Photojournalist gang raped: Centre seeks report from Mumbai police

Terming as "extremely tragic and unfortunate" the gang rape of a 23-year-old photojournalist, the Centre on Friday said it has sought a detailed report from the Mumbai police on the incident.

"First of all, what happened in Mumbai is a matter concerning that state. In spite of that, I have spoken to the Mumbai Police Commissioner Satyapal Singh. The investigation is progressing," Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde told reporters outside Parliament House.

Minister of State for Home RPN Singh said the home ministry has sought a detailed report from the Mumbai police. "It is an extremely tragic and unfortunate incident that has happened in Mumbai. We have asked for a detailed report from the Mumbai police. We have also asked the Mumbai police to take immediate action...to arrest the accused. Harshest punishment should be meted out to these people," he said.

The 23-year-old woman was allegedly gang raped by five men in Parel area in central Mumbai on Thursday evening. The incident took place around 6.30 pm near Shakti Mills in Mahalaxmi area when the victim, working with an English magazine, was on an assignment, doing a story on chawls, police said.

In a chilling reminder of the December gang rape in Delhi, the men tied up the victim's friend and raped the woman. In a statement given to police, the girl said the five goons were present in the Shakti Mills compound. They started making lewd remarks and harassed her. When her friend intervened, two of them assaulted him. Three others took the woman inside the dilapidated structure and raped her.

Image: The abandoned Shakti Mills compund in  the Mahalaxmi area of central Mumbai

Photograph: Flickr