Four men have been arrested for allegedly gang-raping their teenaged friend twice on different occasions after spiking her drink with alcohol in Jogeshwari, police said.
The 16-year-old girl, who stays in a shelter home run by an NGO in suburban Andheri, had gone to her home for Holi when the offence took place. The shelter home provides staying facilities to the economically backward families’ children in the city.
The four accused, Huzer Khan (24), Ajay Jaiswal (21), Kanti Anawadia (19), and Aamir Chaudhary (19), all known to the victim, were arrested on March 20, an official at Meghwadi police station said.
One of the accused had on March 15 asked the girl to join him and his friends for Holi celebrations. She agreed and joined them the next day when the four took her to a ground in Andheri where they consumed liquor and also allegedly mixed it in the soft drink, the girl consumed without her knowledge, police said.
The accused then took her to an isolated area in Aarey colony and allegedly raped her. Since the girl was under the influence of alcohol, she did not remember as to what had happened to her.
The accused again convinced her to accompany them the next day and they allegedly assaulted her a second time in the same fashion in Jogeshwari area, police said.
With no memory of the two incidents, the girl questioned the men since she was experiencing pain. One of the accused narrated the incident to her but the girl did not tell anyone of the incident.
On March 20, a staffer at the shelter home noticed a change in her behaviour. Upon enquiry, the girl broke down and narrated the incident.
The police were informed and an FIR was registered on March 20, said an official, adding that the accused were picked on the same day from the city.
The four accused have been remanded in police custody till March 28.
