Kidnapped one-year-old girl from Santacruz rescued; two arrested

Around 10 pm on October 30, Fatima was sleeping with her mother Muskan Shaikh, 22, on the pavement outside SNDT college in Santacruz (West). Sarifa alias Kajal Alim Shaikh, 50, and Sujata Devi Upendra Paswan, 43, allegedly took the baby with the intention to sell her in Telangana, police inspector Sanjay Khatade of crime branch unit 9 said

Mumbai: In less than 48 hours after a one-year-old girl was kidnapped from a pavement in the city, the police and the Railway Protection Force (RPF) rescued her in Solapur. Two women from Vile Parle’s Nehru Nagar have been arrested.

Mumbai, India - November 03, 2022: Two women arrested by Mumbai Police after kidnapping a one-year-old baby girl from the pavement outside SNDT College, Santacruz and taken to Solapur by them. Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar reunites the infant with her mother, at CP Office, in Mumbai, India, on Thursday, November 03, 2022. (Photo by Anshuman Poyrekar/Hindustan Times) (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT PHOTO)

Around 10 pm on October 30, Fatima was sleeping with her mother Muskan Shaikh, 22, on the pavement outside SNDT college in Santacruz (West). Sarifa alias Kajal Alim Shaikh, 50, and Sujata Devi Upendra Paswan, 43, allegedly took the baby with the intention to sell her in Telangana, police inspector Sanjay Khatade of crime branch unit 9 said.

When the mother woke up in the morning and did not find her, the family searched for Fatima and later informed the police. A case of kidnapping was registered against unknown persons.

The crime branch meanwhile conducted a parallel investigation. While scanning the footage of CCTV cameras in the vicinity, a woman with a baby was spotted heading towards Santacruz railway station. She was later identified as Sarifa Shaikh, city police commissioner Vivek Phansalkar said.

A police team visited Sarifa’s home and questioned her son. They were told that she had gone to Nalasopara along with her neighbour Sujata Paswan. “We got her mobile number and started tracing it. Both came to Dadar again from Nalasopara and took a train to Telangana,” a police officer said.

Investigation revealed that they were planning to sell the baby in Telangana but that did not work out and hence, both took a return train. The police then coordinated with the RPF at Solapur railway station and sent them the photos of the accused and the girl.

By the time RPF officials nabbed the two women, a police team had reached there, deputy commissioner of police Sangaramsing Nishandar said.

The girl was rescued and the women were brought to Mumbai on October 2 and arrested, Nishandar added.

“We are questioning the accused to find out if they planned to use the girl for begging after failing to sell her,” another officer said.

Muskan’s husband used to work as a butcher in Bandra but after he lost a finger on the job, he left it. The duo then started collecting scrap to make a living. “I am very thankful to the Mumbai police. I had lost hope but due to the prompt action by the police I was reunited with my daughter,” Muskan said.

In the intervening night of October 25 and 26, a 71-day-old girl was kidnapped by a Wadala-based couple from the pavement near St Xavier’s School in south Mumbai. The police arrested accused within 12 hours and rescued the baby.