

The accused, Ramswami Muttuswami Konar

So much for honour among thieves — a 60-year-old pickpocket smashed the head of his partner in crime and then raped him repeatedly, all because the 20-year-old had refused to give him a stolen cell phone. They were partners for over two years, and would steal from homeless people.

On April 28, Constable Gopalsingh Narsingh Rajput, attached to Azad Maidan police station, was patrolling at Anandibai Poddar Chowk. Around 6.30 am, someone informed him that a man was found lying in a pool of blood near Income Tax Bhavan. Rajput alerted other policemen and reached the spot, where they found the victim lying unconscious. His head had been crushed with a rock, and his pants had been lowered to his knees. Cops sent the severely injured boy to GT Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.

Cops identified the deceased as Vikram Rakma Ninama, 20, a thief who had moved from to the city from Rajasthan around three years ago, and was living in on the footpaths of south Mumbai. CCTV footage shows his partner and accused, Ramswami Muttuswami Konar alias Vijay Taklya, 65, murdering Ninama in his sleep.

Gruesome crime

Cops checked CCTV footage of the area and spotted the accused around 5.25 am, when he appeared with a paver block in his hand. The footage showed him repeatedly hitting the victim's head, while he was asleep on the road. He then lowered his pants and raped the body.

"The accused walked away from the spot but came back again, removed his pants and physically abused the body a second time. Throughout, he was seen hitting the victim's head with a paver block. He then walked away towards Podar junction," said a police officer.

The post-mortem was carried out at JJ Hospital, and confirmed death due to multiple head injuries. A team was formed under Assistant Police Inspector Santosh Chavhan, and the Azad Maidan police arrested the accused from Sion. "The CCTV grabs and eyewitnesses sleeping at the spot helped the police to not only identify the accused, but to trace him. We arrested Taklya near Sion Hospital on the evening of April 29," said another officer.

Resentful

"When Vikram had come to Mumbai, he started stealing money and phones from people sleeping on the footpath. He met the accused, and they started stealing together in south Mumbai. A year ago, when one of their thefts failed, Vikram had hit Taklya. Then, a few days ago, they stole a cell phone from a security guard. But Vikram had kept the phone for himself and refused to sell it and share the takings. Taklya was irritated, and wanted to teach a lesson to Vikram," said the cops.

Taklya was charged under Sections 302 (murder) and 377 (unnatural sex) of the IPC. He was produced in Holiday court and sent to police custody till May 4.

Also read: 51-year-old man arrested for trying to rape minor in Yavatmal

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