The Mumbai Police on Monday arrested one Anwar Ali Shaikh on the charges of murdering his wife, Poonam Chavan. Shaikh is accused of allegedly letting go of his 37-year-old wife while she was pivoting around the support poles at the entrance to the railway coach, resulting in her death. Shaikh was arrested based on a fellow commuter’s testimony.
According to the police, as quoted by the Times of India, the duo had tied knots just a month ago and the motive of the murder is not clear yet. Shaikh and Chavan reportedly lived in a chawl in Mankhurd with Poonam’s three-year-old daughter from a previous marriage. Shaikh had no permanent employment and would sparingly work as a driver. The police also added that the couple begged for a living during the lockdown.
As per the TOI report, on Monday, the couple, along with the daughter, was travelling in a Panvel-bound local. Around 3:20 PM, as the train was passing between Chembur and Govandi, the woman started whirling around the support pole.
Shaikh let go of his wife as she precariously whirled around the pole: An eyewitness account
Sangeeta Bhalerao, a fellow co-passenger in the train was worried about what was going on. “Bhalerao was going back to her home. She told us Chavan was joined by her husband. It was undoubtedly dangerous as the train was moving. At one point, Chavan leaned out of the train and her husband clasped her hand in a tight grip. But he suddenly let go of her, and she landed on the tracks. When the train stopped at the Govandi station, Bhalerao hustled to find an on-duty policeman and narrated the incident,” said a police officer. Police arrested Shaikh and brought him to the Wadala GRP post.
Chavan’s body was later found on the tracks. The police officer said there are no CCTV cameras on the track between Chembur and Govandi and they will have to rely on the eyewitness account. He further added that the police are trying to track down Chavan’s relatives to investigate if her husband had been harassing her. The child has been handed over to Chavan’s stepmother.