33-year-old woman arrested for kidnapping 2-year-old in Thane

THANE: A 33-year-old woman from Jalgaon was arrested on Saturday for kidnapping a twoyear-old girl from Thane.

According to the police, the accused Anjali Dadarao Jadhav had plotted to kidnap one Asif Shaikh’s daughter. In order to gain Shaikh’s attention, she had planned to stage a suicide at Thane railway station.

“On September 21, when Shaikh was returning home, he noticed Jadhav at the Thane station and approached her. Jadhav told him she had nowhere to go so Shaikh took her to his Mumbra home,” said Dipak Deoraj, deputy commissioner of police, Thane crime branch. Shaikh was staying with his wife, his daughter and his mother. He took Jadhav home with the intention that she would have a roof and also be able to help at home.

On October 5, after Shaikh’s daughter started crying, the family asked Jadhav to take her to a nearby store and buy some chips. An hour later, when she did not return, Shaikh’s family started looking around and then approached the Thane police.

They then alerted the crime branch and a team was formed to nab Jadhav.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that Jadhav was from Yavatmal, 670 km from Mumbai. The Pandharkawada police there were alerted and asked to get Jadhav’s photo from her relatives and inquire about her whereabouts,” said a police officer from Thane crime branch.

After obtaining details, it was revealed that Jadhav was near Panvel and was about to escape to Jalgaon. “On Saturday, Jadhav was nabbed at Panvel railway station and handed over to the Thane police. Further investigation revealed that Jadhav had plans to sell the child, ” said the officer.

The Thane police have registered a case against Jadhav under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. The child was returned to her parents.