Girl survives after mum throws her from skywalk

A 35-year-old woman threw her four-year-old daughter from the Grant Road skywalk after another woman accused her of having illegitimate children. Reshma Niranjan Waghmare was about to throw her one-year-old son as well, but passersby snatched the child from her. Reshma, a Muslim by religion, is married to a Hindu.

Muskaan was taken to Nair hospital. She suffered head injuries but is out of danger.

The incident took place around 10.30am on Sunday when Reshma had an altercation with a woman named Shehnaz near her hut outside Grant Road railway station. The police said Reshma picked up her children and ran towards the skywalk after the argument turned ugly.

“She was further irritated because her children started crying. She first threw her daughter from the skywalk and then was about to throw her son Salman alias Firdous before people snatched the child from her,” said a police officer from the DB Marg police station. l Turn to p2

Other passersby informed the police and took Muskaan to Nair hospital, Mumbai Central, where she is currently recuperating. Doctors said she will have to undergo a head surgery, but is out of danger. “Luckily, people caught hold of Salman. Eyewitnesses said it took some effort to snatch the boy from her,” the officer said. 

Recently, Shehnaz had a fight with a man who Reshma treats like a brother. The man suffered minor injuries in the fight. On Sunday, Reshma inquired with Shehnaz about their fight.

Reshma, who sometimes lives on the skywalk, is now behind bars. She told the police that she acted in a fit of rage. Her husband Niranjan is also behind bars after he was arrested in connection with a criminal case in Borivli.

“She has a short temper. She picks up fights with pavement dwellers many times and does not listen to anyone when she is angry,” said Ganpat Mauraya, Reshma’s neighbour. “During our investigation, too, we got to know that she is a temperamental person,” said Ajit Surve, senior police inspector at the DB Marg police station.

The police said they would hand over Muskaan to Reshma’s relatives after she is discharged from hospital.

Meanwhile, people living on the skywalk have been asked to vacate the place.