In a shocking incident, a 20-year-old mentally challenged woman was allegedly raped several times by her 30-year-old neighbor in Palghar. The incident came to light when the woman’s family found she was pregnant. The victim was allegedly raped on several occasions in the last two-and-a-half months by the man at her home in Vasai area here when her parents, who are laborers, went out for work, police said. According to police, the woman’s mother lodged an FIR after the woman was found two-month pregnant. “The woman’s parents work as laborers at building sites and brick kilns. The woman is mentally unstable and lives with her parents,” an officer from Palghar police said.

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The man used to lure the victim by offering her biscuits and chocolates, the official said. The complainant told the police that their daughter had been complaining about stomach ache for some time and when they got her checked from the local health center, they found she was pregnant. The victim has so far not been able to identify the accused, the official said.

The woman's parents on Monday lodged a complaint following which the police registered a case under Indian Penal Code sections for rape. “We have lodged an FIR and we are looking for the accused. He will be arrested soon,” said a senior officer from Waliv police. The accused is on the run.

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