In a distressing incident, two men have been arrested for reportedly spiking the drink of a 19-year-old college student and sexually assaulting her in a Chembur flat last week. The victim, who resides with her mother in a district near Mumbai, had visited the city to see her father, employed in a government department.
According to TOI reports, on the night of November 15 and 16, the victim approached a 26-year-old neighbour, known to her from earlier, to request some cooking ingredients. The neighbour, also a student, had a 30-year-old friend from Govandi at his residence, as his family members were away. Seizing the opportunity, the duo offered the young woman a soft drink while she waited in the neighbouring flat. In her police complaint, she stated that she lost consciousness after consuming the drink and later discovered she had been sexually assaulted upon regaining awareness.
Upon returning to her flat, the victim confided in friends within the building, leading to the prompt registration of an FIR with the Chembur police. The two suspects were apprehended on the same day and face charges under Sections 376 (rape), 376(D) (abusing an official position in a hospital to commit rape), 328 (causing harm through poison with the intent to commit an offense), and 34 (collective intention) of the IPC. The accused were presented before a court, which remanded them in police custody until Monday. The victim underwent a medical examination, and investigators are awaiting the results. A senior police officer told TOI, "We have sent the soft drink for forensic examination. The report is awaited," highlighting the ongoing efforts to gather evidence in the case.