Mumbai, Jan 10: A trivial disagreement over a barking pet dog turned into a violent nightmare for a family in Antop Hill’s Raj Heights Tower on the night of January 8. What began as a verbal spat quickly escalated into a brutal assault involving sticks and a knife, leaving several people injured, including a 15-year-old boy.
Six booked by police
The Antop Hill police have registered an FIR against six identified individuals — Nitin Dikka, Tushar, Savita, Aman, Kavita and Sharanjeet — along with several others under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act and the Criminal Law Amendment Act.
Incident outside lift area
As per the FIR, the complainant, Naresh Udaybhan Bidlan, 47, a sanitation worker with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), had returned to his residence at Raj Heights Tower, Punjabi Camp, Antop Hill, around 10.30 p.m. along with his wife Vandana and nephew Aryan Kagadra, 15, after taking their pet dog for a walk.
While waiting for the lift under the ‘A’ wing of the building, the dog allegedly barked at children related to their neighbour, Laxmi Dikka, who were exiting the lift, leading to a verbal altercation.
Assault escalates
Bidlan alleged that he was abused verbally following the incident. While attempts were being made to defuse the situation, Nitin Dikka, 25, arrived at the spot and allegedly attacked Bidlan with a wooden stick, punching and kicking him, causing serious head injuries.
The FIR further details a coordinated attack in which another woman, identified as Sanjana, allegedly struck Bidlan on the head with a bamboo stick. While Aman and Tushar were allegedly beating the teenager Aryan, an unidentified individual from the mob stabbed the boy in the back and arm with a knife.
Family members injured
Bidlan’s wife Vandana was also assaulted during the melee, during which her mangalsutra was allegedly torn off and lost. Witnesses claimed that when neighbours tried to intervene, Nitin Dikka brandished a bamboo stick and threatened the crowd, creating an atmosphere of terror within the residential complex.
Police investigation underway
The injured family members were rushed to Sion Hospital for treatment. Based on their statements and medical reports, the Antop Hill police have charged the accused with unlawful assembly, assault, voluntarily causing hurt with dangerous weapons and criminal intimidation.
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“We are currently scanning the CCTV footage of the building to identify the unknown person who used the knife. A thorough investigation is underway to determine the specific role of each accused person mentioned in the FIR,” an official said.
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