Mumbai, May 23 (Mid-Day): The domestic help, who was hired only earlier this week, tried to choke the senior citizen while she was asleep; victim raised an alarm and alerted the neighbours

A senior citizen was attacked in her residence on Thursday, but the brave 85-year-old fought back and managed to get her assailant arrested immediately. The complainant, Surjeet Kaur, stays alone at her Tagore Nagar residence in Vikhroli. She is widowed, and her four daughters are married and stay separately.

Police said the incident took place at night when Kaur was asleep and her maid attacked her. The help tried to take advantage of the situation and had planned to walk away with her valuables after killing her. The woman, identified as Priyanka Kamble (18), hails from Jalna.

An officer from Vikhroli police station said, “The woman had been working at her residence since four days. She was referred by some of her family friends, after which Surjeet Kaur hired her on a 24-hour basis. The incident took place on May 18 at around 11 pm, when she was asleep. The servant tried to choke her to death.”

In a bid to save herself, Kaur pulled the accused’s hair, and as the pain was unbearable, the accused hit her hands with an object she was holding, and ran out of the apartment. Kaur sustained bruises because of the scuffle. She was admitted to a hospital later due to the attempt to choke her, and was discharged on Thursday.

The officer further added, “The 85-year-old followed her and raised an alarm for help, following which locals gathered, and the servant was arrested on the spot by patrolling police officials.” The investigating officer of the case, Assistant Police Inspector Prakash Sawant from Vikhroli police station said, “Before working with the senior citizen, the accused had worked in a residence at Nashik, which is also being verified.”

Cop speak

Sawant added, “We plead with people to intimate the local police station after they hire new helps, so we can verify them.” The accused has been booked under Section 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code, and remanded in police custody till May 25.