Nagpur: The crime scene in Nagpur has thrown open a new face of crime on Thursday while also highlighting the odd circumstances forcing to commit the illegal act. In a similar such incident a woman took to robbery at knifepoint after she was frustrated over battling with financial crunch due to the non-payment of salary sinch last month. The incident happened in Nandanvan. The woman chose to loot a family she knew at Nandanvan, but a 40-year-old female teacher bravely snatched the knife held to her throat and forced the accused to surrender.
The accused, Trupti Mane, employed as a data operator in a private firm, had been selected to join the police force as a constable, but could not do so due to family problems.
On Tuesday, she covered her face with a long white scarf, wore goggles, and held a big vegetable knife as she entered through the main gate of the house belonging to Vrushali Ghodmare at Ratan Nagar at 2.30pm. She waited in the narrow space between the house and the compound wall since the main door of the house was locked from inside.
Ghodmare told media, “I was sitting in the drawing room along with my tenant Mangala Chandewar after coming back from school. My younger son Harshkumar (14) went to keep his lunch plate outside the kitchen door, and saw the woman approaching him with a knife. He thought the woman was his elder sister’s friend playing a prank. Hence, he too mocked her. But she came close and threatened him.”
Harshkumar screamed and ran inside the house. Before Vrushali could go to check the situation, the woman followed Harshkumar into the hall. The woman grabbed Vrushali from behind and put the knife to her throat. The woman demanded all the gold valuables and cash.
Vrushali, acting smartly, told the woman that the scene had already been captured in the CCTV camera in the room. Vrushali said, “The CCTV camera was not functioning. But to foil her attempt I lied that she would be arrested soon.”
This diverted the woman’s attention enough for Vrushali to grab her hand. Vrushali then turned around while keeping a firm hold on the knife to thwart any attack. Though she was injured a little, she didn’t release the knife until it was bent.
Chandewar then came forward to help Vrushali fight the woman, who made every effort to run away. Meanwhile, Vrushali told her son to alert the neighbours, and also inform his father Vijay, a teacher.
Meanwhile, Chandewar’s husband too had heard the boy’s scream, and came downstairs. He thrashed the woman, who bit him on the hand.
Nandanvan police rushed to the spot and nabbed the woman. Offence of attempted robbery was registered and the woman produced before the court on Wednesday, and remanded to magisterial custody. Cops said the woman has no previous crime record.
Vrushali said the woman’s maternal aunt used to stay at their place on rent two years back. Mane’s parents have reportedly died long back, and she was an only daughter.
Mane used to reside with her grandmother at Shirdi Nagar on Umred Road after separating from her husband Nandu a year back. She had been selected to a constabulary post around two years ago, before marriage. However, her husband Nandu had forced her to give up the opportunity.
