2 youths assault, rob housewife

MUMBAI: Two unidentified youths attacked a 35-year-old housewife with a cutter and robbed her of four gold bangles worth Rs 60,000 at her barrack in Chembur Colony on Monday. Incidentally, most male members of the housing society were away on a pilgrimage to Bhima Shankar near Karjat when the incident took place.
The Chembur police said that the victim Sonali Khilnani and her five-year-old son were alone at home at the time of the incident.Her husband and nine-year old son had also gone for the pilgrimage.
At 6.15 am, Khilnani opened the safety grille to collect the milk pouch. "I was climbing the stairs to the mezzanine floor when two youths attacked me from behind. I forgot to close the safety grille,'' Khilnani told TOI on Monday.
Khilnani said that they opened the cupboard and stole the bangles kept in a box. "I started shouting when one of them slashed me on my left hand with a cutter and fled. Luckily, they didn't attack my son who was sleeping on bed,'' she said.
According to the police, the attackers may know her husband or someone who worked for him. Her husband works as a electrical contractor.
Chembur senior inspector Balasaheb Pachundkar said, "The victim said she has not seen the attackers in the locality before. They were thin and wore shorts and T-shirts. We have taken fingerprints from the spot and sketches of the duo will be prepared based on descriptions provided by the victim.''
narayan.namboodiri@timesgroup.com