Mumbai: The Mumbai Crime branch arrested a 23-year-old man for stabbing a taxi driver in Matunga three days back. The accused identified as Mohammad Yasin Shafi Shaikh was taken into custody from Wadala early on Monday morning, said a crime branch officer.
The taxi driver, identified as Mohammed Irfan Ali, 24, said that he had taken a fare from Sion railway station on Friday at around 1:15am. "The accused asked Irfan to drop him near SIWS college in Wadala (West). Near the drop location at around 1.26 am, the accused got down from the back door and stood next to the driver's door. The accused asked for Irfan's mobile phone, which he refused. The accused was then seen removing a knife from his back packet and stabbing Irfan. Irfan in panic pushed the door and ran out. He was seen sitting at some distance holding his injuries," said a police officer.
The police said Irfan had suffered injuries near and below his chest, as the footage itself shows how brutal the attack was. "Irfan was shifted to Sion hospital with the help of a watchman and police, who reached the spot. He is stable and undergoing treatment," added the police officer.
The Matunga police had then registered an offence of attempt to murder (307) and voluntarily causing hurt in committing robbery (394) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), while unit 4 of the crime branch has also began their parallel investigation.
The crime branch officials scrutinized CCTV cameras of multiple locations and showed the pictures to its informants. API Ajay Birajdar of crime branch unit 4 received an information that the accused could be Shaikh a resident of Bangalipura in Wadala. Accordingly, a trap was laid and Shaikh was arrested from Kismat Nagar in Bangalipura when he arrived around 1.30 am on Monday.
He was taken to crime branch office in Antop Hill for questioning and after confirmation he was handed over to Matunga police for further investigation.