Elderly woman fights off delivery person who tried to rob her

According to the Gamdevi police, “For the past seven years they have been ordering food from a tiffin service, which is delivered by the accused, Mahesh Beniwal, 40, a resident of Palghar district

MUMBAI: A 68-year-old woman put up a fight against a food delivery person with a tiffin service who stabbed her with a kitchen knife during an attempted robbery at Gowalia Tank in South Mumbai. The injured woman caught hold of the knife and screamed for help and the man was nabbed by the residents and watchman of the building.

Elderly woman fights off delivery person who tried to rob her

The woman, identified as Shamina Ibrahim Nakara, 68, stays in Sukhama Palace in Gowalia Tank with her husband, a stockbroker.

According to the Gamdevi police, “For the past seven years they have been ordering food from a tiffin service, which is delivered by the accused, Mahesh Beniwal, 40, a resident of Palghar district.”

Last week, Beniwal demanded ₹50,000 from the Nakaras, the police said, adding that he had demanded money from other people too and most of them gave him small amounts.

On Monday, Beniwal delivered the tiffin to Nakara’s house on the ground floor and asked for a glass of water. When Shamina went to the kitchen, he followed her and demanded ₹50,000. When she refused, the man stabbed the woman with a kitchen knife he had brought with him.

The woman, however, caught hold of the knife and shouted for help. Meanwhile, Beniwal pushed her to the floor and tried to flee.

“However, the watchman sensed that something was amiss and called the police control room. Meanwhile, Nakara, though injured, did not allow Beniwal to leave. The brawl continued for around 10 minutes,” the police said, adding that a patrolling van of the Gamdevi police reached the building and caught hold of Beniwal.

The man has been booked under section 394 (voluntarily causing hurt in committing robbery) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code. He will remain in police custody till August 25.

According to the police, Beniwal was in urgent need of money for his son’s fees who had taken admission in FYJC. After his attempts failed, he came drunk on Monday and committed the act.

Nakara has suffered injuries to her left-hand fingers and was treated. She has been discharged from the hospital.