Mumbai, Jan 20 (Mid-day) : Be wary of people who pretend to help you on the streets. Under the pretext of offering water, a 22-year-old woman was made unconscious, kidnapped from Bandra (East) and molested. When the girl finally regained consciousness the next day, she found herself in a garbage bin in South Mumbai.

According to the complaint, the woman, a resident of Bandra (West), was on her way back home on Sunday around 8 pm, after collecting clothes from a tailor in Bandra (East). While walking, she suddenly sneezed, and a woman, between 35-40 years of age, approached her and offered her some water.

“Initially I refused, but she persisted and I decided to take two sips of the water. After drinking it, I started to feel light-headed and was about to fall on the ground.

“The woman again approached me and asked if I needed her help. Suddenly, a car approached us, and the woman made me sit inside it with her,” said the complainant, in her statement to the police.

According to the girl, there were two men inside the car.

Half-conscious, she requested them to drop her to Bandra west. However, the three accused started slapping her and told her to remain quiet. She lost consciousness after that.

Brutal assault

When she came to her senses the next morning, she found herself in a garbage bin. Her clothes were torn and there were multiple nail and teeth marks on her body.

“I had no idea where I was and had to ask people which station I should go to. I finally managed to reach CST and a lady, who was going to Bandra, offered to accompany me at the station,” added the complainant.

The girl’s parents had been frantically searching for their daughter during the night. “We were looking for her everywhere. We tried calling her, but her phone was switched off. Finally, around 6.30 am on Monday, she reached home. She immediately hugged her father and started crying. It was only after sometime that she narrated the entire incident to us,” said the girl’s mother.

The family approached Bandra police to register the complaint, which was then transferred to Nirmal Nagar police station.

She was taken to Bhabha Hospital in Bandra, where doctors confirmed the molestation. Senior police inspector, Sudhir Jambavdekar from Nirmal Nagar police station said, “The accused also stole the girl’s mobile phone, worth Rs 2,000 and Rs 500. We have brought in several suspects and are investigating the case from every angle.”

The trio has been booked under sections 328 (causing hurt by means of poison, etc., with intent to commit an offence), 366 (kidnapping), 354 (outraging her modesty), 354 (a) (physical contact and advances involving unwelcome and explicit sexual overtures), 379 (theft), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.