Mumbai, June 13: Police in Maharashtra’s Dongri arrested five accused within 24 hours of registering a case involving the alleged kidnapping, wrongful confinement, assault, and humiliation of a 33-year-old man over a financial dispute.

According to the police, the victim, identified as Sachin Ranpise (33), was held captive, threatened, and subjected to severe mental and physical torture over a loan of Rs 2 lakh. The victim was allegedly denied food and water for nearly 48 hours, beaten with a belt, and paraded naked as part of the abuse.

The incident took place in Mumbai’s Dongri area, where the victim was allegedly held hostage and tortured following a dispute related to the repayment of the loan.

Police said that Sachin had borrowed Rs 2 lakh from one of the accused some time ago. Due to financial difficulties, he was unable to repay the amount on time and had requested an extension. However, the accused allegedly insisted on immediate repayment and subsequently conspired to kidnap and torture him.

According to the complaint, Sachin was forcibly confined in Room No. 104 of the MM Residency Lodge, located near Baba Dargah in Dongri, between June 8 and June 10. During this period, he was allegedly deprived of food and water. The accused reportedly assaulted him repeatedly with a leather belt, causing injuries to his head, arms and back.

The complaint further stated that the accused subjected him to extreme humiliation by stripping him naked and forcing him to walk through the lodge corridor.

On June 11, the victim managed to escape and reached the Dongri Police Station, where he narrated his ordeal. Acting on his complaint and under the guidance of senior officers, the Crime Detection Team immediately launched an investigation.

Although the initial examination of CCTV footage did not provide conclusive evidence, the police, with the help of local intelligence inputs, traced the accused and laid a trap in the Mazgaon area. All five accused were subsequently apprehended.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Abdullah Shaukat Bhusari (21), Junaid Qaymuddin Khan (26), Mohammad Saad Pathan (26), Arafat Hasham Khanani (24), and Sahil Shaikh (25).

Police have also recovered items allegedly used in the commission of the crime from the accused.

Further investigation into the case is underway.

Mumbai, June 12: Sejal Pawar, a medical student at Mumbai’s King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital, has submitted a written apology to the institution after a video of her making controversial remarks about cadavers went viral on social media, triggering widespread criticism and legal action.

Hospital sources said senior doctors were deeply upset by Pawar’s comments, particularly because cadavers are voluntarily donated for medical education and are regarded with the utmost respect by the medical fraternity.

According to hospital authorities, Pawar has not been suspended, and no disciplinary action, such as suspension, has been taken against her so far. However, officials indicated that while the institution does not intend to be excessively harsh, it will deal with the matter seriously.

The senior doctors of the hospital have told her that her statement on social media has hurt them a lot, sources said, adding that the issue concerns the dignity accorded to body donors who make medical education possible.

Pawar, who hails from Pune, came under intense scrutiny after a video clip from a public programme went viral online. In the clip, she allegedly made objectionable remarks related to the private parts of cadavers while discussing a sensitive medical education topic in a light-hearted manner.

The controversy prompted strong backlash on social media and led to the registration of an FIR against her. Maharashtra Cyber Police has also initiated action in the matter.

Taking cognisance of the incident, KEM Hospital ordered an internal inquiry and constituted a committee to examine the issue. The hospital administration directed the panel to submit its report at the earliest.

Amid mounting criticism and institutional scrutiny, earlier, Pawar issued a public apology through a detailed post on Instagram.

“Recently, a video clip of mine has gone viral on social media. After watching the video again, I realised how much my words hurt people’s sentiments,” she said in a video post.

She acknowledged that the subject she spoke about was highly sensitive and said she never intended to offend anyone.

“I am not going to justify it, never going to take the wrong side. I wanted to come here and make a public apology. I take full responsibility for my mistake,” she said.

Calling the episode a major learning experience, Pawar added that as a student, she had learned an important lesson and would ensure that such an incident is never repeated in the future.

The hospital’s inquiry report is awaited, while authorities continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the viral video and its impact on public sentiment and medical ethics.

Mumbai, June 12: In a major anti-narcotics operation, the Customs Department has arrested a 28-year-old woman at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport for allegedly attempting to smuggle a large quantity of hydroponic weed into the country. The seized contraband, weighing more than 11 kg, is estimated to be worth Rs 11.82 crore in the international market.

According to Customs officials, the woman arrived in Mumbai on a flight from Bangkok and came under suspicion during routine surveillance and passenger profiling. A detailed examination of her luggage led to the recovery of 12 vacuum-sealed transparent plastic packets concealed inside her trolley bag.

The packets were found to contain hydroponic weed, a high-grade form of cannabis. Officials said a total of 11.824 kg of the narcotic substance was seized during the operation. The accused, who reportedly worked as a relationship manager at a private company, was taken into custody following the recovery.

A case has been registered against her under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. She was subsequently produced before a court, which remanded her to judicial custody.

The seizure is part of a series of recent operations by Customs authorities aimed at curbing international drug trafficking through Indian airports.

Earlier, on June 8, customs officials at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport had foiled a major narcotics smuggling attempt by seizing 15.38 kg of suspected hydroponic weed concealed inside two geysers. Acting on specific intelligence inputs and passenger profiling, officers intercepted two passengers who had arrived from Kuala Lumpur on Flight D7-182. The passengers were stopped after crossing the Green Channel, and a detailed inspection led to the recovery of the contraband.

In another significant case on May 23, Customs officials at IGI Airport had intercepted two Thai nationals arriving from Bangkok on flight AI-2356 after they crossed the Customs Green Channel. Based on profiling inputs and suspicious travel patterns, officers carried out a detailed examination of their baggage.

The inspection resulted in the recovery of six vacuum-sealed packets suspected to contain hydroponic weed. Of the total seizure, approximately 29 kg was recovered from one passenger’s baggage, while around 19 kg was recovered from the second passenger.