Mumbai: A day after a senior citizen was attacked with a knife in Malad, police have arrested a hotelier who was at loggerheads with the elderly man. The hotelier, Jitendra Tailor, has been booked under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 326 for assault. Police said the attack was orchestrated after the victim, Baranbe Pereira, had threatened to approach senior government officials regarding a row pertaining to the hotel. Tailor, owner of hotel Sainath Koliwada, was arrested on Thursday morning after the Malad police identified him to be the attacker verifying CCTV camera footages.
Baranbe, a retired engineer with Western Railways and resident of Marve Link Society, had been complaining to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) about the irregularities in Tailor's restaurant. Baranbe and his wife Clara, were in a tussle with two restaurants in their society premises, which allegedly restricted ventilation in their houses due to the chimney vents.
On Monday, Baranbe had visited the BMC and told the officers concerned that he was fed up of their inaction. He also threatened to approach the court. On Wednesday, when Baranbe left home to visit the tailor, a man parked his bike at some distance and walked towards him. "He then slashed Barnabe on his face and head with a knife. We have recovered the knife from the spot. Baranbe was rushed to a private hospital in the neighbourhood. He has suffered injuries above his left eye, behind his left ear and right cheek," said police.
The senior citizen couple has asked for police for protection from the hotel owners. Moreover, they have requested police to charge the hotel owners with IPC sections like attempt to murder (section 307).
The Pereira couple, who lives alone after their children moved to foreign countries, are scared that they may be targetted again.
