Thane, April 13: A man accused of raping and murdering a minor girl in Kalyan town here allegedly committed suicide at the Taloja Central Jail in neighbouring Navi Mumbai early on Sunday, police said. The accused, Vishal Gawli (35), was found hanging in the prison toilet at around 3.30 am, they said.

Gawli went to the toilet and allegedly used a towel to hang himself. The prison authorities later found the body, an official from Kharghar police station said. The local police were immediately informed and a panchnama (spot inspection) was conducted. Mumbai: Vishal Gawli Accused of Raping and Killing Minor Girl Dies by Suicide in Navi Mumbai's Taloja Central Jail.

The body was sent to the government-run JJ Hospital in neighbouring Mumbai for a post-mortem examination to determine the exact cause of the death, the official said. Gawli was accused of raping and murdering a 12-year-old girl in Kalyan area of Maharashtra's Thane district in December 2024.

The incident had sparked widespread outrage and demands for swift and stringent punishment for the perpetrators. The child went missing from Kolsewadi locality on December 24, and the body was found later at Bapgaon village in Padgha under Thane Rural police jurisdiction, officials earlier said. Kalyan Horror: Man Allegedly Kidnaps and Sexually Assaults 2-Year-Old Girl Near Titwala After Luring Her With Chocolates and Sweets, Arrested.

A probe by Kolsewadi police led to the arrest of Gawli and his wife Sakshi on charges of kidnapping for ransom, rape, murder, causing disappearance of evidence and other offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The Kalyan police in February this year filed a 948-page chargesheet against the couple. "Vishal Gawli raped and murdered the girl, while Sakshi helped him dump the body in Bapgaon," a police statement earlier said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)

Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Helpline Numbers:

Tele Manas (Ministry of Health) – 14416 or 1800 891 4416; NIMHANS – + 91 80 26995000 /5100 /5200 /5300 /5400; Peak Mind – 080-456 87786; Vandrevala Foundation – 9999 666 555; Arpita Suicide Prevention Helpline – 080-23655557; iCALL – 022-25521111 and 9152987821; COOJ Mental Health Foundation (COOJ) – 0832-2252525.