Mumbai Crime: Watchman held for raping 53-year-old woman in Bandra building

The survivor is mentally and physically challenged and had been living in a small house in a building in Mount Mary Church area. Pic/Sneha Kharabe

The Bandra police have arrested a 35-year-old watchman for sexually assaulting a 53-year-old physically and mentally challenged woman residing in a building in the Mount Mary Church area.

The accused has been identified as Ram Parasnath. He was caught on May 12, after the survivor's 22-year-old daughter called the Bandra police and said she'd seen him entering her mother's home around 12.30 pm. She sensed something fishy. When she spoke to her mother, she got to know that Parasnath has been sexually assaulting her.

Put behind bars
Senior inspector of Bandra police station, Pandit Nivruti Thackrey, confirmed the arrest and said the survivor's daughter filed a case against Parasnath alleging he'd been sexually assaulting her mother for 12 days. Cops booked him under section 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code and arrested him the same day. The accused was produced before the court and sent to police custody.

The police added the survivor is mentally and physically challenged and had been living in a small house. Her husband left her long ago, while her only daughter is a student who lives with her maternal aunt in the next building. The daughter is a student and visits her mother several times a day.

In grave shock
Parasnath has been working in the building for the past one and a half years and resides in the back of the building with five other security guards. He hails from Uttar Pradesh, where his wife and children live. Residents of the building said they're in grave shock as they never imagined Parasnath would ever do such a thing. They said they will be more cautious while recruiting a security guard in the future.

Also Read: Two men gang-rape woman in moving car, throw her child on national highway

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates