Police today arrested a jobless youth and mounted a manhunt for four other accused, solving within 24 hours last night's gangrape of a photojournalist here amid massive public outrage and protests as it brought back memories of a similar incident in Delhi last year.
"We have arrested one of the accused who has named the others involved in the incident. The accused has also confessed to the crime," Mumbai Police Commissioner Satyapal Singh told reporters.
More than 20 teams, including 10 from the elite Crime Branch, have been formed to track down the perpetrators, he said, as the police moved quickly to nab the culprits amid mounting public pressure and anger.
The city police chief declined to divulge identities of the accused lest the probe in the "extremely sensitive" case gets compromised but said two of them were history-sheeters with property related offences registered against them.
However, a top police officer identified the arrested as Chand Babu Sattat Shaikh alias Mohammed Abdul (19), a resident of south Mumbai who is unemployed. He named co- accused as Vijay Jadhav, Qasim Bengali, Saleem and Ashfaq.
Asked about the condition of the 23-year-old victim, an intern with an English magazine, he said she was "composed and stable".
The victim, who resides in western suburbs, has been admitted to Jaslok Hospital. Preliminary reports suggested she sustained multiple internal injuries.
"The patient is with us after the unfortunate incident since last night. As of now, she is stable and Jaslok Hospital is doing its best," a statement from the hospital said.
"We cannot give you any further information keeping in mind patient confidentiality," said Dr Tarang Gianchandani, Acting CEO and Director (Medical Services) of Jaslok. "We are doing the needful... She is under strict observation."
Singh said medical examination of the victim was being done and a forensic team has also been pressed into service.
He said police are trying to gather "clinching evidence" to ensure that the culprits get maximum punishment for the "shocking crime".
