Her husband was a struggling lawyer. So, Rumeen Fareed started a designer burqah business to compensate for his lack of a steady income. But her success as an entrepreneur drove a wedge between them.
Rumeen, 32, went on to become the owner of a boutique at the City Centre mall in Mumbai Central. And her husband, Ahmed Asif Faqi, 38, went on torturing her. In 2008, seven years after they had tied the knot, and had three kids, the two divorced.
Then began the custody battle for the kids at the Thane family court. Last week, Ahmed told Rumeen that he wanted to reach a settlement with her. Accordingly, she went with her lawyer to the office of Ahmed’s lawyer last Thursday, where Ahmed was to meet them.
Rumeen, her counsel, Pranav Fadke, and Ahmed’s lawyer, Yaseem Momin, were waiting at the latter’s Bhiwandi office when Ahmed barged in, the police said. He whipped out a country-made revolver and tried to fire at Rumeen from point-blank range, but the trigger jammed. Before the others could react, Ahmed drew a chopper and slashed at Rumeen’s face. Trying to fend off the attack with her right hand, she got four of her fingers slashed.
Ahmed then stabbed at her bowed head. The blade opened up a deep gash and fractured her skull.
Ahmed fled the spot in Rumeen’s Maruti car. The car was later found abandoned at Bengalpura, Bhiwandi, but the lawyer has been absconding since.
Rumeen was rushed to Jupiter Hospital in Thane and admitted to the intensive care unit. Doctors said she was out of danger.
Rumeen, daughter of a Jeddah-based electrical engineer, married Ahmed in 2001. They lived in his Bhiwandi home. Ahmed was struggling with his practice at courts in Bhiwandi and Thane. So Rumeen started her business with funds provided by her father.
Rumeen’s aunt, Ruhi, said, “As her business prospered, Ahmed stopped working. He became a parasite, and constantly harassed Rumeen for money.”
After their divorce in 2008, Rumeen started staying with her three kids at a relative’s place in Bhiwandi. She moved the Thane family court seeking the kids’ custody.
Rumeen’s uncle, Javed, said, “Ahmed did not flee immediately. He told Rumeen that he wanted her to bleed to death. He planned to kill my niece. He was desperate because he was missing the luxuries that her money fetched him.”
Comments