The Goregaon Police have arrested a man accused of murdering his wife by stuffing a towel into her mouth following a domestic dispute. The deceased has been identified as Rekha Khatun alias Rabiya Sheikh (23). A case of murder had been registered against her husband, Royal Sheikh, who had absconded after the crime. Using technological surveillance, police traced and arrested him late on Sunday night.
According to police sources, Rekha and Royal Sheikh, originally from Kolkata, had a love marriage a year ago. Due to a lack of employment opportunities in their hometown, they moved to Mumbai six months ago. The couple had rented a room in the Tabela Chawl area near Ram Mandir in Goregaon and were working as daily wage laborers.
Neighbors informed the police that frequent quarrels had been occurring between the couple, with Royal often assaulting Rekha. On Sunday night, an argument between them escalated into violence. In a fit of rage, Royal brutally beat Rekha. When she started screaming for help, he stuffed a towel into her mouth and continued to assault her on her face, nose, and eyes. He then strangled her until she lost consciousness. After confirming that she was unresponsive, he locked the house from outside and fled the scene.
After wandering outside for some time, Royal called his acquaintance, Rakhi Sheikh (35), and informed her about the incident, admitting that he had accidentally killed his wife. Concerned, Rakhi immediately rushed to Rekha’s house and found her lying unconscious. She was taken to Trauma Care Hospital, where doctors declared her dead.
Rakhi Sheikh subsequently lodged a complaint with the Goregaon Police. Based on her statement, a murder case was registered, and a police team was formed to track down the accused. After a thorough search, Royal Sheikh was arrested late on Sunday night. The police are still searching for the towel used in the crime, while forensic experts have collected evidence from the scene.
The accused was produced before the court on Monday, and further investigation into the case is underway.