Bhiwandi: A 14-year girl from Bhiwandi was allegedly raped and murdered by her neighbour, a 24- year-old man, on Thursday evening. The incident came to light when the younger brother returned from school and found his sister lying motionless in the bath tub. He shouted and drew the attention of the neighbours to the incident.
The arrested accused has been identified by Narpoli police as Rahul Bhudavale, a resident of Mankoli village in Bhiwandi. He was working as a helper in a corporate godown. The post-mortem examination revealed that she was raped and strangulated and then drowned in the bath tub. During investigation, it was found that the youth murdered the girl so that she would not tell anyone about the sexual assault. The girl’s father and mother, too, work in a godown as helpers, and both were at work site when the incident happened. The neighbours informed them and the police as well.
Said Sub Inspector Sanjay Bende, Narpoli Police station, “We arrested him within 8 hours after the parents lodged the FIR. The accused was later produced in court and remanded in police custody till August 29 “. The victim lived with her parents, elder sister and younger brother. She was a VIII standard student in a Bhiwandi-based Marathi medium school. Police sources said that when the accused was fleeing from the house the victim’s younger brother had seen him. Reportedly, the accused had teased her many times in the past.