Rape-murder accused lured 12-year-old home as wife was away

Vishal Gawli, the 35-year-old Kalyan East resident arrested for allegedly kidnapping, raping and killing a 12-year-old girl on Monday, has confessed to having lured the girl to his house as his wife was away at her parents' place in Buldhana, the police told the judicial magistrate's court in Kalyan on Thursday.

- Megha Sood

MUMBAI: Residents of the locality are terrorised by the "local goon" - accused in at least eight cases - as he had molested several women in the past and they apprehend further threats from him and his family, the police noted.

In conversation with Hindustan Times, residents demanded police protection and a death sentence for Gawli. Many participated in rallies seeking stringent action and alleged that he had political backing and faked mental illness to escape punishment.

Both Gawli and his wife Sakshi, arrested for abetment of murder, were remanded to police custody on Thursday, till January 2.

The 12-year-old girl, a resident of Kolsewadi, went missing when she went out to buy chips around 4:30 pm on Monday. According to the police, Gawli kidnapped her from the spot, took her to his house, raped and killed her, and was stuffing her body into a bag when his wife returned from her parents' place around 6 pm.