Man hits father with dumbbell after argument over unemployment

The accused, identified as Nouman Sheikh, 25, lived with his father, Samad Sheikh, 50, in a chawl at Kapaswadi on Juhu Versova Link Road. According to the police, the father-son duo would often argue and fight about the son being unemployed

Mumbai: A 25-year-old man was arrested on Friday for allegedly trying to kill his father with a dumbbell over an argument about the son being unemployed for several years.

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The accused, identified as Nouman Sheikh, 25, lived with his father, Samad Sheikh, 50, in a chawl at Kapaswadi on Juhu Versova Link Road. According to the police, the father-son duo would often argue and fight about the son being unemployed.

“During a similar argument in the early hours of Friday, Nouman picked up his dumbbells and assaulted his father repeatedly,” an officer from DN Nagar police station said. “He also damaged cars in the neighbourhood in a fit of rage after the incident.”

He added that Samad worked as a chauffeur for a builder and his son was a college dropout. “Nouman was unemployed for several years now. He never got a job and also didn’t want to study further after completing higher secondary school. He would spend days without doing anything and this was the cause of strife as Samad was worried about his only son wasting his life and time,” said the officer.

According to the police, the fights and disagreements had gone to such an extent that Samad had even driven Nouman out of the house.

“Even when Nouman was not living at home, his mother Hasinabi would keep in touch with him and help him. She managed to convince her husband to let their son return home just a month back,” the police officer said.

On Friday, Nouman returned home around 2.30am. His mother opened the door and tried to sneak him in, said the officer, adding, “However, Samad woke up and started screaming at Nouman, warning him to mend his ways. Angered, he picked up the dumbbells to hit his father. He gave at least three blows on his father’s head before the mother stopped him.”

After the incident, the accused went downstairs and broke the window panes of some of the cars parked below the building, the officer said. “Some of the neighbours, who had woken up due to the ensuing commotion, took Samad, who was profusely bleeding, to Cooper Hospital, while some other neighbours alerted the police. He is still undergoing treatment and is said to be critical,” the officer added.

“By the time our team reached the spot, the accused had escaped. We tracked him down around 5pm on Friday,” said the official.

Nouman was booked for attempt to murder, voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous means and destruction of property. He will be produced in court on Saturday.