Mumbai domestic dispute: 'Cops threw me, my kids out in middle of the night'

Nadira Sayyed and her daughters

Family of a 40-year-old mother of three has demanded action against a Mumbra policeman for allegedly throwing her and her daughters out of her matrimonial house in the dead of the night.

Sub-inspector Vinayak Karade and three constables were allegedly acting on a complaint given by the woman's in-laws, who didn't want their unemployed son and his family living on their expenses anymore, when they forced her and the children out around 2 am. The victim's family has said the police team should have had a woman officer to handle this and waited at least till morning to take action. The Mumbra police refused to take down Nadira's complaint but assured action against errant cops.

Unhappily ever after
Nadira, who married Sohail in November 2007, said her in-laws started harassing her within months. "I was told he worked in Dubai and earned well. But after marriage, I came to know he is jobless. I used to bring money from my father for him; but when I bore a girl, they started abusing me more," she said. After three daughters, the torture allegedly became incessant, and Nadira returned to her parents in Wadala and lodged a case of domestic violence.

During a hearing on June 18, the Metropolitan Magistrate court in Kurla asked Sohail if he wanted to take his wife and kids home, to which he said yes. But when they returned, the harassment began again. "My in-laws started questioning Sohail why he had brought us back," she said.

On June 19, the in-laws left home at 4 pm and returned at 12.30 am, shortly followed by Karade and others. "They told me and Sohail to leave. I begged them to wait till morning, but they refused to listen," alleged Nadira.

"The matter could have been handled with care... instead of dragging three minor girls out at 2 am," said Advocate Ashley Cusher, Nadira's lawyer. "The police acted irresponsibly by not having a female constable; therefore, we demand strict action against Karade, who molested Nadira and her daughters, and left them on the streets."

The other side
Inspector Ghulam Mohd Mujawar said, "We are probing the role of the PSI and constables, but prima facie, it doesn't appear that they threw Nadira out of the house."

Also read: Watch video: RPF constable molests female at Kalyan platform, gets suspended

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates