Cop rapes girl near Mumbai airport

Two hundred metres from the busiest airport in the country and in the vicinity of his police station, a Head Constable—apparently drunk...

Two hundred metres from the busiest airport in the country and in the vicinity of his police station, a Head Constable—apparently drunk—picked up a 15-year-old ragpicker, took her to an isolated place and allegedly raped her on Monday night.

Sahar police have registered a case against the accused, Head Constable Chandrakant Pawar (45), who was produced in the Andheri Court this afternoon and remanded in police custody till October 25. Pawar, who was posted to Sahar in 2002, has also been placed on suspension, said police.

‘‘Let the medical report come, then we will see about other charges (of being drunk on duty),’’ said Senior Police Inspector Subhash Sanghai of the Sahar police station. ‘‘He has been suspended.’’

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According to Sahar police, their colleague Head Constable Chandrakant Pawar, who was on night patrol, came to the station around 10.30 pm to say that he was taking a dinner break. Sometime during that break he spotted the girl, who lives in slums at Annawadi near the airport with her mother and four siblings, said police.

The girl told investigators later that Pawar—still in uniform—made her walk along Sahar Road, away from the airport towards Grand InterContinental Hotel. On the way, he made her stop at a secluded spot and raped her.

Kumar Shivaji Ukride, a loadpicker from the airport, spotted the two around 11.30 pm and confronted Pawar. He was soon joined by auto driver Bhola Yadav and Satyan Nair, an Airports Authority of India employee.

‘‘Pawar said he was taking the girl to the police station, but he was walking in the other direction,’’ said Ukride. ‘‘They knew he (Pawar) had done something to the girl, but weren’t sure whether or not to go to the station,’’ said Nair, adding, ‘‘But I insisted. Pawar seemed to be drunk.’’

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Yadav took the girl in his autorickshaw to the police station. Nair followed on his bike, Pawar riding pillion. ‘‘On the way, he (Pawar) pleaded with me to let him go. He even offered Rs 15,000 if I kept mum,’’ said Nair.

The police took the girl to Cooper hospital for medical examination and Pawar to Nagpada police hospital. ‘‘The rape charge is true… he has been arrested,’’ said DCP Shashikant Shinde.

Hall of Shame

• April 21: Constable Sunil More dismissed for allegedly raping college student inside a Marine Drive police chowky

• May 4: Railway Police constable Simon Koli charged with misbehaviour after he allegedly slapped a pregnant woman

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• May 7: Constables Sunil Sawant and Suryakant More arrested after allegedly molesting a woman at Thane railway station

• May 10: Constable Ravi Patil arrested on charges of raping 17-year-old girl

• May 31: Constable Rahul Shinde arrested after sister-in-law accuses him of attempting to rape her