Enraged over losing contract job to another man, BMC clean-up truck driver picks an argument, but things get out hand; a punch to the chest caused his death
CCTV camera footage of the fight on the night of May 12
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When a livid Raja Shaikh climbed up the flight of stairs to Mankhurd police station on May 12, the last thought on his mind was probably getting payback for the humiliating thrashing he had received just minutes before. But fate had other plans. The 49-year-old BMC clean-up truck driver collapsed right before the police station and died of injuries to the chest and head. His attackers have been arrested and booked.
Around 11 pm on May 12, Shaikh picked up an argument at Lallubhai Compound area in Mankhurd with resident Zhakir Tadvi (31) after losing his contract job to him. Local Raju Kamble (31), who was accompanying Tadvi, also allegedly faced Shaikh's fury.
Raja Shaikh collapsed in front of Mankhurd police station
Furious over losing job
Deputy Commissioner Of Police (zone 6) Shahaji Umap said Shaikh, also a Mankhurd resident, began to threaten the two and soon, the argument got out of hand.
Also read: 49-year-old Mumbai man beaten to death by four men in Mankhurd
"Shaikh was upset over losing his job and began to threaten the two men. The argument then turned into a fisticuff.'
Tadvi and Kamble lost their cool and thrashed Shaikh with their bare hands. The assault was captured on a nearby CCTV camera.
Hoping to teach them a lesson, Shaikh began walking towards Mankhurd police station, which is just 100 m from the assault spot. En route, he called up his wife and son Sameer (22) and told them to meet him at the police station.
Tadvi and Kamble tailed him, hoping to file a police complaint of their own. On reaching the building housing the police station, the two were accosted by Shaikh's wife and son and reprimanded for the assault.
Collapsed on last step
Meanwhile, Shaikh began climbing the one flight of stairs to the police station. But when he reached the topmost stair, he collapsed. Suspecting that he had only lost consciousness, the police personnel nearby told Shaikh's wife and son to take him to a hospital, and detained Tadvi and Kamble. Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar declared Shaikh dead on arrival.
Also read: 16-year-old Mumbai boy beaten to death with cricket bat in Dharavi
Following the death, the Mankhurd police booked Tadvi and Kamble under sections 302 (murder), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.
Shaikh's postmortem examination report stated that he had suffered a contusion in the head and that his death was caused by "a head injury associated with blunt trauma to the chest".
Shaikh's last rites were performed at the Deonar graveyard on May 14.