Out of the four rapist in the Ranaghat nun gang-rape case the main accused identified as Sikander Sheikh alias Salim, was picked up from Nagpada area in south Mumbai on Wednesday night by West Bengal police in coordination with their Mumbai counterparts, a police officer here said.
Sikander Shaikh had been living in Mumbai from the age of 18. He was into small theft and robbery.He was involved with a bar girl for some time. After the girl reported to the police of his harassment towards her he fled Mumbai and since then has been shuttling between Bangladesh,Bengal and Mumbai.
The nun, 71, of Jesus & Mary Convent School at Gangnapur in Nadia district, was allegedly gang-raped by hoodlums in the early hours on March 14 in the school.
A study of the CCTV footage at the convent in Ranaghat subdivision had shown visuals of four persons who were allegedly involved in the crime. The gang broke into the convent and raped the woman after gagging her.
The gang had looted Rs 12 Lakhs from the convent.
Sikander Shaikh was arrested after a trap was made by Mumbai Police. Mumbai Police used the help of a convict to call him and make an offer of counterfeit notes worth Rs 1,000 to be bought at Rs100 per note. Shaikh was even offered an instalment basis payment to make it more real.
As the time and location was fixed for the deal Mumbai Police immediately nabbed him.The location was Rhea road slums which is a haven for Bangladeshi immigrants.Like Rhea road Vadala Slums, Dyaneshwar Nagar are also inhabited by Bangladeshi immigrants. As many section of the media has quoted them as illegal immigrants they are actually now legal immigrants with valid ration cards, Aadhar cards and Voter ID.
These Bangladeshi’s enter India from Phulbari in West Bengal which has a porous border with India and anyone could have easy access to India. After having comfortably settled in Mumbai they now call their relatives from across the border who land in Mumbai and get into all sorts of illegal activities.
The administration has done little to check on these people and the authenticity of their identity as claimed to be Indians.
