban Nalasopara in Thane district adjoining Mumbai, they said.

Shahin, who is termed as a kingpin of the racket, used to lure Mumbai-based girls under the guise of providing them jobs in casinos and in dance bars in Goa, police said.

These girls were later forced into prostitution through an organised inter-state racket, they said.

The accused could be nabbed after a 25-year-old woman, who managed to escape from the clutches of the racketeers, spilled beans on the flesh trade.

The accused was brought to Goa on Wednesday morning and was being presented before a court for remand, added police.

Link: Woman kingpin of Goa sex racket held from Mumbai

Aug 30, 2011: Man gets 10 yrs jail for throwing acid on woman

TNN | Aug 30, 2011, 05.53AM IST

COIMBATORE: The Mahila court here on Monday sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment a man for pouring acid on the 26-year-old wife of his employer after refusing to pay up a debt of Rs 20,000 that he owed her. T Prabhu alias Ramasamy, 25, of Dindigul was also fined Rs 10,000. Mahila court judge (in-charge) N Seshayi also ordered that if Prabhu failed to pay the fine, he would serve another six months in prison.

Public prosecutor R Sarojini appeared on behalf of D Selvi, 26, on whom Prabhu had emptied a litre of acid at 1am on January 29, 2009.

Prabhu and M Rajendran, 33, of Madurai, were both employees of Dharmaraj, a goldsmith. Prabhu and Rajendran were also goldsmiths in workshop owned by Dharmaraj in Vysial Street in the city. Rajendran was Dharmaraj's relative. On October 2008, Prabhu borrowed Rs 20,000 from Dharmaraj's wife Selvi.

When she asked Prabhu to pay the debt in December, he kept making excuses. On the evening of January 29, 2009, Rajendran called up Selvi and told her they would come by at 1am to return the workshop key. Dharmaraj was out of town and Selvi was at home with their two children.

When Prabhu and Rajendran came by, they brought along a litre of acid in a can and poured it on Selvi's face and body. The duo was arrested a day later. A screaming Selvi was taken to Coimbatore Medical College Hospital, where she died after a month. However, the police managed to secure her dying declaration in which she named the duo.

The case came for hearing before and Mahila court which delivered the verdict on Monday. However, Rajendran was let off in the case.

Link: Man gets 10 yrs jail for throwing acid on woman

Aug 29, 2011: Rajasthan official beats wife to death with cricket bat

Indo-Asian News Service, Updated: August 29, 2011 23:09 IST

Jaipur:  A senior Rajasthan Administrative Service official on Monday beat his 48-year-old wife to death with a cricket bat due to marital discord, said police.

Ramdev Singh, posted as assistant district magistrate in the Jaipur district collector office, suspected that his wife had extra-marital affairs, police said. 

"His colleagues had seen him immensely depressed for a few days and even tried to get him professional counselling," a senior police officer told IANS.

Around 9.30 a.m. at his Shyam Nagar area residence, Ramdev Singh repeatedly hit his wife Vashundhara Devi, due to which she died on the spot, police said.

The officer changed his clothes and left for his office after the murder. The police later arrested him. 

"We were informed by the couple's daughter, who discovered the body," said the police officer.

He added that during preliminary investigation it came to light that the couple had frequent fights.

Link: Rajasthan official beats wife to death with cricket bat

Aug 28, 2011: Man kills four, commits suicide

PTI | Aug 28, 2011, 09.13PM IST

JAIPUR: A man on Sunday allegedly shot dead four persons, including his estranged wife, and injured another over a family dispute before committing suicide in Tonk district, a senior police official said.

Pradeep killed his wife, brother-in-law, his spouse and another woman, and critically injured father-in-law at their house in the area, Additional SP Prem Singh Chandrawat said.

Pradeep and his wife had filed for divorce in a court, and he used to believe that his brother-in-law was behind the dispute, Chandrawat said.

In a fit of rage, he opened fire at his relatives killing the four and injuring his father-in-law. Later, he also shot dead himself, the officer said.

The injured has rushed to Kota government hospital, where his condition is stated to be critical. The bodies have been sent for postmortem at a hospital in Tonk.

Link: Man kills four, commits suicide

Aug 28, 2011: School chairman's son arrested for 'molesting' minor

Sandhya Nair, TNN | Aug 28, 2011, 03.55AM IST

MUMBAI: The 19-year-old son of the chairman of a school in Mira Road has been arrested for allegedly molesting a four-year-old student. The victim is a nursery student of Don Bosco School at Sai Plaza in Shanti Park.

On Thursday afternoon, the accused, Kamlesh Khicha, allegedly took the victim to a toilet on the school premises and molested her. Kamlesh is the son of the school's chairperson Jitendra Khicha.
Jitendra was not available for comment. A person claiming to be Kamlesh's uncle said Jitendra was in Surat and refused to talk about the arrest.
The victim reached home and complained to her mother about pain in her private parts. Her mother also spotted blood stains on her innerwear. The child narrated the incident to her mother following which her parents lodged a complaint with the Mira Road police on Friday. Kamlesh was picked up from his Mira Road home and booked for molestation. He was presented in Thane sessions court on Saturday and remanded in police custody till Monday.
The parents lodged a complaint with the Mira Road police after which Kamlesh was picked up from his Mira Road home and booked for molestation. He has been remanded to police custody till Monday.

Link: School chairman's son arrested for 'molesting' minor

Aug 27, 2011: Man arrested for molesting doctor on train

Subhro Maitra | Aug 27, 2011, 02.15AM IST

MALDA: India's lifeline is slowly turning out to be a nightmare for its citizens. A series of accidents, attacks on passengers by catering staff, cases of molestation - horrific tales keep pouring in from trains running across the country. It was the turn of a lady doctor to have a bitter experience on Thursday night with a co-passenger allegedly molesting her on theMalda-bound Gour Express.

The man, who claimed to be a government servant, was later handed over to the Malda GRP. "On the basis of a complaint lodged by a doctor, we arrested Nishikanta Mahato, who is from Chitra village in Purulia. He has been slapped with a case under Sec 354 IPC. He was produced in court today," Prabir Kr Das, the inspector in charge of the Malda GRP, said on Friday.
The victim, who works at a health centre in Malda, was travelling along with her husband, who is also a doctor. They had berths 13 and 14 in the reserved S-2 compartment. The victim was occupying the upper berth while her husband was in the middle berth below. Around 3 am, the woman woke up after feeling a touch on her feet. Recalling the recent cases of molestation, she became alert at once.
Nothing happened for some time. Then came a light touch on her neck. Without waiting any further, the victim raised an alarm and switched on the light. The culprit turned out to be Mahato, who was occupying berth no 19, the upper berth right opposite. But when the woman's husband and other passengers confronted him, Mahato allegedly claimed that it was an accident.
The man, aged around 40, said he worked as a temporary employee of Gangarampore block in South Dinajpur for the last five years and claimed that he had been to Kolkata for finalizing the permanent status of his employment. He claimed innocence and claimed his hand had "accidentally" touched the woman's body on the running train.
None of the other passengers, however, were ready to buy his story. When the train reached Malda at 6.20 am, the doctor lodged a complaint with the GRP at the station and Mahato was handed over to them.
Sanjoy Haoladar, the BDO of Gangarampore block, however, denied the presence of any such employee in his office. It is possible that Mahato faked his identity with an intention to influence the passengers and the police.
Incidents of molestation and assault are becoming alarmingly regular on trains. A police inspector from Balasore was arrested on July 2 for allegedly molesting a nine-year-old girl on a train near Bhubaneswar, while an Army havildar was arrested at Howrah station on July 15 on charges of molesting a co-passenger. On July 6 and 25, passengers complained of being attacked by catering staff on the Duronto and Gitanjali expresses respectively.

Link: Man arrested for molesting doctor on train

Aug 27, 2011: Man gets life term for setting wife ablaze

TNN | Aug 27, 2011, 03.50AM IST

NEW DELHI: Noting that "excessive consumption of liquor again destroyed a family", a trial court has sentenced a man to life imprisonment for burning alive his wife following her objections to his drinking.

Sentencing Sonia Vihar resident Raja Ram for setting ablaze his 29-year-old wife Mamta on June 17, 2009, district judge Sunita Gupta, "Anything in excess is harmful to humanity, society and environment. In this case, excessive consumption of liquor has again destroyed a family."

The incident followed a spat between Mamta and Ram over household expenses and excessive consumption of liquor by him. The spat turned ugly as Ram beat up Mamta and set her ablaze after dousing her with kerosene oil, accusing her of giving his hard-earned money to her parents. The prosecution said later as his neighbours gathered, Ram doused the flame and rushed Mamta to theLNJP hospital with 90 per cent burn injuries. She succumbed to her injuries on June 22.

In her dying declaration, she narrated how Ram had set her on fire. Her father also deposed in the court as having been told by Mamta that she was set ablaze by her husband.

Link: Man gets life term for setting wife ablaze

Aug 27, 2011: Wife beats cruel spouse to death

TNN | Aug 27, 2011, 07.37AM IST

BANGALORE: Frustrated by the regular beatings by her alcoholic husband, a mother of two beat her husband to death in Gangavara village underChannarayapattana police limits late Thursday night. Police arrested her and recovered an iron pipe and a kitchen knife.

Ramakrishna, a dailywage worker, was an alcoholic and would beat his wife Yashodamma. "On Thursday night, Ramakrishna scolded her over a trivial issue and started beating her. She snatched the pipe and attacked him," police said. Ramakrishna was shifted to Devanahalli government hospital where he died on Friday morning.

Link: Wife beats cruel spouse to death

Aug 27, 2011: Married couple seeks police protection

TNN | Aug 27, 2011, 06.41AM IST

COIMBATORE: A recently married couple decided to knock on the door of District Police Superintendent's office seeking protection from their family members and relatives who were angered over their inter-caste marriage.
The police pacified them saying they would take immediate action against anyone who intimidated or endangered them. According to S Purnima and M Chandrasekaran, they met each other in school three years ago and fell in love. Purnima belongs to the Kongu Vellalla Gounder communitywhile Chandrasekaran hails from a Dalit family. They finally decided to tie the knot when Purnima's family attempted to get her married to some one else when they came to know of her relationship with Chandrasekaran.
"Basically, both of them wanted the police to assure them about their safety. We did exactly that and have told them to approach us in case of emergency. We cannot assign them individual protection but we will take action if someone tries to harm them," said ES Uma, Superintendent of Police, Coimbatore.
The couple got married on August 24 at a local temple with the help of their friends. Chandrasekaran discontinued his studies after twelfth standard while Purnima is a third year student at a city college. They however remained in touch after school. But Purnima's father Senthilkumar came to know about their relationship and they decided to marry her off to someone else.
"We are both above 18 years of age and can marry and live together," said Chandrasekaran. Purnima left home and is staying with Chandrasekaran's family at Nehru Colony. However, her parents and relatives were reportedly trying to exert pressure on Chandrasekaran's family and friends to separate them. They were reportedly trying to threaten family members to annul the marriage and allow Purnima to return to her parent's home.
"As of now we have not booked a case against anyone in this matter," Uma added.

Link: Married couple seeks police protection

Aug 27, 2011: Cop held for sex with rescued victim

TNN | Aug 27, 2011, 06.19AM IST

MAPUSA: Mapusa police arrested police driver, constable Vishva Vijay Parab, for having unnatural sex with a girl rescued from trafficking two weeks ago. Parab has also been placed under suspension.
According to police, on August 11 at midnight Mapusa police station received a phone call that a suspicions girl was moving in the town.
Mapusa police then picked up the girl and brought her to the police station. Upon inquiry it was revealed that she had been forced into prostitution.
The victim was then sent to the protective home where she disclosed that the constable during interrogation had misbehaved with her. Going by her statement, this happened between August 11 and 12, sources said.
On Thursday a committee headed by SDO Pernem, deputy collector and NGO representatives recorded her statement and sent it to Mapusa police station for action. Mapusa SDO, DySP Sammy Tavares said Mapusa police have registered a criminal case against Parab and he will be produced before court on Saturday for remand.
Link: Cop held for sex with rescued victim

Aug 26, 2011: Giving sex workers a new life

Lawrence Milton, TNN | Aug 26, 2011, 10.32PM IST

MYSORE: Radhamma, a PU pass girl, was pushed into sex racket by a policeman. Her future would have been a void but her life took a new turn the day she met social activist M Parashuram, who has rehabilitated hundreds of sexually exploited women and their children.

Thanks to his efforts, many children of sex workers have completed their graduation and are employed too. This apart, hundreds of sexually exploited girls have been reformed through counselling over the past one and a half decades.

What started as an experiment to bring such women and children into the mainstream in 1996, the movement has fetched gratifying results. Parashuram and his friend K V Stanley dedicated themselves to welfare of sex workers and their families in 1991. They researched to get to the root of the problem. After a study, they resolved to educate children of the sexually harassed women and destitutes through the programme, Prayog Path in 1996. "We started with 20 children. But the number swelled fast," he said.

Parashuram's foray into the field was by accident. Working for a Kannada daily, he once met sex worker Radhamma in the course of work. After hearing her horrifying experiences with police, he started the residential rehabilitation centre, 'Odanadi Seva Samsthe', in 1991. "A policeman had pushed PU passed Radhamma into the prostitution ring," he said.

Stanley and he brought out a book on the socio-economic condition of sex workers in 1993 and fought for their rights. Today, the government has approved mentioning of the caste of children of sex workers as 'Indian' and the University of Mysore has reserved seats or offers concession in fee for them, Parashuram claims. Under the Prayog Path programme 90 children have graduated in many streams, including law and engineering.

Hailing from Ramanagara district, Parashuram, the son of Lingegowda and Parvathamma, did his post-graduation (economics) from the Mysore varsity in 1988. He served as a district coordinator for literacy campaign for four years since 1992 and did his master's in science in sexuality and sexual counselling. Now, he is pursing law. And his goal is to fight for job reservation for destitutes and children of sex workers.

Link: Giving sex workers a new life

Aug 26, 2011: Honour killing ends love story

TNN | Aug 26, 2011, 02.12AM IST

HYDERABAD: In yet another case of honour killing, a young couple in love was allegedly murdered by the girl's family in Anantapur district. The incident came to light when their bodies were found near the railway tracks in Nakkanadoddi village in Guntakal mandalon Thursday morning.

To mislead the police, the accused allegedly dumped the bodies of Gopal, 21, and Mangamma, 18, close to the railway tracks to portray it as a suicide. The couple, who had been in love for the past two years, were tortured and later hit with boulders by the accused, including Mangamma's father Linganna, leading to their instantaneous death in the late hours of Tuesday.

The victims hailed from Bollanagadda village in Bommanahal mandal of Anantapur district.

Gopal was son of ex-sarpanch Chintala Ramanjaneyulu of Bollanagadda. When both the families learnt about the couple's relationship some time ago, Linganna confined her daughter to the house and warned her of dire consequences if she did not stop seeing Gopal.

In August, the couple planned to elope and marry as they got worried and realised that their elders would never approve of their marriage, the young couple ran away from their homes on August 21 and took shelter in a relative's house in Chayapuram village in Vajrakorur mandal.

As ill luck would have it, an auto driver of Bollanagadda saw them and immediately informed Linganna who rushed to Chayapuram with his relatives - Govindu, Vannuru Swamy, Nagaraju, Parameshwarappa and Venkatesh.

They convinced Gopal and Mangamma to come out and took them out on Tuesday evening with a promise to perform their marriage. The unsuspecting couple followed them.

On their way back, the accused tied the couple at Nakkandadoddi, tortured them and later hit them with boulders. To keep their crime a secret, they flung the bodies near the railway tracks and fled the scene.

Some farmers found the bodies late on Wednesday evening and informed the railway police of Gutti mandal. Police recovered the bodies on Thursday morning and shifted them to hospital for an autopsy. A case has been registered based on a complaint by Gopal's father.

A manhunt has been launched for the killers.

The couple ran away from their homes and took shelter in a relative's house on Aug. 21. When the accused found them on Tuesday, they promised to perform their wedding, but tortured and killed them on the way to home AU has confirmed the allegations against the accused scientist and ordered an inquiry into the sexual harassment charges. The accused scientist had misbehaved with a student of geology depatment and also asked for sexual favours.

Link: Honour killing ends love story

Aug 25, 2011: Three-year-old girl burnt alive by drunk father

PTI | Aug 25, 2011, 06.03PM IST

MUMBAI: A three-year-old-girl was burnt alive allegedly by her drunk father in Kherwadi village of suburban Malwani, police said on Thursday.

The accused Veerappan Kaunder (37), who works as a conservation worker with the city's civic body on a contract basis, allegedly poured kerosene on his daughter Shiv Shankari and five-year-old son Shabari last night after which he set the girl on fire, they said adding that the boy managed to run out of the house.

The victim was admitted to the civic-run KEM hospital on Wednesday night but died while undergoing treatment, they said.

The accused Veerappan was arrested on Thursday on the charges of murder, said A R A Shaikh, senior inspector at Malwani police station.

According to police, Veerappan often used to argue with his wife as he suspected her of having an extra marital affair. On Monday, Veerappan argued with his wife on the same issue after which she left the house, leaving behind the two children.

Upset with this, Veerappan used to come home after getting drunk, police said.

On Wednesday night, while his two children were at home, Veerappan, who was in an inebriated state, in a fit of rage doused them with kerosene, they said.

Scared of his father's acts, the boy ran out of the house but the accused torched his daughter, who sustained severe burn injuries, police said.

The neighbours who gathered hearing the commotion rushed the girl to a nearby private hospital and shifted to the KEM hospital later, where she succumbed to her burn injuries.

Link: Three-year-old girl burnt alive by drunk father

Aug 25, 2011: 5-yr-old girl raped in Sector 25

TNN | Aug 25, 2011, 03.09AM IST

CHANDIGARH: A 5-year-old girl was raped near her house in Sector 25 on Tuesday evening. A case was registered at Sector-11 police station. The girl was taken to Government Multispeciality Hospital in Sector 16 where she is undergoing treatment. Nobody was arrested in this connection.
The girl's father is a laborer and they reside in a shanty. Police said the girl was violated 100 metres from her house. 


In another incident, there was an attempt to rape a 5-year-old girl in Mauli Jagran. Police have identified a neighbor as the culprit, but he has not been arrested.

Link: 5-yr-old girl raped in Sector 25

Aug 25, 2011: Marriages may soon need no-dowry undertaking - The Times of India

Kounteya Sinha, TNN | Aug 25, 2011, 12.52AM IST

NEW DELHI: Planning to get married, or want to get your marriage registered?

First, declare in writing that you didn't ask or give dowry.

The committee on petitions under the chairmanship of MP Bhagat Singh on Wednesday presented its report to the Rajya Sabha on the dire need to curb female feticide. The panel has recommended that that the registration of marriage must be made mandatory and "undertaking from both the parties should be maintained at that time that no dowry has been exchanged between those parties". The committee said it "understands that publicity of high expenses on marriages of rich people have cascading effects on the psyche of middle-class and lower-middle class citizens of the country."

The report, therefore, recommended to the ministries to find ways and means to regulate high expenses for the wedding ceremony. "The evil of dowry is one of the vital causes leading to low status of girl child in the society. Unfortunately, the practice of dowry is still prevalent. The committee is unhappy that this law enacted in 1961 has been unable to check the evil of dowry in the society."

It added, "The committee, accordingly, recommends that government should take immediate steps to review the toothless Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, and ensure that it prescribes some mandatory obligations in the form of disclosures/joint declarations on the parties to the marriage (on both sides) so that they remain conscious and bound socially and legally to their resolves/declaration of not having asked for/given any dowry in marriage."

As per the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) data, there has been an increase in cases of dowry registered under the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, from 3,204 in 2005 to 5,650 in 2009.

The existing definition of 'dowry' under the Act is limited in its scope and does not distinguish between 'gifts' that are exchanged voluntarily and 'dowry' that involves an element of coercion, the report said.

"While the Rules to the Act provide for registration of gifts, but, in the absence of a mechanism for authentication of such gifts, there is nothing to prevent its abuse/misuse. In the opinion of the ministry of women and child development, the scope and coverage of the law needs to be expanded, based on a better understanding of how the system of dowry operates in the current social context. There is also a need for stricter penalties under the law to serve as deterrence to demanding dowry," it added.

The government is considering making amendments to the Act. Some of the areas which are being looked at are strengthening the definition of "dowry", making a specific provision on 'gifts' and their authentication, increasing penalties for 'taking and demanding dowry' to increase the law's deterrent effect and strengthening role of functionaries under the law.

Dowry deaths under Section 304B of IPC has also increased by 2.6% in 2009 (8,383) as compared to 2008 (8,172), says NCRB record, 2009.

Link: Marriages may soon need no-dowry undertaking

Aug 25, 2011: Man stabs girl six times for spurning him

Press Trust of India, Updated: August 25, 2011 07:17 IST

Coimbatore:  Upset at being repeatedly spurned, a 22-year-old man, on Wednesday, allegedly stabbed a college-going girl several times in full view of other students, police said.
Arun Prasanna, a college dropout from Dindigul, stabbed Rini Tapasya, a 21-year-old final-year student of a private engineering college here, six times, when she was on her way to the class room in the morning, police said.

Tapasya sustained multiple injuries in several places including her chest, abdomen and neck. She has been admitted to hospital and needed surgery as her liver has been damaged, police said.

Prasanna was upset with Tapasya who had repeatedly spurned his advances, they said.

At one point, the girl had warned Prasanna that she would inform his parents about the issue and also the college authorities, police said. Prasanna was later arrested.

Link: Man stabs girl six times for spurning him

Aug 24, 2011: Arrested for murder, girl raped in custody

Indo-Asian News Service, Updated: August 24, 2011 16:56 IST

Patna:  A teenage girl held in custody in a murder case in Bihar was allegedly raped by policemen while being interrogated, a police official said on Wednesday.
The incident happened in Saran district when an 18-year-old girl, an undertrial prisoner, was raped by some policemen at the Majhi police station, the official said.

Majhi police station chief Kapurnath Sharma has been suspended for dereliction of duty as it was an offence to keep a woman in remand without female constables around, said Saran Deputy Inspector General Sunil Kumar.

A doctor who conducted medical test of the girl confirmed the rape.

The girl said she was brought to the Majhi police station from Chhapra district jail on August 18 for investigations into the murder of her 15-year-old lover.

She was arrested on August 14 after a complaint was lodged against her by the boy's father.

Link: Arrested for murder, girl raped in custody

Aug 24, 2011: Pregnant woman made to run around for dowry FIR

Mid-Day.com, Updated: August 24, 2011 12:31 ISTMumbai:  It took 19 days for the Mahim police officials to file an FIR of dowry harassment of a nine-month pregnant woman, who had been abandoned and physically abused by her husband and in-laws. Her days of trauma would have still continued if an NGO had not come to her rescue.

The victim, a resident of Chembur, was married to businessman Kunal Bhagtani in December last year.

Abortion
When Kunal learnt of her pregnancy he wanted her to abort the child, so that she could work to pay for his loans and give money to buy a flat. When she refused, Kunal along with his family allegedly began abusing and torturing her for dowry.

After making several rounds of the police station from July 30, the police finally registered the case on August 19, after the NGO Stree Chetna intervened in the matter.

Recollecting her trauma, she said, "My in-laws wanted me to abort the child so that I could work and give money to my husband. I was depressed after my in-laws abandoned me. Even though they coerced me to abort my child, I refused to do so, as doctors had warned me of complications."

Mental torture
The victim, in the FIR, said that her husband Kunal abused and mentally tortured her to bring money from her parents.

She also added that her in-laws wanted her to bring money to buy a flat, as they did not want the couple to stay with them.

The family reportedly did not want to bear the expenses of her delivery and hence threw her out of the house on July 30.

NGO helps out
Social worker with the NGO, Gulab Kanulkar, said, "The poor girl went to the Mahim police station every day. When she approached us, we intervened and forced the police to register the case."

Thanking the NGO, she said, "I am grateful to the organisation without whom I would not be able to penalise my husband and his parents."

Arrested
The police arrested Kunal and his family who were produced in court and granted bail on Monday.

They have registered a case against the family under Section 498A (cruelty), 406 (criminal breach of trust) and Section 34 (common intention).

The Other Side
Ramrao Desai, senior inspector of Mahim police station said that it was a minor case and he did not have too many details about the case, but confirmed that a case has been registered against Kunal Bhagtani and his parents
Link: Pregnant woman made to run around for dowry FIR

Aug 24,2011: 18-year-old raped thrice, blackmailed

Mid-Day.com, Updated: August 24, 2011 12:44 IST

Mumbai:  Fed up of being tortured by her father, an 18-year-old girl left her home to seek shelter with a classmate. But the latter connived with her husband who then raped the girl.
The couple blackmailed her with a sordid video of the act, and convinced her to go to Delhi for a job, where two men raped her again. That is when the victim realised she was being forced into prostitution.

Cops arrested two of the seven accused on Monday, Asif Khan (26) and Mohammad Shaikh (21), who allegedly escorted the girl to Delhi. The three rapists, the classmate, and another woman are still at large.

An officer from Koparkhairane police station said, "The girl underwent brutal torture at the hands of her father. On July 25, he kicked her out, and she approached us.

 
We gave him a warning and let him off after he assured us that he will take care of his daughter."

Friend indeed!
But a police warning did little to change her father's brutal ways, the girl decided to leave her house.

She met one of her schoolmates, Navila Shaikh alias Shiza, who agreed to accommodate her at her house in Afzal Mansion in Dongri.

On August 1, Shiza allegedly spiked Zubeida's drink to make her unconscious. The next day, she woke up to find herself naked in the bed. Shiza coldly told her that she had been raped by Sheiza's husband, Mehmood Shaikh (25).

An officer from Dongri police station said, "Shiza forced the victim into keeping quiet by threatening to make public a video clip her husband had shot during the act.

Shiza, however, offered to help her find a job in Delhi."

Two of Shiza's accomplices escorted the victim to Delhi. But on arriving there, two other men allegedly raped her. When she realised she had been forced into prostitution, she escaped back to Mumbai, and on August 15, registered a police complaint.

The exact details of the case and the accused are sketchy as of now, as cops said the case is still under investigation.

"We have registered an FIR against the seven accused under Sections 376, 328, 506 and 34 of the IPC, and have arrested two so far.
 
They were produced in the Mazgaon court where they were remanded to police custody till August 29. A police team will go to Delhi for further inquiry," said Vijay Mukne, senior inspector, Dongri police station.

Link: 18-year-old raped thrice, blackmailed

Aug 24, 2011: Man kills girl to pay Rs 2L to caste panchayat

Nitesh Kumar Sharma, TNN | Aug 23, 2011, 06.22AM IST

JAIPUR: In order to pay a community panchayat Rs 2 lakh as fine for getting married under 'natha pratha' , a man lured a 16-year old girl into stealing money from her house but subsequently killed her.

The body of the girl, Sonu Singh, was found in a mine in Akola police station area 20 days ago. She was a resident of New Bholpalpura area in Udaipur. "Her body was found in a mine near Matuniya Doongri on August 11. Initially there were no suspects at all," said a police officer.

However, during investigation, police stumbled upon a clue given by the the girl's friend. "She told us that the girl was close to a man who used to live in the same house where the girl's family did till one year back. He was living as a tenant in the house," said the officer. The man was identified as Satyanarayan Jat, an ice-cream seller.

The police came to know that the man had developed an affair with the girl during her stay with the family.
"The police started a background check on Satyanarayan and came to know that he had got married under natha pratha, in which he was to pay his wife's first husband. The community panchayat had fixed the amount at Rs 2 lakh," said the officer.

The police said that the main reason behind Satyanarayan coming close to Sonu was luring her into stealing from her father. Satyanarayan recently came to know from Sonu that her father had got Rs 3 lakh after selling off an ancestral piece of land.

"He wanted her to steal the cash from her father and hand it over to him, so that he could pay the money to panchayat," said the officer.

He added that Satyanarayan asked Sonu to get some money and jewellery from the house and elope with him on August 10. "But Sonu stole only Rs 50,000 and jewellery . It seems that it irked Satyanarayan. Besides, the girl was pressurizing him to get married which he could not do," said the officer. The police said Satyanarayan took the girl to a hilly area near Akola on the pretext of going to a friend and strangulated her to death on the way.

"We have recovered cash and jewellery from him. He had started living with his wife after the murder," said the officer.

Link: Man kills girl to pay Rs 2L to caste panchayat

Aug 24, 2011: Youth kidnaps boy to avenge his failing love affair

PTI | Aug 24, 2011, 11.32AM IST

THANE: A minor boy from Vartak Nagar area here has been abducted by a young autorickhsaw driver, allegedly to avenge opposition to his love-affair from his girlfriend's family, police said.

The kidnapped boy is a younger brother of the girl, they added.

API N N Patil of the Vartak Nagar police station said that the accused Satish Singh and a girl, living in his vicinity, were in love. However family members of the girl opposed this. At first, Satish tried to convince family members of the girl. However, due to the rising opposition from home, the girl also stopped meeting him.

Irked over this, Satish decided to take revenge, police said, adding that on Monday he picked up the boy and vanished.

A complaint of kidnapping has been lodged with the Vartak Nagar police and investigations are on.

Link: Youth kidnaps boy to avenge his failing love affair

Aug 24, 2011: Lover had thrown teenager into canal

TNN | Aug 24, 2011, 02.50AM IST

CHANDIGARH: The mystery behind the disappearance of 17-year-old Class IX student of Government Model High, School 41, Mandeep Kaur, unfolded on Tuesday when her mother identified her clothes and pictures, which were with the police in Tohana of Fatehabad district.

Mandeep was a resident of Badheri village in Sector 41 and returning home from school when she was kidnapped on August 9 by accused Parminder Singh of Mohali, who is a taxi driver. The police had arrested him but were not sure of his confession that he had murdered the girl as no body was found. It has now come to light that police in Tohana had cremated the girl's body after claiming it as unidentified.

The accused had reportedly developed relations with the girl, who was insisting that Singh should marry her, which had resulted in heated arguments between the two. Following this, the accused pushed her into the canal in Ropar, Punjab.

SHO of police station-39 Charanjit Singh said a case of kidnapping was registered and the accused arrested on August 13 but in the absence of body, murder was not confirmed.

The accused had claimed that the girl did not want to return to her parents, a version cops have refused to accept. Police have seized the car used in murder and added Section 302 (murder) of the IPC in the FIR lodged against the accused.

Link Lover had thrown teenager into canal

Aug 24, 2011: Boy elopes with girl, khap orders attack on kin

Indo-Asian News Service, Updated: August 24, 2011 07:18 IST

Jaipur:  A boy and his family members from a village in Rajasthan's Bharatpur district were attacked and at least four houses belonging to them razed on the direction of a khap panchayat (caste council) after he eloped with a girl from his caste, police said on Tuesday.

Narendra Kumar, belonging to the Jatav community, eloped with a girl a week ago from Barpura village of the district, some 170 km from state capital Jaipur.

The incident came to light on Tuesday when his family members who had escaped from the village fearing for their lives approached police and registered a complaint, police said. No one has been arrested so far.

"The girl not only belonged to the same village, but also was from the same caste and gotra which proved to be a problem in their love affair. Marriages are not allowed in same gotra as the girls are considered sisters of the boys," a police officer was quoted as saying.

A meeting of the khap panchayat was held in the village when the family members from girl's side demanded action against the boy and his family.

"The panchayat asked the boy's family members to bring back the girl in three days and hand her over to her parents. The family members of the boy somehow contacted him and coaxed the couple into returning to the village," said the officer.

As soon as the girl was reunited with her family, some musclemen attacked Narendra's houses.

Link: Boy elopes with girl, khap orders attack on kin

Aug 21, 2011: Elderly woman gets 7 yrs jail for dowry death - The Times of India

PTI | Aug 21, 2011, 12.57PM IST

NEW DELHI: A 68-year-old woman has been jailed for seven years by a Delhi court for killing her daughter-in-law for dowry in collusion with her two sons, who too were awarded the same prison term.

While convicting the trio, including the victim's husband Raj Kumar for offences under sections 304 B (dowry death) and 498 A (subjecting woman to cruelty for dowry) of the IPC, the court said Anita was found hanging from the ceiling fan in her bedroom at her matrimonial home within three years of marriage.

Additional Sessions Judge Virender Kumar Goyal noted that while she was found hanging in the room which was open from inside, the postmortem report had attributed her death to suffocation.

"It is proved that just before the death of the victim, demand of Maruti car was raised and she was treated with cruelty and was harassed in connection with the same," the court said.

While sentencing Anita's husband Raj, her mother-in-law Prem and brother-in-law Bijender to seven years in jail, the court also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on each of them. The court stipulated that, if recovered, Rs 75,000 out of it would go to Anita's parents as compensation.

According to the prosecution, Anita and Raj had got married on March 8, 2000 and her in-laws began demanding various dowry articles, including motorcycle and buffalo, besides cash from her and her parents within six months of the marriage. Anita was found hanging at her in-laws home on October 6, 2003.

Link: Elderly woman gets 7 yrs jail for dowry death

Aug 20, 2011: Another girl raped, killed in Lakhimpur Kheri

NDTV Correspondent, Updated: August 20, 2011 21:05 IST

Lucknow:  In a gruesome incident, a 14-year-old girl was allegedly raped and killed in Lakhimpur Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh, the police said.

The incident happened in Umra village under the Singhai police station area on Friday.

The accused, Kamlesh Rana, first allegedly raped the girl and then strangled her with the dupatta when she stepped out of her house, according to complaint lodged by mother of the deceased, police said.

The police confirmed that the girl was strangulated to death, adding that a case under relevant sections was registered against the accused and efforts were on to arrest him.

In June, the attempted rape and murder of a teenager inside a police compound in Lakhimpur Kheri sparked massive outrage. That was the beginning of the spate of crime against women that followed, something that doesn't seem to stop.

Link: Another girl raped, killed in Lakhimpur Kheri

Aug 20, 2011: Fake doctor arrested for allegedly molesting girl

Press Trust of India, Updated: August 20, 2011 07:33 IST

Kanpur:  A quack was arrested on Friday for allegedly molesting an 18-year-old girl who had gone to his clinic for a check-up, police said.

C B Pandey, who proclaimed to be a doctor, was originally a Homoeopathic pharmacist with Uttar Pradesh Roadways, police said. He had been operating from a clinic in Krishna nagar area in Chakeri for many years.

Pandey is accused of molesting the 18-year-old girl, daughter of a businessman in Dehli's Sujanpur area, who had approached him with a stomach ailment. She was accompanied by her mother to the clinic.

On knowing about the incident, the girl's family members and neighbours beat Pandey up before handing him over to the police.

A case has been registered and he is in police custody.

Link: Fake doctor arrested for allegedly molesting girl

Aug 20, 2011: Man beaten up, wife raped and killed

TNN | Aug 20, 2011, 05.40AM IST

ALWAR: A 22-year-old man alleged he was tied to a tree by some supporters of a student leader and his wife was raped and then murdered in front of him in Alwar district on Thursday night.

The police said the man has changed his statement many times during questioning which is raising doubts over his story, but they have registered a case against unidentified men and rounded up two suspects, believed to be students. According to the police, Jitendra Meena, a resident of Surer villagein Rajgarh police station area, was on his way to his in-laws' house with his wife Maruti when the incident took place around 9 pm.

"Jitendra says that his bike was intercepted by a jeep in which there were six to seven supporters of a candidate of students' union elections," said a police officer. He added that they tried to misbehave with his wife and when he protested, they beat him up. "Jitendra claims the attackers tied him to a tree and kept thrashing him. He says that he was beaten unconscious," said the officer. Jitendra says that while he was conscious the assailants tore off the clothes of his wife and molested her. "When he gained consciousness, he saw his wife lying dead.

As only one hand and a leg were tied up, he extricated himself and informed his family members," said the officer. As Jitendra told the villagers about the incident, they blocked a road throughout the day.

Link: Man beaten up, wife raped and killed

Aug 19, 2011: Man ends life after birth of 4th daughter

TNN | Aug 19, 2011, 04.23AM IST

JAIPUR: Depressed over the birth of a fourth daughter in a row, a 30-year-old man committed suicide by jumping into Chambal river in Kota. Police said that his wife had given birth to a girl child which had depressed him very much. Minutes after the birth at a hospital, he went missing and later his body was found floating in the river on Wednesday.

According to the police, the deceased, Ranjeet Kumar, was a resident of Ladpura in Nayapura police station area of Kota.

"Ranjeet already had three daughters and used to say that he would get a son this time," said a police officer.
He added that his wife was admitted at a hospital on Tuesday for child birth. "He was in the hospital till the daughter was born. As soon as the hospital staff told him about the girl child's birth, he started weeping and went missing," said the officer.

He added that someone informed the police claiming that he had seen a man jumping from a bridge into the Chambal on Tuesday night. "We tried to search the body, but could not due to darkness," said the officer.
He added that the search operation was resumed on Wednesday. "The body had come to the surface. It was taken out and identified as that of Ranjeet," he added.

The officer said that the police are taking the statement of family members. "Prime facie, the birth of fourth daughter seems to be the reason behind his taking the extreme step. Further investigation is going on," said the officer.

The police have handed over the body to family members after postmortem.

Link: Man ends life after birth of 4th daughter

Aug 19, 2011: Mentally-ill woman sexually abused by disabled man for yrs

TNN | Aug 19, 2011, 05.21AM IST

CHENNAI: A mentally-ill woman who was confined to a room and sexually abused by a disabled man was rescued on Thursday.

Volunteers from a non-governmental organization, Udhavum Karangal, rescued the woman. While he was driving, S Vidyakar, the NGO's founder, spotted a woman chased by a disabled man running from a dilapidated building near Velappanchavadi in Thiruverkadu. "I asked my driver to reverse. We saw her running out wearing just a T-shirt," he said. By the time he reached the place, the 35-year-old woman had run to a construction site nearby. Vidyakar asked her a few questions and then asked his office to send over some volunteers. "She said that the disabled man had been exploiting her sexually for the past few years," said Vidyakar.

The volunteers took her back to the NGO, where she was treated by a doctor. "She was given clothes and counselors tried to collect her personal details," Vidyakar said. Doctors said that she had probably been sexually abused by one or more persons.

The volunteers tried to look for the disabled man that Vidyakar had seen but they could not locate him. They informed police about the rescue.

One of the volunteers said the woman had schizophrenia. "She is from Kumbakonam and was married to a priest there. She can't remember how she got to Chennai from Kumbakonam."

The woman's sister, who lives in Mylapore, refused to come and pick her up from the NGO. "We managed to get the landline number of her sister who lives in Mylapore. We told them about the rescue and her health condition. The person who took the call hung up without replying. We suspect that they knew she was ill and didn't want to take responsibility for her," another volunteer said.

Link: Mentally-ill woman sexually abused by disabled man for yrs