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Hyderabad: A 35-year-old man was arrested on Monday, March 30, for sexually assaulting a physically disabled woman in Rangareddy district, with the Hyderabad police cracking the case within 48 hours of the incident.

The accused, Mohammed Aqueel, is the cousin of the woman in whose house the victim resided. He works as a labourer at a plastic bottle company and is, according to the police, a habitual drinker known in the locality for unruly behaviour. His wife and three children had moved out on account of his conduct, after which he began visiting the complainant’s house frequently.

On the morning of March 28, at around 9 am, the complainant left home to visit a nearby bank, latching the door behind her with the victim inside. Aqueel entered the house in her absence, locked the door and sexually assaulted the victim.

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When the complainant returned at around 11 pm, she found the victim in a state of distress and partially undressed. Aqueel was also present and partially clothed. As the complainant confronted him, he attempted to flee, but the victim struck him before he could leave. He dressed hurriedly, apologised for his “mistake” and left.

The complainant was able to piece together what had happened only because she understood sign language, through which the victim confirmed that Aqueel had forced himself upon her.

The police have booked Aqueel under Section 64(2)(f)(k) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which pertains to sexual assault on a person with a disability and carries a minimum sentence of 10 years of rigorous imprisonment, extendable to life.

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