Shocking: Boy stabs house help after she shouts at him for bunking school

The house help of a Chembur family received the shock of her life when a 14-year-old attacked her with a knife for scolding him yesterday. The woman had chided the boy as he hadn't attended school for the last two days. The injured woman was taken to hospital and a case registered at the Govandi police.

Angered at being chided for not attending school, the boy locked the door, turned up the TV's volume and stabbed the help repeatedly. Illustration/Amit Bandre

According to the police, the victim has been identified as Tejaswini Shinde (35), a resident of Ghatlegaon in Chembur. Shinde had been working with the family of the accused for a month to earn extra income.

The 14-year-old boy is a son of a businessman and is studying in Std IX. An officer from Govandi police station said, "The father and mother of the boy had parted ways and the boy lives alone with his father at Subhash Nagar."

Angry young kid
The boy hadn't gone to school for the last two days. When Shinde came to work at his home at around 10 am, she asked him why he had bunked school. She also warned him that she would complain to his father about his truant ways.

This angered the boy, and the duo started arguing. During the argument, the maid also scolded him for not stocking vegetables in the house. Angered at being reprimanded, the boy decided to take revenge.

Relentless assault
"When Shinde was about to leave the flat, the accused increased the volume of the television and locked the door. He stabbed Shinde in the neck, due to which she fell on the floor. He then sat on her and stabbed her several times."

Arrested
Due to the loud volume of the TV, Shinde's screams for help couldn't be heard. She somehow managed to push her attacker away and escape his clutches. With the help of neighbours, she was taken to Shatabdi Hospital. Police, meanwhile, arrested the out-of-control schoolboy.

'Like a son'
Shinde is currently recuperating at Shatabdi Hospital in Chembur. Dr Rajendra Sonawane, medical officer at the hospital, said, "Her condition is stable as of now, but she has suffered multiple injuries on her shoulders and back.

The wounds caused by the attack are quite deep and it will take some time before the bleeding subsides. She is under observation as of now and a surgeon took a look at her in the evening." Shinde told mid-day that she had treated the boy as her own son. "I only asked him why hadn't gone to school. I asked him what he wanted.

He flew into a rage and attacked me. I pleaded with him to let me go; I asked him to take all my money and ornaments in exchange for letting me leave the house, but he kept on attacking me," she recalled. The accused has been booked under Section 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means) of the Indian Penal Code. He will be produced in court today.