Bloodshed over iPhone 7! Thane man stabbed during cellphone sale

27-year-old mobile phone store staffer goes to Thane to pick up two used iPhone 7s from familiar dealer, is stabbed repeatedly with a knife; attacker produced in court and granted bail

Ahmed Abdul Sattar Tharani

Ahmed Abdul Sattar Tharani assumed Friday’s deal would have been no different from the scores he had done before: reach the spot, pay cash, collect the second-hand phones and be on his way. But the 27-year-old’s plan took a bloody turn when the dealer allegedly unleashed a brutal attack on him.

On December 16, Ahmed, the employee of a store that repairs mobile phones and sells second-hand ones in Citi Centre, Goregaon, was sent by his employer to Viviana Mall in Thane, along with Rs 1 lakh in cash, to pick up two used iPhone 7s from a familiar juvenile dealer. He met the minor at the mall’s gate, the agreed spot for the deal, around 4.30 pm. But, the latter allegedly claimed that he had forgotten the mobile phones in his car, parked parked in a nearby building. He asked Ahmed to accompany him to the parking lot.

Caught unawares

Although wary of breaking protocol, Ahmed went along. As soon as the two reached the spot at 4.45 pm, the minor allegedly stabbed him in the stomach three times. A stumbling Ahmed tried to escape, but was attacked again, from behind. Hearing the commotion, the building’s watchmen rushed to the spot. The attacker fled, with the money.

Ahmed’s family at SRV Hospital, Goregaon. PICS/SAMEER MARKANDE

Ahmed was rushed to Thane Civil Hospital and shifted to a private hospital in Goregaon within a few hours.

Arif Abdul Sattar Tharani (24), Ahmed’s younger brother and salesman at a perfume shop in Goregaon, said he was told of the attack around 9 pm. “We got a call from his employer and then another one from the police, asking us to rush to the hospital as Ahmed was in a bad shape. When we arrived at the hospital, we found that he had multiple stab wounds and was unconscious.”

He said Ahmed regained consciousness only on Sunday, and is still under treatment. The siblings are the family’s breadwinners.

Robbery not in FIR: Employer

A case has been registered under Section 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC at the Vartak Nagar police station. The attacker was arrested, and let off on bail within 24 hours. The two iPhones were recovered, but the cash is allegedly still missing.

Arif Tharani, victim’s brother

The family and the employer alleged that the police had gone soft on the attacker. Aftab, Ahmed’s employer, claimed that the police told the family that the attacker was a mentally unstable juvenile. “But in the FIR, his age has been registered as 20.

Also, there is no mention of a robbery. Police officials told us that he is mentally unstable, and committed the attack to procure money to buy a Yamaha Rs 15.”

Shoaib Razzaq Kandhal (34), Ahmed’s brother-in-law, raised another suspicion. “The police say they took Ahmed’s statement. But, how could they have done this when he was unconscious for two days?” he asked. “All the money Ahmed had on him was stolen, including the cash in his wallet. Why has the person who stabbed him been let off?”

PoliceSpeak

An officer from Vartak Nagar police station confirmed that the attacker is a minor, and was produced before the juvenile court and granted bail.

With inputs from Sailee Dhayalkar

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