Tribal women protest Bhiwandi rape and killing incident

Thousands of tribal women from Maharashtra's Thane district marched to the Bhiwandi tehsil office on Wednesday to condemn the alleged gang rape and killing of one of their own on Sunday.

The morcha was taken out by Shramajivi Mahila Thingi, the women's wing of the Shramajivi Sanghatana, a tribal welfare organisation.

The protesters carried banners and placards with the picture of the victim and shouted slogans condemning the alleged incident. They also met the local tehsildar and submitted a memorandum.

Stating that the incident has shaken the community, district chief of Thingi, Jaya Pardi demanded that police fast-track the investigation and make an arrest at the earliest.

The 29-year-old woman from Mahalunge village was allegedly gang raped and killed when she was returning home from work on Sunday evening. The case is under investigation.