Crime file: Minor hits 19-yr-old girl with boulder and rapes her in Karnataka; monk arrested for sexually abusing minor boys and more

Minor brutally assaults, rapes 19-yr-old girl in Karnataka

Davangere (Karnataka): A 19-year old girl was allegedly brutally assaulted and raped at a desolate place here by an acquaintance, a minor, who has been arrested.

The victim's classmate who introduced her to the accused and helped him in the crime was arrested on Wednesday, three days after he went absconding since the incident on Saturday night, police said.

According to police, the victim, a Bachelor of Computer Applications student, was returning home from her dance class when the accused offered her a lift, took her on a bike and raped her after hitting her with a boulder for resisting him. Her classmate who was waiting at the spot also helped him, police said.

The Karate-trained girl fought bravely before she was attacked, causing injuries on her head, eye and mouth after which she managed to reach home.

She was also burnt on her thigh with a lighter after the rape, police said.

Police arrested the 17-year-old accused, who was charged with kidnapping, rape and attempt to murder, on Sunday and produced him before a juvenile court, which sent him to remand home.

Next: Monk arrested for sexually abusing minor boys in West Bengal

Monk arrested for sexually abusing minor boys in West Bengal

Malda (West Bengal): A Bharat Sevasharam monk has been remanded to three days police custody following his arrest on charges of alleged sexual abuse of minor boys in the ashram premises at Sahapur, near here.

The 27-year-old monk was arrested under Section 377 of the IPC (unnatural offences) and Sections 12 and 8 of The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act on Monday after a written complaint was filed against him by locals for alleged sexual abuse of four boys, three of whom were minors, the police said. Superintendent of Police Kalyan Mukherjee confirmed his arrest.

The monk was produced in a local court yesterday which remanded him to police custody for three days. Boy students reside in the ashram and study in a residential school under the supervision of the monks. Sangh sources said the monk had been falsely implicated by the locals with whom they had a land dispute.

Next: Obscene activities: 45 people held in bar raids in Mumbai; three girls rescued

Obscene activities: 45 people held in bar raids in Mumbai; three girls rescued

Mumbai: As many as 45 persons, including eight bar girls, were arrested and three girls rescued during separate raids on bars for alleged involvement in obscene activities.

Acting on a tip off, a raid was conducted at Lakshdeep bar and restaurant on Gajdarbhandh road in Santa Cruz at around 11.40 PM on Tuesday by Social Service Branch of city police.

Forty three people, including the bar owner, staff, 21 customers and eight bar girls were arrested from there, police said on Wednesday.

The bar girls and customers were found to be allegedly involved in obscene acts when the raid was conducted, police said, adding that all the accused were arrested under IPC sections 294 (indulging in obscene acts and songs) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).

In another case, police carried out raid in the premises of a one-storey building at Ganesh Nagar in suburban Chembur Tuesday evening and arrested two persons for allegedly pushing girls into prostitution.

The two were arrested under relevant sections of Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act, police said. Further probe was on in both the cases, they added.

Next: 3 villagers peeping into car shot at, injured

3 villagers peeping into car shot at, injured

Coimbatore: Three persons sustained bullet injuries when a person inside a car shot at them in a forest area near Mettuplayam in the district on Wednesday.

Mahesh, Saravanan and Anand, of Kurunthamalai, peeped into the car parked on the roadside, when a person shot at them from inside the car, police said. Mahesh sustained bullet injury on neck, Saravanan on hip and Anand on his hand, an officer said, adding that they were rushed to a hospital in Mettupalayam from where they were shifted to a private hospital in Coimbatore.

Hearing the gun shot, villagers rushed to the spot and managed to nab three persons inside the car, including a woman, while the police seized a pistol, he said. The identity of the trio was yet to be ascertained.

Next: Techie held for filming obscene video of sister-in-law

Techie held for filming obscene video of sister-in-law

Chennai: A 25-year-old man, a software engineer, was on Tuesday, arrested after his sister-in-law complained to the police commissioner that he was threatening her with an obscene video, he filmed without her knowledge.

The accused, Souras Kumar stayed with his cousin at Alandur and had filmed his wife obscenely on his mobile phone and had tortured her demanding money and took Rs 40,000 from her, police said.

The woman, later complained to the police commissioner, who while investigation confirmed of his deed and arrested him on Tuesday.

Next: Korean held with Rs 1 crore worth US$

Korean held with Rs 1 crore worth US$

Chennai: A Korean national, suspected to be part of an international hawala racket, was detained at the Chennai airport after he was found carrying Rs 1 crore worth US dollars. This is the largest sei­zure of US dollars from a sing­le individual at the Chennai airport.

Yoon Kiyeol, a native of South Korea, was scheduled to travel to Hong Kong by a Cathay Pacific flight Mon­day night. He had come to India two months ago. During the check, the CISF team found that he was carrying $1,50,000, worth nearly Rs 1 crore, in his hand luggage in a concealed polythe­ne cover.

The seized cash was handed over to the custo­ms department along with the foreigner who was later arrested by the officials and remanded.

Next: Woman killed only on records for insurance

Woman killed only on records for insurance

Narender Pulloor | DC

Nizamabad: To get the insurance amount under the Aam Admi Beema Yojana scheme, family members of a woman, with connivance of officials, submitted a false death certificate and withdrew Rs 30,000.

Self-help group member Lakshmi’s family of Mupkal village in Balkonda mandal had received the insurance amount after submitting papers that declared her as dead.

The fraud came to light during the social audit that was conducted under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in Balkonda mandal on Monday and Tuesday.

The audit team inspected the loans, pensions and insurance amounts distributed in the mandal. During checking, officials found that Lakshmi was alive but had claimed insurance of Rs 30,000. A death certificate had been submitted stating that she had died on August 28, 2013. Interestingly, the village secretary of Mupkal had issued the death certificate.

Based on the death certificate and other details, Indira Kranthi Patham (IKP) officials of Balkonda mandal had sent the proposal to the district office. Based on the verification reports, IKP officials had disbursed the insurance amount to the kin of Lakshmi.

According to sources, Lakshmi has admitted her fault and has agreed to refund the insurance amount. Speaking to this newspaper, IKP project’s P. Venkatesham said that they would conduct an inquiry on misuse of the insurance amount.

“We will initiate stringent action against errant staff and self-help group member Lakshmi for fraud,” he explained. He said that insurance amounts would be sanctioned only after thoroughly verifying the details.

Next: Man shot at, robbed near railway tracks in Mumbai

Man shot at, robbed near railway tracks in Mumbai

Mumbai: Unidentified robbers on Wednesday shot at a man and took away his gold chains near the railway tracks in suburban Bhandup this morning.

According to police, Umesh Rane (42), who works as a cashier with Reliance Energy, was on his way to board a train to reach his office in suburban Kurla around 7 am when four persons accosted him on a deserted footpath near the railway tracks.

They asked him to hand over the gold chains and the bracelet he was wearing. Rane handed them the chains - together weighing 20 gm - but resisted when the robbers tried to take away his bracelet.

One of them then shot at him in the belly and fled. Despite the injury, Rane managed to walk back home which is located nearby. His wife and neighbours drove him to a hospital. Police said a special team has been formed and manhunt has been launched to nab the culprits.

Next: Pak gang cheats Old City with lottery scam

Pak gang cheats Old City with lottery scam

K.K. Abdul Rahoof | DC

Hyderabad: In what is emerging as a new crime trend in the city, a gang of Pakistani fraudsters are cheating gullible victims, mainly from the old city, after info-rming them that they have won lakhs in a “Delhi-based online lottery”.

More than 20 complaints have been filed with the Central Crime Station. The scamsters call up the victims after getting their numbers from online databases and convince them that they have won a lottery of Rs 25 lakh.

The victims are then asked to pay different “processing charges” in order to claim the money. After paying lakhs of rupees, victims find that they have been cheated.

CCS DCP Pala Raju told this newspaper that the phone call details of the gang had been tracked to Pakistan. “The phone calls come from Pakistan SIM cards with the ISD code ‘92’. Most of them operate from Pakistan with counterparts in India,” he said.

In order to lure the victims, the fraudsters use religious greetings like Assalamu Alaykum, Insha-Allah, Khuda Hafiz, etc.

“Few victims from the old city were convinced by the sweet talks of the fraudster after they used such greetings,” said Raju, adding that the callers spoke chaste Urdu.

After convincing the victims, the fraudsters ask for processing charges, expenses for tax-related documents and money transferring charges.

The victims are asked to deposit the money in different bank accounts in three-four installments. According to the police, the Pakistani gang, which learnt the tricks from Nigerian fraudsters, use accounts of laymen to handle the transactions and their counterparts in India send the money across the border.

“The bank accounts used for these transactions are of common people in states like Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Assam. The gangs pay meagre amounts to farmers and other poor people to use their accounts temporarily.

After the money from the victims is deposited, within no time, they transfer the amount online or withdraw it using ATM cards,” added DCP Raju.

Officials have warned citizens to be careful about incoming calls from numbers with the ISD code ‘92’ and to report the cops if they get any.

Next: Minor girl gangraped by trio in UP

Minor girl gangraped by trio in UP

Sant Kabirnagar: A 14-year-old girl was allegedly gangraped by three persons in a deserted school building in Hariharpur village here, police said on Wednesday.

The girl who was missing since December 20 somehow fled and reached home last night and told her family as to how she was abducted by three men, who took her to a deserted school building where she was raped, police said.

The victim was also warned of dire consequences if she disclosed the matter to anyone. On the complaint of the victim's mother all three accused, belonging to the same village, have been arrested, Superintendent of Police Piyush Srivastava said.

Next: Man arrested for raping 10-yr-old

Man arrested for raping 10-yr-old

Tiruvannamalai: Chengam inspector Thagira on Tuesday arrested Murthy(43), son of Chinnathambi doing small jobs and residing in Killaiyur village, for raping a 10-year-old girl on Sunday (Dec. 21).

According to police, when the girl who was working in the gardens of a land-owner Ramanathan house in Killaiyur village, situated near Chengam hills, Murthy, belonging to the same village, was also working there. He called the girl upstairs and molested her.

Following a complaint from victim’s elder sister Ranjitha, the police arrested Mani.

Next: 50-year-old woman killed with grinding stone

50-year-old woman killed with grinding stone

Chennai: An unidentified person murdered a 50-year-old woman by dropping a grinding stone on her head at her residence in Mangadu on Monday night. The victim, Kasthuri, who had lost her husband, lived with her son, Manikandan, 23, a catering student, at Sivanthangal in Mangadu.

She used to organize chit funds in the local area and was also a small time moneylender, running a rice business from her residence, police said.

On Monday, she was alone in her house when one of her daughters who came to visit her, found her lying in a pool of blood near the front door at around 9.30 pm. “A grinding stone with bloodstains was found near Kasthuri’s body.

Her head was smashed completely,” a police officer said. However, all the properties were intact and it does not seem like a murder for gain, he added.

Police sources said that they suspect personal enmity or business rivalry to be behind the murder. A case has been registered and further investigations are on.

Next: Footage helps nab 3 killers

Footage helps nab 3 killers

Hyderabad: CCTV footages helped city cops arrest three assailants who had murdered the watchman of Narayana Junior College at Panjagutta. The three men, who were acquaintances of the victim, Raja Reddy, killed him to loot Rs 45,800 from the college office. Cops said that the three accused who knew about the money, came to the venue in an inebriated condition and murdered Raja Reddy after making him drink alcohol.

During the course of investigation, Panjagutta police collected footages from a CCTV on top of an Indian Overseas Bank branch, opposite the college, and identified the accused.

Those arrested are: Karne Krishna, a 48-year-old former security guard of a college in Ameerpet, Bolla-boyana Srinivas Yadav, 38, a car driver from Uppar Basti and Mailaram Yadaiah, 48, a security guard at Bharath Security agency, Maithri-vanam.

The CCTV footages showed that the trio entered the college at 10.16 pm on December 15 night when the victim was murdered, and came out at 4.16 am carrying computer parts and money in their bags.

Next: Two Tibetan terrier Puppies stolen in Kovai

Two Tibetan terrier Puppies stolen in Kovai

V. Palaniappan | DC

Coimbatore: Two pricey Tibetan terrier puppies were stolen from a house in Periyanaickenpalayam on the outskirts of Coimbatore. Two women, who came in a car, caught the squeaking Terrier puppies and sped away, police said.

The two month old bitches – one is golden grey and the other is a dark brown beauty – were stolen from the house of Vishnu Siddharth, a pet lover and a law apprentice at Naickenpalayam in Govanur.

Sidd­ha­rth, who lives with his mother Sabeetha and father Chandrasekaran, rears a pack of hibred dogs in his house, including a 7-year-old Tibetan terrier and German Shepherd and sells the pups too.

A few months ago, Siddharth had sent his Tibetan terrier for mating with a dog which belonged to another pet owner, Aishwarya of Peelamedu.

How­ever, the attempts failed and so he mated his terrier with another terrier in the neighbourhood, which turned out to be successful and the litter had two puppies, Siddarth said.

However, on Dec. 18 afte­rn­oon, Aiyswarya along with her mother Shan­tha­mani barged into Siddharth's house and took away the two Tibetan terrier puppies in a car and fled.

Siddharth’s mother Sabeetha, who was in the garden at the rear of the house, claimed that she saw two women running away with the two puppies.

Next: Collector’s PA held for graft

Collector’s PA held for graft

Thanjavur: The collector’s perso­nal assistant (noonmeal) M. Mala was tr­a­pped and arrested by sleuths of the directo­rate of vigilance and anti corruption (DV­AC) here on Tuesday when she took a bribe of Rs 2,000 from a noonmeal organiser of a government high sch­ool for duly signing on the register after insp­ection.

The collector’s PA Mala on December 20 visited and conducted inspection at three sch­­ools, the governm­ent high school and the elementary school located on the same premises in Thuv­ara­nkurichi village near Pattukottai and the TELC primary school at Anaikadu.

She took away with her three registers af­ter instructing noonmeal organisers to come and collect the re­gisters from her offi­ce after paying a bribe of Rs 1,000 each. Sleuths laid the trap when she was about to get the br­ibe and arr­ested her.

Next: Failed ATM robbery caught on tape

Failed ATM robbery caught on tape

Bangalore: Three unidentified miscreants allegedly made a brazen attempt to break open an ATM and carry away the cash box but failed, in the early hours of Tuesday in Malleswaram police limits.

The ATM belonging to Indian Bank, located inside Saraswati Complex on Malleswaram 5th main road, was broken into. The police suspect the involvement of the security guard, Girish, who was on night duty on Monday.

Girish was reportedly hired four days ago. On Monday night, Girish allegedly hatched a plan with two of his associates to rob the ATM. The incident has occurred between 1.50 am and 3 am, as per the footage gathered from the CCTV inside the kiosk.

Confirming that the entire incident had been caught on camera, a senior police officer said, “Three men entered the kiosk and cut the side of the ATM using gas cutters.

They then reached the cash box and tried to cut it open as well, but it appears that they gave up halfway and left. No cash has been stolen, but we have strong leads as to who the suspects are. They will be nabbed soon.”

The robbery attempt came to light early on Tuesday when the security guard for the morning shift came and found the night shift guard missing. Seeing the sides of the ATM cut open, he called the bank authorities, who informed the police.
The Malleswaram police have registered a case and are investigating.

Next: One held, 22 sander logs seized

One held, 22 sander logs seized

Tirupati: Even as the offensive against red sanders smugglers continues across the Seshachalam hills, red sanders smugglers are continuing their operations braving all odds.

Bhakarapet FRO Prasad and a team of forest officials on a tip off reached the forest area near Chinna Ramapuram where they came across a three-member team loading red sanders logs into a mini lorry.

On seeing the team of forest officials, two persons fled from the spot while the forest officials apprehended one. According to Prasad, 22 red sanders logs weighing around 600 kg and worth Rs 5 lakh were seized from the spot. Apart from the red sanders logs, the mini lorry was also seized by the forest department.

The apprehended has been identified as Ramachandraiah, 60, hailing from Mailavandlapalle under Devarakonda panchayat limits.

The two others who fled from the spot have also been identified as Srinivas and Rajesh. Forest officials are on the lookout for the two involved in the smuggling.

Next: Techie hangs self

Techie hangs self

Bangalore: A 32-year-old Hyderabad based software engineer committed suicide by hanging at his flat in Sai Baba Layout in Munekolalu in HAL police station limits.

The reason for the extreme step is yet to be investigated. The deceased has been identified as Pawan Kumar. A native of Hyderabad, he was settled in the city since several years. He was married to Harika, also a software engineer, and the couple has a three-year-old daughter, Veda.

According to the police, Pawan had bought a flat in the Sai Baba Layout, where he lived with wife and daughter. About five months ago, Harika was transferred to Hyderabad and she shifted along with her daughter. After that, Pawan was staying along with his friend Sridhar, also a software engineer.

“On Sunday he was at home while Sridhar had gone out. He returned home around 5.30 pm. As Pawan did not open the door, Sridhar went near Pawan’s bedroom window to wake him up thinking he might be sleeping. As he peeped through the window, he was shocked to see Pawan hanging from the ceiling fan. Later, he informed the matter to the police,” the police said.

“Pawan had called his wife and spoke to her and Veda for sometime on Sunday afternoon. It was last call he has made. Even his family members said he had not told them about any problems and they are in dark about the cause behind the suicide. We have also questioned his friends and colleagues. Even they are clueless about the reason. He has not left behind any suicide note and we are investigating the reason,” the police added.

Sridhar told Deccan Chronicle, “I had gone out and returned around 5.15 pm on Sunday. There was no response from inside and I peeped through the window to find him hanging from the fan. He was very close to me but he had never told me anything that would lead to suicide.” HAL police have registered an unnatural death case and are investigating.