Rapist allegedly hangs to death in lock-up at Padgha

MUMBAI, SEPT 17: Laxman Hadlya Patil 35 allegedly hanged himself to death in the toilet of the Padgha police station lock-up in Thane d...

MUMBAI, SEPT 17: Laxman Hadlya Patil 35 allegedly hanged himself to death in the toilet of the Padgha police station lock-up in Thane district on Thursday morning. However, being a death in police custody, the National Human Rights Commission NHRC is also investigating the case.

Two days after Patil allegedly raped a 22-year-old woman who had gone to collect leaves in the forest adjoining Devrang village in Bhiwandi on Tuesday, Patil is believed to have torn a piece of his quilt and hanged himself from the ventilator of the lock-up toilet.

Since Patil and the woman lived in the same village, Patil had allegedly made overtures earlier but the woman had resisted. In a fit of rage, he allegedly raped her on Tuesday evening. The victim lodged a police complaint with the Padgha police station on Wednesday morning.

Patil, a farm labourer, was arrested on Wednesday evening after a medical examination established that the woman had indeed been raped. Police claim Patil had scarcely eaten or spoken duringhis 10 hours in the lock-up.

On Thursday morning, Patil had gone to the toilet but failed to return for a while. A search of the premises revealed body hanging from the toilet ventilator. Attempts to resuscitate Patil, who was alive for a few moments after reaching the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital at Bhiwandi, however failed.

8220;Patil had felt humiliated and ashamed after the arrest. Perhaps it was remorse which led him to commit suicide,8221; says Superintendent of Police, Thane, Param Bir Singh. Since Patil had died in police custody, the NHRC has been apprised of the incident and will establish whether Patil died of police excesses.

Padgha police have registered an offence of accidental death. Director General of Police, Arvind Inamdar, has also directed the state Criminal Investigation Department CID to investigate the custodial death.

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Meanwhile, a goldsmith was robbed of five kilograms of gold and cash at Santacruz in Mumbai on Friday afternoon.

Around 2 pm, Shrenik Shah, who makes goldornaments by order hailed a rickshaw from Khar and was on his way to Santacruz, when a white Maruti car intercepted his rickshaw near Santacruz Golibar. Four armed and unidentified men trooped out of the car and threatened Shah with revolver and knife. After snatching bag from the goldsmith, the quartet escaped in the car.

According to Shah8217;s statement, the bag contained five kilograms of gold worth over Rs 20 lakhs and cash Rs 80,000. The Santacruz police have registered a case of robbery.