In a shocking incident from Mumbai, a nine-year-old ailing girl was allegedly kidnapped by her 18-year-old friend and forced to collect plastic bottles and beg at Andheri railway station and inside local trains between Andheri and Mahim. The Meghwadi Police have arrested the accused under kidnapping charges and relevant sections of the Juvenile Justice Act. The accused has been identified as Samreen Bashir Hussain Shaikh, who has been remanded to one-day police custody.
According to police, the complainant, a 47-year-old driver residing in the Andheri area, lives with his wife, married son, daughter-in-law and his nine-year-old daughter Shabana (name changed). On Monday afternoon, Shabana was resting at home due to fever. A short while later, her friend Samreen visited their house. After spending some time, Samreen took Shabana outside. The family assumed they were playing in the neighbourhood.
However, as hours passed and Shabana did not return, her mother informed her father-in-law and husband. The family began searching for the child but could not find her.
Around 7.30 pm, the complainant’s son finally returned home with Shabana and Samreen. During questioning, Shabana initially remained silent but later narrated the harrowing experience.
She revealed that Samreen took her outside claiming she had some work. She then asked the girl to collect plastic bottles, which they later sold. From the money earned, Samreen gave Shabana just one rupee. When Shabana said she was hungry and wanted to return home, Samreen instead took her to Subhash Nagar and forced her to beg there as well.
The duo later reached Andheri railway station, where Samreen again forced the child to beg from passengers. She even made Shabana solicit money inside a local train between Andheri and Mahim. From Mahim, the two travelled to Jogeshwari railway station. While returning home in an autorickshaw, they happened to meet Shabana’s brother, who brought her back home safely. The parents were left devastated upon hearing the ordeal.
Following the incident, the family approached Meghwadi Police Station and filed a complaint. Based on the statement, police registered an FIR against Samreen Shaikh for kidnapping, forcing a minor to beg, and other offences under the Juvenile Justice Act. The accused was later arrested.