Mumbai: Brave granny, 91, fights off robber with glass tumbler in Malad

Ayesha Sheikh, 91, at her residence in Malwani, Malad West on Tuesday

A ninety-one-year-old woman from Malad put up a brave fight after a burqa-clad woman entered her home to snatch a gold chain worth more than Rs 1.5 lakh from her neck. Despite having chilli powder in her eyes, the nonagenarian caught hold of the accused's hair and refused to loosen her grip while being dragged from her kitchen to the front door. Eventually, the senior citizen threw a glass tumbler at the intruder, forcing her to flee empty-handed. The accused was eventually nabbed by the Malwani police with the help of CCTV cameras.

The burqa-clad intruder tries to snatch Ayesha Sheikh's gold chain when 91-year-old is cooking in her kitchen on Sunday afternoon. Illustrations/Uday Mohite

The nonagenarian, Ayesha Sheikh, a resident of MHB Colony at Malwani in Malad West, said she was cooking in the kitchen around 2 pm on January 12 when the incident occurred. Her only son, Moinuddin Sheikh, had gone to a mosque for Namaz.

The accused throws chilli powder in the nonagenarian's eyes

"An unknown woman wearing a burqa snuck in while I was preparing food. When I turned around on sensing her presence, she threw chilli powder in my eyes. She then tried to snatch my 1.5-tola gold chain, but I grabbed her hair. Terrified, she dragged me towards the door. I got hold of a glass tumbler somehow. After I fought back, she tried to flee. I threw the glass at her. She got injured while escaping via the narrow lane outside my house," Sheikh told mid-day.

Sheikh grabs the accused's hair after which the younger woman drags her towards the door

The senior citizen immediately informed her son about the incident, and the latter notified the police after rushing home. Stating that a single woman was strong enough to take on an intruder, Sheikh, who sustained minor leg injuries, said, "I am a fighter and a one-woman army when it comes to such matters. I have lung issues and need oxygen support regularly. Yet, I am young enough to put up a fight against robbers."

The senior citizen flings a glass tumbler at the woman as she flees empty-handed

Police Inspector Shailendra Nagarkar of the Malwani police station said, "We have arrested the accused with the help of the CCTV cameras. She is in our custody." According to Investigation officer PSI Digambar Kurkute, the accused, Naznin Sheikh 32, hails from UP and she had been staying in Malwani on rent for the past six months.

Previous incidents

On January 8, a similar incident occurred in the Santosh Nagar area of Malad East, where a burglar stole a 10-gram gold chain while a 20-year-old woman was cooking in the kitchen. The Dindoshi police have registered an FIR and are investigating the matter. In another such incident, on January 5, two thieves entered a house in Vile Parle and tied up an 80-year-old woman and her maid before escaping with valuables worth R7.85 lakh. In this case, the Crime Branch was able to apprehend the two accused.