Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Warning: This story contains disturbing details.
Police in India arrested 29 men on Thursday in connection with the alleged gang rape of a 15-year-old girl, which occurred repeatedly over a period of almost eight months.
The victim was first raped on Jan. 29 this year, said Dinkar Mukne, a junior officer with the Mandapa police in the city of Dombivli, which neighbours Mumbai in Maharashtra state.
The rape was filmed, with the video then used to blackmail her repeatedly for the next eight months, said Mukne. She was allegedly raped by 33 perpetrators in total, including two teenagers, with the abuse lasting until this week.
When her family -- which had so far had no idea what was happening -- found out, they brought the victim to the police station on Wednesday and filed a complaint, Mukne told CNN on Friday.
The 29 men were arrested under the country's penal code, and separately under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) law, which has more severe sentences of longer jail time.
"We are investigating the allegations and how the initial contact came about. But the girl knew some of the men and had come in contact with a few through social media," said Sonali Dhole, senior police official who is heading the investigation.
According to Dhole, the victim was taken to multiple locations within Dombivli and outside.
The incident is the latest in a slew of rape cases and controversies that have horrified the nation and highlighted once again its persistent problem with sexual assault.
Just two weeks ago, a woman allegedly raped in Mumbai died of her injuries, after she was found lying unconscious inside an open minibus. Activists say the case bears a striking similarity to the brutal 2012 gang-rape and murder of a student that prompted mass nationwide protests.
And last month, a 9-year-old girl was gang-raped and murdered in the capital of Delhi. Four men, including a Hindu priest, have been charged with involvement in her death.
Since the 2012 protests, when millions of women called for stronger laws and protections for women, the government has introduced new legislation and tougher penalties. But, activists say, the problem persists, fuelled by difficulties in reporting, poor enforcement by authorities, deeply rooted gender inequality and caste discrimination.
Reported rapes have increased over the years, potentially because of a greater awareness surrounding the issue. More than 32,000 were recorded in 2019, up from 25,000 in 2012. But many rapes go unreported, meaning the real number may be much higher.
The recent string of rapes in Mumbai has prompted police to announce new measures. Police will install women's safety cells in every police station in the city, and deploy patrolling vehicles in hotspots for crimes against women, police announced on September 14.
Other measures will include creating a sexual offenders' list dating back five years, and requiring officers to undergo training in dealing with sexual assault victims, complete with an exam before they join the force.
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
B.C. conservation officers recently seized a nine-foot-long Burmese python from a home in Chilliwack.
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
The Ontario government is introducing changes to auto-insurance, but some experts say the move is ill-advised.
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
Newfoundland’s unique version of the Pine Marten has grown out of its threatened designation.
A Toronto man is out $12,000 after falling victim to a deepfake cryptocurrency scam that appeared to involve Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
It started small with a little pop tab collection to simply raise some money for charity and help someone — but it didn’t take long for word to get out that 10-year-old Jace Weber from Mildmay, Ont. was quickly building up a large supply of aluminum pop tabs.
There’s a group of people in Saskatoon that proudly call themselves dumpster divers, and they’re turning the city’s trash into treasure.
Ontario is facing a larger than anticipated deficit but the Doug Ford government still plans to balance its books before the next provincial election.