Man arrested for robbing and assaulting woman in Bandra restaurant bathroom

A 22-year-old man was arrested for assaulting and robbing a woman in a Mumbai restaurant bathroom. The victim screamed for help and a man came to her aid, leading to the arrest.

Mumbai: A 22-year-old resident of Navi Mumbai was arrested for allegedly assaulting and robbing a 26-year-old woman inside a restaurant bathroom on Hill Road, Bandra.

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According to Bandra police officers, the victim, identified as Swamini Mankame, a Malad resident, visited the Old Street Cafe on Saturday evening with friends Sanket Sawant and Parth Shah for dinner. Following dinner, around 10:30pm, Mankame went to the restroom to freshen up. Recounting the experience, Mankame stated that upon exiting the bathroom, she felt someone holding the door forcibly. Despite her attempts to push it open, she found herself confronted by a man who had tampered with the door.

The man forcibly entered the ladies’ bathroom and attempted to snatch Mankame’s mobile phone valued at ₹80,000. When she resisted, he assaulted her and attempted to choke her by pressing her neck against the bathroom wall. In a desperate bid for help, Mankame screamed, alerting a man in the adjacent men’s bathroom who rushed to her aid and restrained the attacker. The man then held the accused. The victim and her friends called the police emergency number and alerted the restaurant manager.

The Bandra police officers reached the spot in 15 minutes and arrested the accused identified as Kailash Jha. “We have arrested Jha, who is a record criminal,” said Sanjay Marathe, senior police inspector of Bandra police station.

The police officers are now scanning through the CCTV of the restaurant and the surrounding area to find out how Jha targetted and stalked Mankame