Mumbai shocker: Self-styled godman rapes woman several times in name of rituals

In a shocking new development coming in from Mumbai, a 58-year-old self-styled godman has been taken into police custody for raping a woman in the name of rituals. According to the police report, the accused had allegedly raped the victim on multiple occasion since 2019 when she was a minor.

The police began the investigation based on the statement of the victim.

The victim’s family came in contact with the self-styled godman, identified as Suresh Kumar Ravindra Narayan Awasthi after some acquaintances introduced them.

An official stated, "On the pretext of rituals, he raped the victim several times since 2019 (when she was a minor), clicked objectionable photographs of her and continued to sexually attack her by threatening to upload these pictures on the internet."

When the victim apprised her parents about the incident, they reached out to the police and registered a complaint.

The accused godman was taken into police custody under the Indian Penal Code [IPC] and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act provisions on Sunday.

In another incident, Mumbai Police arrested a 28-year-old school peon on charges of sexually harassing and stalking a minor student in the school premises in south Mumbai.

The horrifying crime became known after the 15-year-old girl's parents noticed changes in her behaviour and contacted the convent where she studied, said a police officer on Sunday.

On 5th September, the peon found the girl all by herself and allegedly touched her inappropriately. Since then, he had stopped reporting to the school, located in Gamdevi area, said the officer.

The school subsequently submitted a complaint to Gamdevi police station, he said.

The peon allegedly harassed the victim many times on the school premises. He also made a video call on the girl's mobile number, said the officer.

An FIR has been filed against the peon on Friday under sections 354-A (sexual harassment) and 354-D (stalking) of the IPC and relevant provisions of the Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act and the Information Technology Act, he said.

The police later embarked on a manhunt and with the help of technical material, they arrested the peon from Virar in neighbouring Palghar district on Friday, said police.

The accused was later produced before a court, which remanded him in police custody till September 14.

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