Months after a mentally ill 20-year-old woman was found five months pregnant, DNA evidence led Cuffe Parade police to arrest her father on charges of raping and impregnating her.
Photo for representation (PTI)According to the police, the incident came to light in October 2025 when Cuffe Parade police received a call from Cama and Albless Hospital in south Mumbai, informing them that a mentally ill 20-year-old woman under their care, who was admitted with abdominal pain, was five months pregnant.
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Police discovered that she had been sexually assaulted by several men taking advantage of her disability. Since the woman is non-verbal, police have launched an extensive investigation by collecting DNA samples from around 16 people, including her father, other family members and neighbours.
Police said the woman’s pregnancy was terminated and her fetal DNA was also sent to the Kalina Forensic Science Laboratory. On January 27, a forensic report from the lab confirmed a match between the father’s DNA and the sample taken from the fetus, after which he was arrested on Tuesday.
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“We have initially arrested a 16-year-old and a 32-year-old man, both residents of a Cuffe Parade slum, after identifying them using victim photographs and visual aids. They have already been chargesheeted,” said an officer from Cuffe Parade police station. “However, DNA analysis has now found evidence of the father’s involvement.”
Police said the victim did not reveal her father’s name earlier fearing consequences. “During a recent counseling session, she revealed that her father had also sexually assaulted her, but she was afraid that he would be arrested,” said a police official.
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Given the victim’s limitations in coming forward, Assistant Police Inspector Ashwini Patil, who investigated the case, enlisted the help of Vidyayaka Bharti, a non-profit that works to promote and preserve child rights and child protection. “We used various therapies to talk to the girl,” said Leena Patade of Vidyak Bharti. “She was distraught and scared and did not want to say anything about the incident. It appears that she was warned by the accused not to talk about it with anyone.”
With input from Vikrant Jha
