Beautician who assaulted woman, daughters on run

MUMBAI: A day after a 45-year-old woman, Shehnaaz Shaikh, was brutally assaulted by her beautician Sabira at her Mumbai Central residence, the police were unable to trace the accused. The victim, meanwhile, regained consciousness after undergoing a life-saving surgery on Monday night.
Police recorded statements of Shehnaaz’s daughters, Sahiba (18) and Misbah (17), who were were also attacked by Sabira.
“We have not been able to ascertain the motive or piece together what transpired in the lead up to the attack. The victim is not able to speak as she sustained a deep cut on her neck,” said V Sawade, senior police inspector of Nagpada police station.
Sahiba told TOI that Shehnaaz was their beautician for the past three years. “She had become my mother’s close friend,” she said.
According to Sahiba, Sabira came to their house on Monday evening and chatted with the victims for a while before asking Shehnaaz to come to the bedroom as she wanted to discuss personal issues. “After 45 minutes, my sister went to the bathroom and saw my mother coming out of the bedroom holding her neck and bleeding profusely. Sabira was standing behind her with a knife,” said Sahiba. Sabira then slashed the hands of the girls before Sahiba managed to snatch the knife. “Sabira managed to slip away as we were attending to our mother,” said Sahiba.
Reportedly, Sabira had gotten into an argument with Shehnaaz last month over a credit given by the victim to the accused.
“This was planned. The accused had got a knife and has fled with five gold chains. Her daughter was to get married next month so she probably needed money,” said a police officer. Sawade said the accused’s phone was switched off and she had not returned home.