'Blade runner' arrested after slashing girl's face

Mumbai: Threatening a man to stop sexually harassing her and passing lewd comments proved costly for a 17-year-old girl who sustained severe injuries to her lips and face after the 22-yr-old attacked her with a blade on Saturday night.

The victim identified as Pooja Shetty (name changed) is a resident of Juned Nagar in Andheri (West) and works at an imitation jewellery-manufacturing firm. On Saturday at 8.30 pm, Pooja had walked out to a local store in her locality to call a relative from a public phone booth.

"Pooja was walking past the shop when the accused Waris Qureshi made a pass at her and passed some lewd comments. Disliking what he said, Pooja walked up to him and said that she would complain about him to the police," said Anand Pimplar, Pooja's brother-in-law.

The DN Nagar police officials, who are investigating the case, said that Waris was taken aback as Pooja had told him off in front of everyone and decided to teach her a lesson. He walked into the adjacent lane and took a razor from a nearby salon.

"Waris is a local goon in the area consuming drugs and threatening shopkeepers. He picked up a blade from a nearby salon and then slashed Pooja's face," said PSI Sadashiv Sawant from the DN Nagar police station adding that the blade cut through Pooja's lips and cheek.

Locals rush to help
Following the incident, locals rushed to rescue the girl while Waris managed to flee the spot. Pooja was rushed to Cooper Hospital. Anand told MiD DAY that the attack was a culmination of Waris's anger after his several advances against Pooja had failed. "He had made several advances, all of which Pooja had rejected. Waris threatened her that she would not be able to show her face to anyone if she did not agree to date him."

The authorities later arrested Waris on Sunday afternoon from Dharavi. He has been charged under Section 326 and 506 (2) of the Indian Penal Code.

Cops said that even after his arrest when the accused was brought for identification, he threatened the girl of dire consequences in front of the entire police staff.

"We have arrested Waris and will be presenting him in court today. We have been informed by the locals that Waris used to pass lewd comments at several girls in the locality, however, none have come forward yet," said Sawant.