Mumbai: In an disturbing incident, Sangli police on Wednesday arrested three men linked to the alleged rape and suicide of a 16-year-old girl in Kargani village, located in Atpadi tehsil. The girl, a Class 10th student, reportedly took her own life on Tuesday after being sexually assaulted and threatened by the accused.

Investigations reveal that the accused had been harassing the girl for several days. They allegedly raped her in the presence of her sister and, along with the others, as reported by Hindustan Times. They also mentioned that the accused allegedly filmed an obscene video and threatened to make it viral.

As per the report, the minor informed her parents about the incident. However, before they could file a police complaint, she died by suicide on Sunday. The suspects, Raju Gend, Anil Kale, and Rohit Kharat, have been taken into custody. A fourth accused, Ramdas Gaikwad, was beaten by angry villagers before being handed over to the police. He is currently receiving medical treatment and will be arrested once discharged.

The sub-divisional police officer, Vipul Chhaya Vijay Patil, mentioned that “We have arrested three accused in this case, while the fourth accused is undergoing medical treatment at a hospital,”

The Vinay Bahir, PI, Atpadi police station said, “Police also enquired about the sister of the deceased girl, and she also didn’t know much about the incident.” Based on the complaint, the police filed a case against the accused for charges of rape and abetment of suicide.

In a separate crime story from Maharashtra, a 16-year-old girl from Adivali in the Dombivli area of Thane was allegedly kidnapped and raped by a 20-year-old man during a train journey to Akola. Senior Police Inspector Pandhari Kande from the Government Railway Police (GRP) in Kalyan reported the case on Monday.

According to the police, the incident occurred on June 30. The man took the girl on a train from Thane to Akola, where he assaulted her during the journey, as reported by the news agency PTI. Upon their arrival in Akola, the man’s parents refused to allow them into their home. He then abandoned the girl at the Akola railway station and returned to his residence.

Mumbai: To address congestion during peak times on Mumbai’s local trains, Central Railway (CR) has contacted more than 800 workplaces, suggesting staggered working hours. At present, CR operates 1,810 local train services each day, catering to more than 3.5 million passengers, but there is an absence of alignment in working hours between government and private entities situated between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Thane.

This discrepancy results in significant overcrowding, heightening the chance of accidents, as illustrated by recent statistics showing that between January 1 and May 31, 2025, there were 922 accidental deaths associated with local train usage, including 210 fatalities from falls occurring on overcrowded trains.

The effort to stagger working hours is expected to alleviate pressure on rail services, particularly from 8-10 AM and 5-7 PM, during which they are most crowded. CR thinks this change would aid in spreading out commuter traffic over the day, improving safety and comfort for travellers.

Kalyan station reported the most deaths from these incidents, with Thane and Kurla stations following. Furthermore, CR has officially sought assistance from the Maharashtra State Government, anticipating it will aid in a synchronized implementation of the staggered schedules.

The CR recognizes an increasing need for additional rail lines; nonetheless, spatial limitations restrict prompt growth. Therefore, staggering office hours is viewed as an effective approach to alleviate the strain on the local train system. By partnering with multiple institutions and receiving government backing, CR seeks to change the commuting experience in Mumbai from chaos to a safer, more efficient process, guaranteeing a smoother travel routine for its residents.

Mumbai: A ray of hope has emerged for the teachers from aided and partially aided schools, who are protesting for a grant hike. They have been agitating for the past four days, coinciding with the monsoon session of the state legislature.

The teachers claimed that the government has not increased grants to their institutes despite announcements. Also, whatever grants they receive now are being released in installments, which hampers the management of their schools, they have said.

CM Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said the government is positive about addressing the issue. Speaking in the legislative council, he also hit out at the opposition, accusing it of playing politics over the matter. It is not right if the teachers are indulging in politics, and it won’t be tolerated, he said. Fadnavis said BJP minister Girish Mahajan has been coordinating with the protesting teachers.

On Wednesday, NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar met the protestors and demanded that the government must take immediate action to resolve the issue. He criticised the practice of releasing grants in batches. “Without real financial allocation, issuing orders means nothing. They should be thrown into the dustbin. The government cannot shy away from its responsibilities,” Pawar said.

“The opposition is raising a finger at us, but their four fingers are pointed towards them. You (the previous Congress government) gave approval to all these institutes that they would be permanently unaided. You removed the word ‘permanently’. Then you never gave them a single penny,” Fadnavis said.