Accused Vishal and Sakshi Gawli arrested for the kidnapping and murder of a 13-year-old girl in Kalyan | Representative Pic
Thane: The Kolsewadi police have arrested a couple for allegedly kidnapping murdering a 13-year-old girl who was missing from Kalyan. The girl’s body was found in an isolated place within the jurisdiction of the Padgha police station on Tuesday morning. The accused have been identified as Vishal Gawli (35) and his wife Sakshi Gawli (25), residents of Kalyan.
According to the police, Sakshi is the third wife of Vishal Gawli, who has been married to him for the last two years. “During the investigation, it was revealed that the accused, Vishal, is a habitual criminal offender, with a total of four cases including sexual assault, outraging the modesty of women, and two bodily offenses lodged at the Kolsewadi police station,” said Ashok Kadam, senior police inspector from Kolsewadi police station.
The investigating officer said that the girl left home to buy chocolate and snacks when the accused allegedly abducted her and took her to his room where he committed sexual assault on her and later killed her.
Following the murder, he feared and narrated the incident to his wife. With the help of his wife Sakshi, the body of the girl was packed in a bag. They called an auto rickshaw from which they kept the bag in the auto and headed towards the Bapgaon area where they dumped the body at an isolated spot.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Atul Zende from Kalyan said, “We have formed six teams. We arrested one accused on Tuesday with the help of CCTV footage. Another team arrested the main accused, Vishal Gawli, from Shegaon in Buldhana. The accused will be produced in court on Thursday. We seized an auto rickshaw that was used in the crime.”
“During the interrogation with Sakshi, she revealed that Vishal left Kalyan and headed to Shegaon, where his wife Sakshi’s maternal home is located, and where he hid,” said the investigating officer.
Earlier on Monday night, the family had filed a missing complaint at Kolsewadi police station. According to the police, the girl left home with Rs20 to buy chocolate from a local shop but did not return. After a futile search by her family, a kidnapping complaint was lodged late at night.
After receiving the information, the police rushed to the scene and found the girl’s body dumped at an isolated place. Subsequently, the body was taken to the primary healthcare centre in Padgha and later sent to JJ Hospital for a post-mortem.
Bala Kumbhar, a police officer, said, “Preliminary investigations indicated that the girl was sexually assaulted and strangled. A case has been filed under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.”
MLA Sulbha Gaikwad from Kalyan East visited the Kolsewadi police station and demanded that strict action be taken against them in the matter. The accused had three marriages.
The citizens of Kalyan staged a rally after being tied with black cloths (ribbons) on their mouths and hands to express their anger against the accused who were allegedly kidnapping and killing a 13-year-old girl.
Mahesh Gaikwad said that the accused should receive rigorous punishment in this matter. The state government should ensure justice for the family after taking strict action against the accused. He demanded of the home minister of the state that, as the Badlapur accused had been encountered, the same should be done with this accused.
MP Shrikant Shinde from Kalyan met the family of the deceased girl. The accused was arrested in Buldhana. The state government will take strict action against the accused and endeavor to build a strong case against the accused in court.
