Thane: A man accused of raping and murdering a 12-year-old girl in Kalyan East area allegedly died by suicide at Taloja Central Jail in Navi Mumbai on Sunday, officials said.
The accused, Vishal Gawli, who was lodged in Taloja Central Jail for last four months ended his life in the jail's toilet on Sunday morning. His body was found by the jail authorities and sent to JJ Hospital for autopsy, deputy commissioner of police Atul Zende said.
In December 2024, the minor girl, a resident of Chakki Naka area of Kalyan East area went missing after leaving her house. Her body was later found at Bapgaon village under Thane Rural police station area.
Investigations revealed that Vishal Gawli had allegedly lured her to his house and sexually assaulted her. He had later murdered her and stuffed her body in a bag that he kept in his house.
When Vishal's wife, Sakshi, who works at a bank, returned home in the evening, he told her about the incident. Then with the help of Sakshi, Vishal disposed of the bag containing the body at night. Vishal carried the body in his friend's rickshaw and duped it in the forest in the Bapgaon cemetery area.
Police recovered the body and weapon used in the crime. The accused was then traced with the help of CCTV footage. Vishal and his wife were arrested on charges of kidnapping, rape, murder and other offences under the BNS and POCSO Act.
Vishal has a total of eight serious cases registered against him. Vishal was on bail when he allegedly raped and murdered the minor girl.
The incident sparked widespread outrage and demand for stringent action against the perpetrators. Many women's and social organisations took out rallies in Kalyan and Dombivli areas, protesting against the incident and threatened to continue their protest unless the accused was hanged to death.
Vishal's three brothers, Sham, Navnath and Akash Gawli, were habitual criminals. They were deported from Thane, Raigad and Mumbai districts by Kolsewadi police four months ago.
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