Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Oct 4: A horrifying sequence of events unfolded in Bhiwandi as a 32-year-old powerloom worker, who was a suspect in a 2023 rape and murder case and had recently escaped custody, allegedly committed a similar heinous crime.

The suspect, who had been on the run since fleeing a court two months ago, is accused of raping and strangling a seven-year-old neighbour this past Wednesday, barely two kilometers from the site of his previous alleged crime. He reportedly left the child’s body concealed in a gunny sack and attempted a getaway. He was swiftly apprehended the same night while trying to escape to his native town of Madhubani in Bihar.

The Attack and Discovery

The seven-year-old girl showed scratch marks across her body, suggesting she fiercely fought her attacker. Police state the suspect had only moved into the house next door three days prior. On Wednesday, he allegedly lured the child with food while she was going to a public toilet, took her into his home, sexually assaulted and murdered her, and then fled.

When the child didn't return, her worried parents began searching. Later that evening, they found the suspect's house locked from the outside. Through a window, they spotted their daughter's mug. After breaking down the door, they made the gruesome discovery of her body inside a sack. Doctors confirmed she had been raped and murdered.

Identifying the Suspect and Previous Escape

The crime bore striking similarities to the September 2023 case, where a six-year-old girl was also lured with food, raped, strangled, and left in a container inside a locked room. This chilling resemblance led police to show the parents a photograph of the suspect from the 2023 case, whom they immediately identified as their new neighbour.

Multiple police teams quickly formed and tracked the suspect to Bhiwandi's outskirts, arresting him late that night.

The gravity of the situation is compounded by the fact that the suspect was previously lodged in Thane central jail for the 2023 case but managed to escape from the court premises before a hearing in August. Six constables escorting him were suspended for negligence. Following the escape, a massive manhunt with circulating photos and an announced reward was initiated. Police officials revealed the suspect was forced out of his hometown by villagers' protests, causing him to lay low in Bhiwandi's rural areas before moving into the new house.

Further Action

The suspect was produced in court and remanded to eight days of police custody. Furthermore, a senior Nizampura police officer confirmed that action will be taken against the house owner who rented the property without notifying the police.

The victim's distraught parents, who have two other children, have sought the death penalty for the suspect and demanded answers on how he was able to escape custody and return to commit another attack so easily. Police are also investigating whether he committed any other crimes during his time on the run.