Mahanand raped me for 4 years, says victim
Preetu Nair & Rajeshree Nagarsekar, TNN
PANAJI: A rape survivor revealed that dupatta killer Mahanand Naik raped her everyday for four years and then lured her with gold, clothes and promises of marriage. When she objected, he threatened her, she alleged.
"For four years, he wouldn't allow me to talk to anyone. If I talked to a man, he would threaten me. Two years ago I got a marriage proposal from Ponda. Mahanand went to the boy and told him that I am his girl', thereby destroying my marriage prospects," revealed Reema Naik, 23.
She says that there were times when she wanted to attack him but was too afraid to do anything. "He threatened me with dire consequences and I believed him for four years. Every time he raped me, he warned that if I tried to break off or go to the police, then he will defame me with my semi-nude photos. He used to get frequent calls from girls on his mobile, but he would avoid speaking to them in my presence. I dared not question him, as my mind and heart were filled with fear," said Reema.
However, in April, the victim pulled the plug on Mahanand when she spilled the beans to the Ponda police. The police immediately arrested Mahanand for raping the 23-year-old. Later, while in custody, he confessed to killing 10 women after promising to marry them.
Mahanand now faces charges in connection with the alleged murder of 10 women and rape of the 23-year-old. The police also recovered the victim's photo as well as several mobile phones buried in a room at Mahanand's house in Shiroda, about 3 km away from her home.
Though she has forgotten how many times Mahanand raped her, she says that she still remembers that she was first raped on June 21, 2005 in Mahanand's house. She can still remember her helpless scream for help, which was reduced to a whisper in the coming years, she said.
Interestingly, Mahanand never beat her or tried to kill her. On the contrary, he lured her with promises of marriage, jewellery and clothes. "He gifted me clothes, gold jewellery and also promised to marry me. I had no option but to believe him as I had no one to turn to for help," she said.
She claims that she struggled to ignore her doubts. She kept trying to put the pieces together. "When I asked him how he, an unemployed person, got the money to purchase gifts for me, he dodged my questions, manipulated me and I kept on suppressing my growing suspicions out of fear and uncertainty," she said.
"I still picture him coming at odd times to my home, watching me, ready to abuse me. His presence shattered our lives and led to frequent fights with my younger sister," she added. For Reema, her struggle for justice has just started.
(Name of victim changed)
23 May 2009,The Times of India, Goa edition
Showing posts with label Mahanand;Pooja Naik; serial Killer;Goa;Journalist;journalism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mahanand;Pooja Naik; serial Killer;Goa;Journalist;journalism. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
'Deepali spoke to bro on May 19'
'Deepali spoke to bro on May 19'
Preetu Nair & Rajeshree Nagarsekar, TNN
PANAJI: The alleged kidnapping and murder of 22-year-old Deepali Jotkar of Davorlim took an interesting turn on Friday with her parents informing the Maina Curtorim police that their son was recently in touch with Deepali.
Speaking to TOI, Deepali's mother Reshma said that Bhupendra informed them on Friday, that he received a call from Deepali on Tuesday (May 19) from a cellphone in Pune.
"My son told us that my Deepali had called him on his mobile and she was crying bitterly. She told him that she is in Pune and is not allowed to speak to anyone. This is the first call she made to us after she went missing in 2006," Reshma said, recalling that previous efforts by the family and police to contact Deepali on her cellphone had proved futile.
It may be recalled that the Jotkars on May 11, filed a case with the Maina Curtorim police outpost, alleging that Deepali was a possible victim of alleged murderer Mahanand Naik.
Drawing parallels between Mahanand's 10 victims and Deepali, the parents had told the police that on November 23, 2006, the day she disappeared, Deepali too was carrying cash and wearing jewellery. Moreover, she left home without informing her parents and left behind a note that said: "I am going to Mumbai with my boyfriend and we will get married. You don't search for me. Don't doubt or blame anyone". Neighbours too revealed that they had seen the alleged dupatta killer, who was known to the Jotkars, dropping Deepali close to her home almost everyday.
Adding fuel was the statement of Reema Naik (name changed), an alleged rape victim of Mahanand's, who told TOI that "Mahanand's wife suspected her husband was having an extra marital affair with Deepali".
"Once in 2006, Deepali even called Mahanand on his mobile. When I picked up the phone, she introduced herself and asked for Mahanand, who immediately came and cut the line. I have also seen her photograph at Mahanand's house," Reema had told TOI.
Police officials told TOI that the new turn of eventsthe mobile call from Punewould be inquired into.
Meanwhile, the Jotkars have another tale of woe. In 2005, younger daughter Pallavi, then 17, went missing.
"I worked in the Gulf as a housemaid for 14 years. I worked hard, sometimes under unhealthy conditions, just to ensure a better future for my daughters. But when I returned to Goa in 2005, Pallavi disappeared. A year later, so did Deepali. When efforts to trace them failed, we thought of lodging missing persons complaints, but were scared of the public backlash. We thought the girls were happy in their marital homes," Reshma told TOI.
However, when Mahanand's exploits came to light, things changed. "Both Deepali and Pallavi were close to Mahanand who had come to our house with them. They introduced him as their friend and we had given him the contract work to repair our house on our daughters' recommendations," recalled the mother.
With Mahanand allegedly confessing to the murders of 10 women, the senior Jotkars, who till recently believed their younger daughter was in Kolhapur with her husband, now feel that Pallavi too might have been killed by Mahanand.
"All this while we were ashamed that our daughters had eloped. We were scared to face people. But not anymore. We will lodge another complaint with the police against Mahanand, this time for kidnapping Pallavi," father Dattaram told TOI.
The parents had consulted astrologers. "An astrologer recently told me that my daughter is alive," said Reshma, adding, "I just want to see both my daughters."
23 May 2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
Preetu Nair & Rajeshree Nagarsekar, TNN
PANAJI: The alleged kidnapping and murder of 22-year-old Deepali Jotkar of Davorlim took an interesting turn on Friday with her parents informing the Maina Curtorim police that their son was recently in touch with Deepali.
Speaking to TOI, Deepali's mother Reshma said that Bhupendra informed them on Friday, that he received a call from Deepali on Tuesday (May 19) from a cellphone in Pune.
"My son told us that my Deepali had called him on his mobile and she was crying bitterly. She told him that she is in Pune and is not allowed to speak to anyone. This is the first call she made to us after she went missing in 2006," Reshma said, recalling that previous efforts by the family and police to contact Deepali on her cellphone had proved futile.
It may be recalled that the Jotkars on May 11, filed a case with the Maina Curtorim police outpost, alleging that Deepali was a possible victim of alleged murderer Mahanand Naik.
Drawing parallels between Mahanand's 10 victims and Deepali, the parents had told the police that on November 23, 2006, the day she disappeared, Deepali too was carrying cash and wearing jewellery. Moreover, she left home without informing her parents and left behind a note that said: "I am going to Mumbai with my boyfriend and we will get married. You don't search for me. Don't doubt or blame anyone". Neighbours too revealed that they had seen the alleged dupatta killer, who was known to the Jotkars, dropping Deepali close to her home almost everyday.
Adding fuel was the statement of Reema Naik (name changed), an alleged rape victim of Mahanand's, who told TOI that "Mahanand's wife suspected her husband was having an extra marital affair with Deepali".
"Once in 2006, Deepali even called Mahanand on his mobile. When I picked up the phone, she introduced herself and asked for Mahanand, who immediately came and cut the line. I have also seen her photograph at Mahanand's house," Reema had told TOI.
Police officials told TOI that the new turn of eventsthe mobile call from Punewould be inquired into.
Meanwhile, the Jotkars have another tale of woe. In 2005, younger daughter Pallavi, then 17, went missing.
"I worked in the Gulf as a housemaid for 14 years. I worked hard, sometimes under unhealthy conditions, just to ensure a better future for my daughters. But when I returned to Goa in 2005, Pallavi disappeared. A year later, so did Deepali. When efforts to trace them failed, we thought of lodging missing persons complaints, but were scared of the public backlash. We thought the girls were happy in their marital homes," Reshma told TOI.
However, when Mahanand's exploits came to light, things changed. "Both Deepali and Pallavi were close to Mahanand who had come to our house with them. They introduced him as their friend and we had given him the contract work to repair our house on our daughters' recommendations," recalled the mother.
With Mahanand allegedly confessing to the murders of 10 women, the senior Jotkars, who till recently believed their younger daughter was in Kolhapur with her husband, now feel that Pallavi too might have been killed by Mahanand.
"All this while we were ashamed that our daughters had eloped. We were scared to face people. But not anymore. We will lodge another complaint with the police against Mahanand, this time for kidnapping Pallavi," father Dattaram told TOI.
The parents had consulted astrologers. "An astrologer recently told me that my daughter is alive," said Reshma, adding, "I just want to see both my daughters."
23 May 2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
Thursday, May 21, 2009
My life has become living hell: Pooja Naik
My life has become living hell: Pooja Naik
Preetu Nair, TNN
PANAJI: Pooja Naik's world collapsed when her husband was arrested in the last week of April for raping her friend. Since then she has learnt that her husband, Mahanand, has confessed to killing 9 women.
As if that weren't enough, Pooja claims she and her 18 month old daughter have been "socially ostracized" by the villagers of Shiroda for no fault of theirs.
"Some people have said they would kill me and my daughter with a dupatta, in the same way my husband killed other women. I am scared. Why am I and my daughter being punished for my husband's sins? No one can ever understand my pain and suffering. Our lives have become a living hell," said Pooja.
An angry mob recently set alight their home in Shiroda, and marched to Ponda police station demanding Pooja's arrest. From then on, Pooja has been seeking refuge at a friend's place or at her parent's home in Sanvordem, as some homes for women, fearing a public blacklash, have refused to shelter her.
On Monday afternoon, Pooja was at the Panaji police station seeking rehabilitation and was sent to a safe destination with the help of the NGO Bailancho Ekvott. "I'm scared of being recognized. The pressure is killing me and I feel suicidal at times," she said.
"I never thought that my husband could kill women. Which wife will suspect her loving and kind husband of murder? In the last 11 years of marriage, I had no reason to suspect him," said Pooja. She now believes otherwise.
"I met him (Mahanand) in jail recently and asked him if he had committed the murders or if he was being framed. For the first time in our relationship, he didn't reply and sat for minutes together with his head bent, even as I repeated the question," said Pooja, who works as a clerk in a central government organization.
"It was then that my world collapsed. I wondered whether he was the same person who had never even lifted his hand against me and would pack my lunch tiffin daily," she said.
Pooja and Mahanand were married in 1998. Theirs was an arranged marriage. "A cousin had married Mahanand's relative and she was happy. When Mahanand proposed, everyone agreed. I was happy because he worked as an autorickshaw driver and didn't drink," recollects Pooja, who comes from a lower middle income family from Sanvordem. The couple had a daughter 10 years later.
Mahanand's first alleged murder was in 1994 and he has confessed to killing eight other women during the last 15 years. Police believe there could be a dozen more. However, they maintain there is no evidence to suspect Pooja's involvement in any of the alleged murders.
Incidentally, the Ponda police on Monday recorded Pooja's statement with regard to the killing of nine women by her husband. She has revealed that Mahanand was well-off despite being unemployed, the police said. Pooja has neither been detained nor arrested.
"As the case stands today, there is no evidence of his wife's involvement in the murders," said deputy superintendent of police (Ponda) Serafin Dias.
But people are not willing to listen. "People look at me with suspicion. They feel that I supported my husband in his crimes. My fault is that I didn't distrust him. He was jobless. Occasionally he brought home money. When I questioned him he would say that he had taken up painting work or borrowed money from his mother. I had no reason to doubt him," she added.
Another woman reported missing
PONDA: Another case of a missing woman has been registered with the Ponda police on Monday against Mahanand Naik, the alleged 40-year-old dupatta killer' from Shiroda.
Ponda police inspector C L said that Nirmal Satarkar has registered a complaint that her sister, Bhagi Fondu Satarkar, 30, has been missing from Bhootkhamb Keri in Ponda since the year 2004.
As per the complaint, the 30-year-old woman had left her home in 2004 with jewellery which included golden bangles, a necklace, two earrings and a chain.
19 May 2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
Preetu Nair, TNN
PANAJI: Pooja Naik's world collapsed when her husband was arrested in the last week of April for raping her friend. Since then she has learnt that her husband, Mahanand, has confessed to killing 9 women.
As if that weren't enough, Pooja claims she and her 18 month old daughter have been "socially ostracized" by the villagers of Shiroda for no fault of theirs.
"Some people have said they would kill me and my daughter with a dupatta, in the same way my husband killed other women. I am scared. Why am I and my daughter being punished for my husband's sins? No one can ever understand my pain and suffering. Our lives have become a living hell," said Pooja.
An angry mob recently set alight their home in Shiroda, and marched to Ponda police station demanding Pooja's arrest. From then on, Pooja has been seeking refuge at a friend's place or at her parent's home in Sanvordem, as some homes for women, fearing a public blacklash, have refused to shelter her.
On Monday afternoon, Pooja was at the Panaji police station seeking rehabilitation and was sent to a safe destination with the help of the NGO Bailancho Ekvott. "I'm scared of being recognized. The pressure is killing me and I feel suicidal at times," she said.
"I never thought that my husband could kill women. Which wife will suspect her loving and kind husband of murder? In the last 11 years of marriage, I had no reason to suspect him," said Pooja. She now believes otherwise.
"I met him (Mahanand) in jail recently and asked him if he had committed the murders or if he was being framed. For the first time in our relationship, he didn't reply and sat for minutes together with his head bent, even as I repeated the question," said Pooja, who works as a clerk in a central government organization.
"It was then that my world collapsed. I wondered whether he was the same person who had never even lifted his hand against me and would pack my lunch tiffin daily," she said.
Pooja and Mahanand were married in 1998. Theirs was an arranged marriage. "A cousin had married Mahanand's relative and she was happy. When Mahanand proposed, everyone agreed. I was happy because he worked as an autorickshaw driver and didn't drink," recollects Pooja, who comes from a lower middle income family from Sanvordem. The couple had a daughter 10 years later.
Mahanand's first alleged murder was in 1994 and he has confessed to killing eight other women during the last 15 years. Police believe there could be a dozen more. However, they maintain there is no evidence to suspect Pooja's involvement in any of the alleged murders.
Incidentally, the Ponda police on Monday recorded Pooja's statement with regard to the killing of nine women by her husband. She has revealed that Mahanand was well-off despite being unemployed, the police said. Pooja has neither been detained nor arrested.
"As the case stands today, there is no evidence of his wife's involvement in the murders," said deputy superintendent of police (Ponda) Serafin Dias.
But people are not willing to listen. "People look at me with suspicion. They feel that I supported my husband in his crimes. My fault is that I didn't distrust him. He was jobless. Occasionally he brought home money. When I questioned him he would say that he had taken up painting work or borrowed money from his mother. I had no reason to doubt him," she added.
Another woman reported missing
PONDA: Another case of a missing woman has been registered with the Ponda police on Monday against Mahanand Naik, the alleged 40-year-old dupatta killer' from Shiroda.
Ponda police inspector C L said that Nirmal Satarkar has registered a complaint that her sister, Bhagi Fondu Satarkar, 30, has been missing from Bhootkhamb Keri in Ponda since the year 2004.
As per the complaint, the 30-year-old woman had left her home in 2004 with jewellery which included golden bangles, a necklace, two earrings and a chain.
19 May 2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
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