A 20-year-old woman living in Nalasopara has been gang-raped by two accused under the pretext of practicing witchcraft in a house in Chali. Accused Maulana Rajab Shaikh and Shahabuddin both raped the victim under the pretext of practicing sorcery, claiming that she was practicing black magic. Pelhar police have registered a case of rape and are conducting further investigations.
Two men have been arrested in Maharashtra's Palghar district for allegedly raping and threatening a 20-year-old woman under the pretext of practicing witchcraft. The plaintiff in the case told the police that on February 26, she was alternately raped in a chali at Nalasopara (East) in Vasai taluka of Palghar district. The victim further said that the two accused told her that she was being harassed because someone had cast black magic on her. The woman who was going through some personal crisis in her life believed in him and agreed to follow his instructions. Under the pretext of healing her by witchcraft, the accused told her that we were practicing some sorcery. He then raped her by asking her to take off her clothes. However, the woman reached Palghar police station and lodged an FIR under Sections 376 (D) and 506 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for rape and intimidation.
A police team arrived at the spot. However, both the accused had fled. He was later arrested on February 27. His names are Maulana Rajab Shaikh (27) and Shahabuddin Shaikh (50). "We suspect that the accused may have used the same method to sexually assault other women. We are investigating whether more women have been killed using the same modus operandi, ”said a police official.