Mob vents fury on eyewitness

Witness in rape of eight-year-old girl beaten and his shop closed by citizens for not giving statement to police against arrested suspect The MiD DAY Sept 6 report about witnesses not coming forward in violent crimesNimrao Mane, a key eyewitness in the rape of eight-year-old girl, was beaten up in Yamuna Nagar, Nigdi on Tuesday allegedly by some women activists of Shiv Sena and neighbours and relatives of the victim. No police case was registered against the mob, said the police.Suraj Bhagwan alias Savta Ranpise (45), a resident of Yamuna Nagar, was arrested on rape charges by Nigdi police on Monday night. Mane has a bicycle workshop in front of Ranpise's shop.u00a0Neighbours and relatives of the victim claim Mane had seen the girl going into Ranpise's shop and that he later refused to give a statement in this regard. After learning about his denial to the cops, the mob got agitated.Senior Police Inspector, Nigdi police station, Sharad Ugale said, Mane claims that he doesn't remember anything much and has given a vague statement about the incident.No case has been registered against the relatives and neighbours of the victim, as Mane has not filed a complaint with us. The Case According to a complaint lodged by the girl's parents at Nigdi police station, the girl had gone to fetch milk from a shop near her building. Ranpise who owns a furniture shop called Suraj Furniture near her building called her into his shop. She knew him and he lured her with a box of chocolates. Once inside the shop, he allegedly raped her and then warned her not to tell anyone. The girl's mother however, suspected something was wrong seeing the girl's disheveled state and raised an alarm.