26-year-old saleswoman is battling for her life with 80 per cent burns, while their two daughters suffered minor injuries; husband surrenders
His suspicion did them part and burned her, literally. A Malwani resident is battling 80 per cent burns after her attempts to lose weight and get in shape made her husband doubt that she was having an extra-marital affair, and in rage, he flung acid on her face. The couple's two daughters also sustained minor injuries in the attack in the wee hours yesterday. The Malwani police said that after the incident, the accused walked into the police station and surrendered himself.
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Ruwab Ali Shaikh threw acid on his wife Zakira at their home in Malwani
Police sources said the injured were identified as Zakira Shaikh, 26, and her daughters Afifa, 7, and Atifa, 5, while the accused husband is Ruwab Ali Shaikh, 30, all residents of New Collector Compound, Malwani gate number 7.
A relative of Zakira said, "They got married in 2008 and it was a smooth and happy start. I don't know what happened later, but they would fight with each other all the time."
"Ruwab drives an autorickshaw, Zakira used to be a housewife. But he would avoid giving her money for household expenses. He also believes in black magic and would spend all his earnings on babas and tantriks. Apparently, one of them had told him that if he carried out some holy rituals in his house, he would find treasure on digging through. Tired of his ways, she had taken up a job in a sales company in Borivli," the relative added.
"She was plump and wanted to get in shape. So, she started a weight-loss treatment a few months ago. Since then, Ruwab has been casting doubts on her character. He would say to her 'Kiske liye itnaa ban tthan rahi hai? Motaapaa kam kar rahi hai… kiske saath chakkar chal raha hai?'"
The burning truth
A neighbour, Salim Shaikh, 55, said, "It was dawn; I was sitting outside my house when I heard screams. Zakira came running out of her house, shouting for help. Her elder brother Qasim owns a shop next door, where he sleeps.
She started banging on the shutter, screaming his name. Qasim shouted from inside, but we saw that the shutter was locked from outside. We broke the lock and helped Qasim out. In the chaos, Zakira's shoulder bumped into my chest and I felt a wet, burning sensation where it had made contact. That's when I realised it was acid."
She told Qasim that Ruwab had thrown acid on her, which had accidentally fallen on their daughters, and ran away through the back door. Her family then took them to Shatabdi hospital.
"He had planned everything. Before throwing acid, Ruwab was the one who locked the shop's shutter so that Qasim wouldn't be able to rush to help," said Zakira's elder sister Saaima.
Turning the tables
The police said that around 6 am Ruwab came to Malwani police station and surrendered himself, but said that his wife was trying to pour acid on him, and in that scuffle, it accidentally fell on her and their daughters.
An officer said, "Zakira is undergoing treatment in Shatabdi hospital. Her daughters were taken there too; they were discharged after treatment, as their injuries were minor. We have recorded her statement and arrested the accused. He will be produced in court tomorrow. Further investigation is on."
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