A 32-year-old mentally challenged woman was allegedly strangled to death by two women inmates at a rehabilitation centre in Maharashtra's Thane district, a police official said on Thursday. The incident took place at the rehabilitation centre located in Kalyan area on Monday following which the accused, Isha Pandey and Vishakha Kothare, both also mentally deranged and aged 19, were arrested, he said.

As per preliminary inquiry, the accused committed the crime as they felt that they would be able to escape from the rehabilitation centre if they kill the victim, identified as Kishori Sawant, the official from Kalyan taluka police station said. Sawant's parents admitted her to the rehabilitation centre meant for mentally disabled persons sometime back. The accused allegedly strangulated Sawant on Monday following which she was rushed to the government-run Rukminibai Hospital in Kalyan where she succumbed on Tuesday, the official said.