The incident happened on March 5. (Representational)
A 25-year-old auto driver was arrested on Sunday for allegedly killing a 20-year-old man and raping his girlfriend near Thane in Maharashtra. The accused first tried to rob the couple and when the 20-year-old resisted the robbery bid, the auto driver shot him dead, said police.
The incident happened near a village in Thane, according to news agency PTI.
The couple was on a motorcycle when the auto driver, identified as Siddharth Naravade, intercepted the bike at a deserted place near village Nalimbiand, and tried to rob the couple. When the man resisted the robbery attempt, the auto driver fired at him, killing him on the spot. He then dragged the woman, 30, to nearby bushes and raped her, according to police.
The Thane District Rural Police HQ Superintendent of Police Mahesh Patil revealed the details during a press conference and said with the arrest of Naravade, they had cracked the March 5 murder and rape case. The police also recovered the weapon used in the crime.
The police swung into action after the woman filed complaint and raided the house of the accused.
Prashant Kadam, Additional Superintendent of Police (Thane Rural), who was also present at the conference, said Naravade was involved in a robbery and firing case which took place in July 2017 in Ambernath.
(With inputs from PTI)