A 37-year-old woman who was returning home after closing her cosmetics store on Patuli Main Road off Garia on the city’s southern fringes on Sunday was attacked by a man who had allegedly been stalking her and then snatched her gold chain.
The woman’s screams alerted neighbours and a police patrol van, which caught the suspect.
Kabita Aich, a resident of Baishnabghata Patuli Township, said like on other days, she had closed her shop and was walking back home around 10pm when she heard footsteps behind her.
“The road was deserted. I took a left turn from the main road towards J Block when I heard footsteps behind me. I turned around and saw a man. He saw me looking at him and immediately went towards a bush by the roadside. I thought he was attending to nature’s call,” Kabita told The Telegraph on Monday.
A few seconds later, Kabita said, she felt someone grab her chain from behind and pull it with a strong jerk.
“I screamed at the top of my voice and started chasing the man, who was running towards the main road along EM Bypass. Luckily, some people who were standing near a tea stall heard my screams. A police vehicle that was also not far away responded,” she said.
Officers of Patuli police station said the man, later identified as Sajidul Gazi, was caught from the spot. People at the tea stall said they saw Gazi sitting with another man at the tea stall some time before the alleged snatching, observing people on the road.
“We are trying to catch the other man, too. He could be Gazi’s associate. We have found the gold chain on Gazi. The chain has been broken into two parts,” said an officer of Patuli police station.
Kabita, mother of one, said she had been the family’s sole bread-earner since the death of her husband five years ago.
“I walk home from my shop every night and have never faced anything like this before. For one moment, I was scared for my family waiting at home. I have three mouths to feed,” she said.
Based on her complaint, police have lodged a case of theft against Gazi and others.
The police said they were trying to find out whether Gazi has any old criminal cases against him.
Like Kabita, there are several women who return home at night after work. Senior officers said women should carry pepper spray and save any family member’s name as an emergency contact whose number could be called immediately if the person needs help.
“We have night patrol vans for such emergencies. But carrying pepper spray may also help till other help arrives,” the officer said.