A shocking and disturbing case of sexual assault has come to light from the Powai area of Mumbai, where a man disguised himself as a transgender person wearing women's clothing to gain entry into a residential flat. The accused exploited the victim's vulnerability regarding her ailing husband, carried out the assault, and managed to escape with cash, triggering serious concerns regarding residential security and visitor verification protocols in high-rise buildings across the city.
Deceptive Entry Under the Guise of Rituals
The incident took place on August 19, when the accused, identified as 30-year-old Anil Shinde, donned a saree and adopted the appearance of a transgender person. Capitalizing on this disguise, he easily bypassed the security guard at a housing society in Powai and began knocking on multiple apartment doors. When a woman living on the third floor opened her door, Shinde tricked her into believing that he could heal her ailing husband who was undergoing hospital treatment and offered to perform a ritual to ward off evil eyes. Trusting his intentions, the woman allowed him inside her home.
Assault Followed by Threats and Theft
Once inside the apartment, the accused proceeded with his malicious intent. He sprinkled water and placed his hand on the victim's head as part of the fraudulent ritual before subjecting her to physical abuse and sexual assault under threats of severe harm. After committing the crime, he snatched Rs 2000 from the house and fled. The victim contacted the police around 11 PM that night, prompting the immediate registration of an FIR and the launch of a manhunt by local authorities.
CCTV Footage and Auto Tracking Lead to Arrest
Following the complaint, Powai police examined extensive CCTV footage from the building and surrounding neighborhoods. The footage captured the accused fleeing in an auto-rickshaw toward the slums of Kharegaon in Thane while still wearing the saree. Utilizing the auto-rickshaw's registration number, investigators tracked down the driver and identified the exact drop-off location. Acting swiftly on these leads, a police team apprehended Anil Shinde from Kalwa, placing him in custody.
Background of Deceptive Activities
Police investigations revealed that Shinde's family has a history of engaging in similar fraudulent activities, often posing as transgenders or beggars to operate in residential areas. The accused is currently in police custody facing charges related to sexual assault and criminal intimidation, with authorities noting that additional charges pertaining to black magic may also be added as the investigation progresses. Meanwhile, in a separate incident reported from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, four women wearing burqas made off with 1.5 kg of gold from a jewellery shop in a theft that was also caught on camera.
