5,000km, 5 states: Akola rapist caught in Indore, protesters demand ‘bulldozer justice'

AKOLA: Six days after the horrific sexual assault on a 16-year-old Akolka girl on Ganesh Visarjan day, the accused, Tauheed Samir Baid, 28, also known as Tauhid Khan Samir Khan, was nabbed from Indore in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday night, after a six-day chase straddling 5,000km across five states. On Friday, the accused was produced before a court through videoconferencing, which remanded him in police custody till September 16.The accused had allegedly entered the minor's home forcibly at around 4.30pm on September 6 when her family was away for Ganesh immersion. The girl tried to flee to a nearby house, but Baid followed her and sexually assaulted her at knifepoint and fled.After the crime was reported at Dabki Road police station, Baid went on the run. Realizing the gravity of the case, police formed three teams to trace the accused and the manhunt spanned across Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh.Superintendent of police Archit Chandak said the accused avoided mobile use to escape technical surveillance. However, police relied on informers, intelligence networks, and unconventional methods to track his movement.Teams searched multiple cities including Bhusawal, Surat, Ahmedabad, Agra, Delhi, Jhansi, Bhopal, Dewas, Shivpuri, and Guna. They even checked 12 trains before finally nabbing the accused in Indore.Baid has multiple cases of assault, rape and theft registered against him at City Kotwali, Old City, Dabki Road and Ramdaspeth police stations in Akola. Protesters seek ‘bulldozer justice'A wave of anger swept across Akola after the arrest of the alleged rapist Tauheed Samir Baid prompting demand for ‘bulldozer justice' as well as ‘encounter' of the accused.On Friday, Sakal Hindu Samaj organised a massive ‘Jan Aakrosh Morcha' from Rajrajeshwar Temple to the collector's office, demanding fast-track trial and death penalty for the accused. Protesters holding placards demanded ‘bulldozer justice' and strictest punishment. The morcha was led by NCP MLA from Ahilyanagar, Sangram Jagtap, and was supported by several Hindu organisations, women's groups, and political parties. Women protesters Sindhu More and Nita Bawane said, "Until strict punishments are given, society will not feel safe. Fear of law must exist."