Nehru Nagar lives in dread of psychopath on the prowl

Fear stalks through the Nehru Nagar area at Kurla and an uncanny knack of foreseeing trouble has permeated the minds of residents after the body of nine-year-old Nusrat Shaikh was found in a decomposed state — apparently raped and murdered. And this is not unnatural with three such incidents, each one of them leaving behind a similar story, presumably scripted by a prowling psychopath who has made Vatsala Tai Nagar and Alidada Compound his playing ground.   

Besides Nusrat, two other girls, a five-year-old and a nine-year-old from Vatasala Tai Nagar and Alidada compound respectively, were kidnapped, raped and murdered. Their incidents were reported on February 9 and March 7. While the five-year-old’s body was dumped on the staircase of an SRA building in a gunny bag not very far from her residence, the other innocent girl was found murdered on the terrace of the police quarters located opposite Nehru Nagar police station. 

Now, the discovery of Nusrat’s body inside a hutment has convinced residents that their area is no longer safe, especially for the little girls. “I have been residing in this area for the past ten years, but I never felt unsafe.

Despite the large number of slums, people reside here peacefully and criminal cases could be counted on finger tips,” said Aftab Alam Shaikh, a zari worker from Alidada Compound. “I am looking out for a rented place in Thane. My three daughters go to school and I am very worried about their safety.”

Following the second incident, mohalla committees, resident groups like Police Panchayat, Mahila Milan and several NGOs were roped in by the police department to keep residents of these areas on the alert. But Nusrat’s case has shaken their faith in police.

Shabana Aka, a resident of Vatsala Tai Nagar, said: “Police have failed totally. This is the third such incident and there has been no detection or leads.”

On April 27, a father of a seven-year-old girl had complained to police that some unidentified men had tried to kidnap her but they fled when she raised an alarm. Similarly, on April 28 at Makadwala Compound, an eight-year-old girl was molested by an unidentified person. There have been more such reports from the area.