Valiv police on Tuesday booked Madheshiya for the attempted murder of Pooja Patel. Madheshiya is a commerce student, while Patel studies in the arts stream of a junior college in Vasai (W). In her police statement, Patel said Madheshiya approached her in college in April and proposed to her. While she agreed to be friends, she refused to get into a relationship with him. When Patel returned to college in June, Madheshiya began repeatedly calling her on the cellphone. He used his and other numbers to call Patel. She blocked his number. In mid-July, when she was in college at 2 pm, Madheshiya pleaded with her to be in a relationship with him and threatened to harm her father if she refused. Patel said Madheshiya slapped her in college for turning down his proposal. He was pulled up by a teacher after Patel told her of the assault. Days later, Madheshiya was rusticated after a fight with other students.
Last week, he landed at Patel’s home in Vasai (E) and insisted on meeting her. Patel’s father Santlal threatened to inform police. He even spoke to Madheshiya’s father, who assured him his son would not trouble Patel.
On Monday, at around 12.30 pm, when Patel’s parents were at work and her two younger brothers were in school, Madheshiya barged into her house and punched blows on her. He then took her to the bathroom and tried to strangle her with a cloth he was carrying. When Patel tried to raise an alarm, he gagged her and hit her on the face and chest. Patel felt dizzy and collapsed in the bathroom. Madheshiya snatched her cellphone and fled after locking the door from outside.
Patel regained consciousness and called for help. Her neighbours opened the door and informed her parents. They approached Valiv police. She was treated at the D M Petit civic hospital in Vasai.
Police said Madheshiya was picked up from his home in Vasai (W). Patel’s phone was recovered from him. He has been booked for attempt to murder and sent to police custody.
