Mumbai 9-year-old rape-murder case: Suspect’s kin held
Nitasha Natu, Narayan Namboodiri | TNN | Updated: Apr 8, 2019, 05:42 IST
Nehru Nagar residents join the rally led by college students from Juhu to Santacruz police station on SundayMUMBAI: Close on the heels of the arrest of a 31-year-old history-sheeter for the rape and murder of a nine-year-old schoolgirl, the Juhu police took four of his family members, including his second wife and brother, into custody for allegedly threatening the police team that landed at their Nehru Nagar residence to collect evidence. The suspect, Vadivel Devendra, has been accused of kidnapping, raping and murdering a nine-year-old neighbour and dumping her body in a public toilet septic tank in Nehru Nagar, Vile Parle (W).
Even as protests demanding justice for the nine-year-old girl continued on Sunday, school and college students took out a rally from Juhu to Santacruz police station, where Devendra has been lodged. The girl’s parents, who are daily wage labourers, refused to claim her body from the morgue unless Devendra was given the strictest punishment. Social worker Muthu Kumar, who participated in the rally, said there were several protests in Nehru Nagar slums on Sunday. Residents also gheraoed Devendra’s house, but policemen ensured the situation did not go out of hand. “The residents and the nine-year-old girl’s family are angry and want speedy justice. They have refused to claim their daughter’s body from the morgue after the autopsy,” the social worker said.
On April 4, the nine-year-old girl had stepped out of home to buy tea from a nearby shop. She did not return home. The police picked up Devendra after a scrutiny of CCTV cameras near the crime spot showed him with the girl, who knew him as her neighbour. His past conviction for raping a five-year-old girl in 2013 also led the police to suspect him. During questioning, Devendra admitted to kidnapping the nine-year-old girl, sexually assaulting her and killing her before dumping the body public toilet septic tank. “While the autopsy report is awaited, we have learnt that the girl had been strangulated. The crime was committed not far from the public toilet between 6pm and 7pm,” said a senior police officer, requesting anonymity.
On Saturday, a police team, including sub-inspector Ajay Bhosle and women cops, went to Devendra’s home to make a panchnama and collect evidence. But his family allegedly stopped them from entering the house and threatened to kill them if they did. “Devendra’s family got aggressive and hurled abuses at the police team. His brother brandished an iron rod and a bamboo and said ‘koi police ghar mein ghusa, toh usko rod se sar pe maar ke yahi par jaan se maar daloonga (If any cop enters the house, I will break his head with the rod and kill him)’. Additional police force had to be called in to bring the siuation under control till evidence collection could be completed,” another police officer said. Devendra’s second wife Muskaan, brother Chelmuttu, sister-in-law Banu and mother Ramai Chinathambi have been arrested on charges of wrongful restraint and 'intimidation’ under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.
Devendra was remanded to police custody till April 15 by a magistrate’s court, while his family members were sent to police custody till April 10.
Even as protests demanding justice for the nine-year-old girl continued on Sunday, school and college students took out a rally from Juhu to Santacruz police station, where Devendra has been lodged. The girl’s parents, who are daily wage labourers, refused to claim her body from the morgue unless Devendra was given the strictest punishment. Social worker Muthu Kumar, who participated in the rally, said there were several protests in Nehru Nagar slums on Sunday. Residents also gheraoed Devendra’s house, but policemen ensured the situation did not go out of hand. “The residents and the nine-year-old girl’s family are angry and want speedy justice. They have refused to claim their daughter’s body from the morgue after the autopsy,” the social worker said.
On April 4, the nine-year-old girl had stepped out of home to buy tea from a nearby shop. She did not return home. The police picked up Devendra after a scrutiny of CCTV cameras near the crime spot showed him with the girl, who knew him as her neighbour. His past conviction for raping a five-year-old girl in 2013 also led the police to suspect him. During questioning, Devendra admitted to kidnapping the nine-year-old girl, sexually assaulting her and killing her before dumping the body public toilet septic tank. “While the autopsy report is awaited, we have learnt that the girl had been strangulated. The crime was committed not far from the public toilet between 6pm and 7pm,” said a senior police officer, requesting anonymity.
On Saturday, a police team, including sub-inspector Ajay Bhosle and women cops, went to Devendra’s home to make a panchnama and collect evidence. But his family allegedly stopped them from entering the house and threatened to kill them if they did. “Devendra’s family got aggressive and hurled abuses at the police team. His brother brandished an iron rod and a bamboo and said ‘koi police ghar mein ghusa, toh usko rod se sar pe maar ke yahi par jaan se maar daloonga (If any cop enters the house, I will break his head with the rod and kill him)’. Additional police force had to be called in to bring the siuation under control till evidence collection could be completed,” another police officer said. Devendra’s second wife Muskaan, brother Chelmuttu, sister-in-law Banu and mother Ramai Chinathambi have been arrested on charges of wrongful restraint and 'intimidation’ under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.
Devendra was remanded to police custody till April 15 by a magistrate’s court, while his family members were sent to police custody till April 10.
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