Unsolved crimes: Two serial rapists who target children yet to be identified

The two accused, working separately, would disguise themselves as domestic helps, cooking-gas delivery men or bill collection agents, police said. (Representational Image)

The Navi Mumbai police has been looking for two sexual offenders, who target young children, for over a year now. Despite their being many pictures and CCTV footage of the accused, the police have not even been able to identify them.

According to API B Gawde from Koperkhairane police station, both the accused have similar modus operandi. “The accused would approach girls aged 12 to 15 years, playing around the road. They would cook-up a story of their family members calling the girls home. When the girls accompanied them to their houses, they would take the girls to a secluded area and rape them,” he said.

The two accused, working separately, would disguise themselves as domestic helps, cooking-gas delivery men or bill collection agents, police said. “The one in the red t-shirt (in CCTV footage) has several cases registered against him in Kharghar and Kamothe… He was last spotted in August-September 2017. However, the accused in blue t-shirt keeps appearing and then disappear. He was last spotted in APMC area in June 2018, where he had targeted a young girl,” said a senior officer from the Crime Branch. “The men were caught in at least eight or nine different CCTV cameras. The victims have also identified them as the perpetrators. But we have not been able to put a name or gather any other information about on them,” the senior officer added.

According to CBD Belapur police — where most cases against one of the accused are registered — the two have been involved in other crime as well. “We have interacted with police stations in nearby districts, like Thane, Raigad and Mumbai. The accused have other cases registered in Thane, Palghar and Mumbai, some of those under the same sections of POCSO Act. They are habitual offenders,” said an officer who investigated the case in Belapur.

“Since the cases have been mounting, we put up posters in public spots and in police stations. We have even marked a monetary reward for identifying the accused, but so far, no information has reached us,” said an officer from Koperkhairane.

While the Navi Mumbai police was trying to find out more about the accused, parents and schools in Kharghar, Belapur, Koperkhairane and other areas are on the vigil. “We have been conducting sessions with our colony children, to ensure that they never accompany a stranger. However, it is scary that sexual predators, who have been identified, are on the run and are still targeting children,” said Shravani Ray, a resident of Kharghar.

An officer from Navi Mumbai police said: “There are cases in which only one clue is all we need. This is one of them. If we just put names on these accused, we will be able to probably arrest them faster. Our policemen are working though, sooner or later, we will be able to establish their identity and put them behind bars.”