Man Arrested from Kalwa for Sexual Assault at Powai PG Accommodation
A 28-year-old man was arrested on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, from a slum area in Kalwa, Thane, for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman at a paying guest accommodation in Mumbai’s Powai.
According to the police, the accused, identified as Anil Sheshrao Shinde, posed as a transgender person on the pretext of performing rituals to ward off the evil eye. Investigators stated that Shinde frequently dressed in a sari during his spare time, approaching individuals and claiming he had knowledge of special rituals that could resolve personal problems or fulfil wishes.
The incident took place at a paying guest facility where the victim, an airhostess, was staying. Investigating officer Ramchandra Pinjarkar said the woman's husband, who works in Varanasi, was hospitalised with dengue at the time of the incident.
Shinde entered the accommodation claiming he could rid the 75-year-old owner of the property of the evil eye. He subsequently went into the woman’s bedroom offering to perform a similar ritual for her. According to police, Shinde closed the bedroom door, asked the victim to lie on the bed, and touched her inappropriately. When she resisted, he threatened her with harm and sexually assaulted her before taking ₹300 under the pretext of having removed the evil eye.
Following the assault, Shinde fled the scene in an autorickshaw. Police used CCTV footage and other tracking resources to locate him in Kalwa, where he was apprehended. Police noted that Shinde is married and has a son.
A case has been registered at the Powai police station under Sections 64(1) and 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. A local court has remanded the accused in police custody until August 24.
