Mumbai:
A tailor's wife was arrested yesterday along with her lover for plotting the murder of her husband.
The Sahu Nagar police nabbed Ujma, wife of Usman Shahjada Kureshi (30) and a catering contractor, Surmani Hatale for stabbing Usman eight times. Cops said Ujma had an affair with Hatale, who actually committed the murder. Before killing him, Hatale took Usman out to have chicken biryani at a Thane restaurant. In the meantime, Ujma, lodged a missing complaint about her husband with the police, hoping to throw cops off her trail.
On Sunday night, cops found the body of Usman, a resident of Mahim, on the Matunga Bridge that connects central and western railway lines.
"After identifying his body, we started questioning his kin and acquaintances," said Madhukar Sankhe, assistant commissioner of police, Dadar Region.
The cops learnt from her neighbours that Ujma worked with a catering company, although when questioned, she denied it. When cops checked her cell phone records, they found that she had made several calls on Sunday night to a particular number.
"We then traced the person and picked him up. He was identified as Suresh alias Surmani Lalkishan Hatale (30), a resident of Dahisar, who is a catering contractor," said Sankhe.
After interrogating Hatale, officials learned that Hatale had an affair with Ujma, and the duo planned Usman's murder.
"Ujma asked her husband to drop their kid Aman (4) to Mumbra, as she was going to Gujarat for two days for some catering work. On Sunday, while returning from Mumbra, Usman boarded the train for Matunga. That is when Hatale, and a friend of his, Ravi Mishra, got into the same compartment," said Lata Dhonde, senior inspector, Sahu Nagar police station.
Usman knew Hatale as his wife's employer. So when Mishra and Hatale asked Usman to get down at Thane to have biryani, he did not suspect anything amiss. Later, the trio boarded a train to Matunga station.
"While crossing the Matunga bridge, Hatale and his friend stabbed Usman with a knife eight times, and fled after killing him. They also informed Ujma that the work was done," said Dhonde.
Police have arrested Ujma, Hatale and Mishra for the murder and they will be produced in court today.