A 19-year-old man imprisoned in Taloja Central Jail in Maharashtra's Raigad on rape and kidnapping charges allegedly committed suicide on the night of Tuesday and Wednesday. Investigators believe an undertrial contacted prison authorities after discovering his body.
According to a local police officer, the accused, a sweeper, was arrested in a rape case on September 22 of this year. He was arrested for forcing a 16-year-old girl to elope with him.
They met on social media and began dating, according to the officer. The girl's parents filed a missing person report after they fled. During the investigation, officers found that the girl had escaped with the accused, with whom she had a relationship. However, because she is a minor, the authorities lodged a rape case once they were traced down because the couple had a physical relationship. The individual was caught and taken to the Taloja prison, where the event occurred.
An Accidental Death Report (ADR) was filed at the Kharghar police station soon after the incident was noticed. Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud recently referred to the age of consent debate. He urged the legislature to consider the growing concern around the ‘age of consent’ under the Act.