Five Arrested in Mumbai Photojournalist Gang-Rape Case

Mumbai, 23 Aug 2013 (PTI): The Mumbai Police on Friday arrested all the five accused allegedly involved in the shocking gang-rape of a 23-year-old photo journalist here.

The photojournalist, who was working as an intern with an English magazine, was allegedly gang-raped by five men at around 8pm on Thursday near Shakti Mills in Lower Parel area of the metropolis.

The victim was on an assignment, doing a story on 'chawl' when the incident took place, police said.

In a chilling reminder of the December gang rape in Delhi, the men tied up the victim's friend and raped the woman.

In a statement given to police, the girl said the five goons were present in the Shakti Mills compound. They started making lewd remarks and harassed her. When her friend intervened, two of them assaulted him. Three others took her inside the dilapidated structure and raped her.

The police registered a gang-rape case in NM Joshi Marg police station and recorded the statement of the victim's friend.

The cops claimed the victim has identified two of the accused by their names. She told police that two of them were calling each other as Rupesh and Sajid, they said, adding, some drug addicts have been picked up from the area for questioning.

Earlier, the police had released sketches of the five accused and had picked up about 20 people for questioning.

The sketches were prepared on the basis of the description provided by the victim's male colleague, who was tied up by the accused before they sexually assaulted the woman.

Several teams were formed and send across the city to track the culprits.

The victim was admitted to Jaslok Hospital. Preliminary reports suggested that she sustained multiple internal injuries, they said.

Dr TaranGyanchandani, acting CEO of the hospital, said, "We are doing the needful ... she is under strict observation."

Maharashtra home minister RR Patil had visited the victim at Jaslok hospital.

"This is a very serious matter. We have taken note of it. The accused will be arrested soon," Patil told reporters outside the hospital.