Churchgate station stabbing: Injured woman’s spleen removed at JJ hospital
Had the incident occurred outside the station premises I would have bled to death, said Hema Naik, who was stabbed by her estranged husband in the main lobby of Churchgate railway station on Sunday afternoon
Had the incident occurred outside the station premises I would have bled to death, said Hema Naik, who was stabbed by her estranged husband in the main lobby of Churchgate railway station on Sunday afternoon.
The 39-year-old, who has been admitted to GT hospital, had her spleen removed at Sir JJ hospital on Monday. She, however, was unable to speak further because of her serious condition.
Meanwhile, her husband Rohan Naik, 42, who was caught by the Government Railway Police (GRP), has been produced before the railway court which has remanded him in police custody for three days.
“Hema’s spleen was removed through surgery as the knife had pierced through it. Although her vital organs were not damaged, it would take a long time for her to recover,” Dr Preetam Shilwant from GT Hospital said.
Her sister Pranjali Deone, who was present with her at ward number 8 along with her niece Lavanya, 19, said Rohan had been assaulting Hema for the last 15 years. “Rohan wanted to kill her and had the railway police officers not caught him he would have stabbed her third time in her chest.”
According to Vijay Tayde, senior police inspector of Churchgate GRP, the incident occurred at 4 pm when the couple was returning from a sharadh where they had been separately. “The deceased was related to Rohan and also to the maternal side of our family,” Deone said.
She said as soon as Rohan saw her sister leave the venue, he dropped his half-eaten food plate and followed her. “Rohan was drunk and was hiding behind a pillar at the railway station. Soon after she passed through the metal detectors, he pounced on her and started stabbing her with a knife. He was about to stab her in the chest after she fell down when he was nabbed.”
Tayde said Rohan had bought the knife while following Hema to Churchgate station and the weapon had been seized. “The RPF officers also took her to the hospital in an ambulance parked just outside the main entrance gate.”
The accused, a welder by profession, stayed in Palghar, and the couple has been married for 21 years.
Deone said Hema had been working at a builder’s office in Palghar and had been staying in a one room with her daughter and 12-year-old son after she left Rohan due to his violent behaviour five months ago. “Rohan was so violent that I had told my sister to message me after she woke up every day so that I knew she was alive.”
She suffered humiliation and physical assaults for years but had not left him earlier because of her children and the fear that he might kill her, Deone said. “He beat her up almost every day with a rod or whatever he would get his hands on for frivolous reasons. He also suspected her character.”
After getting discharged, Hema would be taken to her sister’s house in Dahanu. “We just want that Rohan should get the punishment he deserves,” Deone added.
