Gang Rape and Murder Charges Added Against Temple Attendants in Thane

Police in Maharashtra's Thane district have added gang rape charges against three temple attendants arrested for the murder of a 30-year-old woman. The victim, who left home after a dispute, sought refuge at the temple, where she was allegedly raped and killed. Her body was found on July 9.

The police in Maharashtra's Thane district have intensified their investigation by adding gang rape charges against three temple attendants who were already arrested in connection with the murder of a 30-year-old woman, an official reported on Friday.

An additional charge under section 70 (1) (gang rape) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) has now been included in the case, alongside section 103(1) (murder), according to an official from the Shil Daighar police station.

The case was initially registered on July 9, and the accused were apprehended the following day. The suspects, identified as Rajkumar Ramfer Pandey (54), Santoshkumar Ramyagna Mishra (45), and Shyamsunder Pyarchand Sharma (62), were attendants at a temple in Kalyan Phata, Thane.

The victim reportedly left her residence following a dispute with her in-laws on July 6 and sought refuge in the temple, where she was allegedly raped and murdered by the trio. Her body was later discovered in a valley on July 9, the official confirmed.

(With inputs from agencies.)