A sessions court on Saturday sentenced a 30-year-old footpath dweller to 10 years’ imprisonment for snatching a handbag from a senior citizen and dragging her out of a train in August 2018.
As per the prosecution, the victim, Pratibha Vijaykumar Tripathi, was travelling to Bangalore on Udyan Express on August 22, 2018. While she sat, Mukadar Mumtajali Idrisi alias Rehman tried to snatch her purse. Tripathi held on to her bag; she was dragged out of the train and fell on the tracks.
The accused, however, managed to flee. Tripathi was taken to JJ Hospital and later to another medical facility in Andheri.
A case was filed against Idrisi with CSMT railway police. He was arrested on August 26, 2018, and is currently in prison.
The public prosecutor, Abhijeet Gondwal, examined 12 witnesses, while Tripathi identified him in the court. The sessions judge, Dr AA Joglekar, however, said that the accused cannot be held guilty for attempt to murder as he merely tried to snatch the bag.
“It cannot be said that the crime was committed in a pre-mediated and diabolic manner. Therefore, in such eventuality, the rigours of attempt to murder do not attract to the role as attributed to the accused,” the court said.
The judge, while convicting the accused, said, “It has also to be considered that the life of the passenger was put at stake, especially she being an old lady. This particular aspect also deserves absolute consideration and therefore, such overt act of the accused cannot be neglected and he cannot be set free on the said count.”
