22 October,2014 11:35 AM IST | | Sailee Dhayalkar
After hitting his wife, Shamsher Abaazali Sheikh (31), who was under the influence of drugs, punched 10-month-old Nasra; she was taken to a hospital, but declared dead
A 10-month-old girl lost her life yesterday after her druggie dad punched her during a fight with her mother. Shamsher Abaazali Sheikh (31), a fruit seller who lives in a transit camp behind Khatau Mill, Byculla (West), has been arrested for the murder of his 10-month-old daughter, Nasra.
Sheikh's family, which includes his mother, brother, sister, wife and daughter, went to sleep at 1 am yesterday. Around 3:30 am, Sheikh's wife Rukyaa (20), who was in her room upstairs, came down and started knocking on the door of the room where Sheikh's mother, brother and sister were sleeping.
When they opened the door, Rukyaa told them that Nasra was breathing very fast. Sheikh's brother Shanavaz and the whole family took Nasra to M H Sabu Siddique Hospital, where the doctor declared her dead and informed the police. When Shanavaz asked Rukyaa what had happened, she said Sheikh had punched Nasra.
Rukyaa said Sheikh had come around in the wee hours of Tuesday and was under the influence of drugs. He used to fight with Rukyaa every night and the same thing happened that night as well. In a fit of rage, he hit his wife and then punched Nasra as well.
Assistant Police Inspector Jitesh Shingote of the Agripada police said, "Sheikh used to fight daily with his wife and other members of the family. He used to drink every day and was also a drug addict. He was under the influence of drugs when he hit his daughter as well. We arrested him after preliminary investigations."
Sheikh has confessed to his crime, but said he was under the influence of drugs and did not know what he was doing. A case was registered at the Agripada police station under Section 302 (Murder) of the Indian Penal code. Sheikh was presented in holiday court and remanded in police custody till Friday.
