Raj Thackeray’s wife Sharmila reacts to Navi Mumbai woman’s murder; accused Dawood held from Karnataka

Two days after a 20-year-old woman's body was discovered near Uran railway station in Navi Mumbai, police have arrested Dawood Shaikh from Karnataka, charging him with her murder. The accused was apprehended in Shahapur, Gulbarga, by authorities.

Following the arrest, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray along with his wife Sharmila Thackeray reacted to the tragic incident. She informed that she has asked the Mumbai Police that the area under their jurisdiction should be safe for women.

“People should have a fear of the police”, Thackeray said.

Eliminating a religious angle to the crime, Sharmila Thackeray further said, “There is no religion in this. Any man who commits such a crime should get punishment”.

According to the police, the victim's father filed a complaint against the accused in 2019, leading to a case being registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Additional Police Commissioner (Crime) Deepak Sakore revealed that the victim and Dawood Shaikh had been in contact and met on the day of the murder. While a heated argument between them may have led to the killing, the exact motive remains unclear, and an ongoing investigation is being conducted.

The woman's body was found around 2 am on Saturday after her parents filed a missing persons report on July 25. According to police, the victim, who worked in Belapur, had taken a half-day leave. The autopsy report confirmed that the victim died of stab wounds, Sakore said.

Deepak Sakore said Shaikh had lived in Uran for some time but went to Karnataka after the victim's father lodged a police complaint against him, and a POCSO case was registered in 2019.

The accused, Dawood Shaikh, who worked as a driver in the neighboring state Karnataka, maintained contact with the 20-year-old victim, according to police.

(With agency inputs)