Navi Mumbai: A 50-year-old man appearing ‘disoriented’ boarded the ladies’ coach of a Panvel-CSMT train and pushed an 18-year-old college girl from the moving train after the women commuters told him to get down. He was arrested by the Panvel govt railway police (GRP) for attempted murder.Vijay Tayade, senior inspector, Panvel GRP, said that the arrested accused has been identified as Shaikh Akhtar Nawaz and the victim teenager as Shweta Mahadik, a resident of Usarli village in New Panvel. On Thursday, Mahadik and her female friend were going to their college in Kharghar and boarded the ladies’ coach of the 7:59 am Panvel-CSMT train at Panvel station when the accused Nawaz also boarded the ladies’ coach. The women commuters objected to his entry and told him to get down. As Shaikh was reluctant to alight and the train departed, a verbal spat ensued between the women commuters and Shaikh, who turned violent and pushed Mahadik, who was standing near the coach’s footboard pole, causing her to fall off the train. The women commuters alerted the railway helpline number, and Shaikh was detained by the GRP cops at Khandeshwar station.Inspector Tayade said, “As the victim Mahadik fell on the tracks at a distance of about 1.5 km from Panvel railway station, the GRP team walked along the tracks to reach the spot, but did not find Mahadik. When they inquired with the commuters, it was learnt that Mahadik was taken to a nearby private hospital by a few residents. A GRP cop went to the hospital and found Mahadik there. She did not sustain major external injuries. Hence, the doctors did her CT scan and X-ray to ascertain if there were any internal injuries. Later, her parents took her home. On Friday, we inquired with her parents, who told us that she got a mild fever in the morning.”Inspector Tayade said, “The accused Shaikh was arrested after registering an FIR against him under BNS section for attempted murder and under the Indian Railways Act, which deals with penalties for travelling without a proper ticket, beyond the authorised distance, or in contravention of rules, along with a penalty on male passengers who enter or remain in carriages, compartments, or berths reserved for females without lawful excuse. As the accused Shaikh appeared disoriented, he was taken to JJ Hospital for a medical test, where the doctors examined him and said that he appears to be mentally disturbed. Shaikh claimed that he was homeless and usually lives in the Khar-Bandra road area. Shaikh was produced before a Panvel city court on Friday morning, which remanded him in police custody for three days. Our GRP team will be sent to Khar and Bandra areas with his photograph to find his family or relatives.”
Join The Discussion