No bail for killing colleague with air pump

A sessions court in the city on Friday rejected the bail application filed by a man arrested for causing the death of a 48-year-old colleague in a Toyota service centre in Kalachowki by inserting an air pressure pump, used for cleaning vehicles, in his rectum.

Santosh Arekar (35) through his lawyer had contended before the sessions judge R.K. Malabade that the applicant did not have any intention to kill his colleague, a cleaner by profession, and it was a prank gone wrong. His lawyer had argued that this is not at all a case of murder and at most it could be a case of death by negligence. On the other hand while public prosecutor Mohan Sawant opposed the bail saying the accused knew what his act could result in and it is a clear case of murder.

In the meantime the parents of deceased, Yakub Shaikh, are terming this incident as an act of intolerance and claiming that the deceased was targeted after an argument on Qurbani during Bakri Id. Shaikh’s parents also said that the incident occurred when he resumed duty after taking leave for Id and there could be more than one person involved in it. A few NGOs have come forward in support of the family and had also staged a protest in front of the company seeking action against the people involved in Shaikh’s death.

The deceased had started working with the Toyota showroom in November 2014 and had been posted at the Shinrai workshop at Cotton Green just a few months ago. He had been working as a cleaner in the Gulf for about three decades. He returned to India in 2011 and had been working with Hyundai for two years.

According to his family, Shaikh had allegedly told his elder brother that co-workers and seniors at work place were harassing him. He was assured at the time of joining the company that he would be made a permanent employee after completing six months but even after completing almost nine months there he was still working on a monthly contract. The company has however, denied the allegations.

Shaikh was killed on his daughter Shafia’s 22nd birthday. He was on leave from September 25 to 27 for celebrating Bakri Id. He resumed on Monday, September 28, and left for work as usual.

The incident ocurred on September 29, around 2.30 pm.

Apparently Arekar had inserted the air pressure pipe in Shaikh’s rectum, which was at 140 PSI (pounds per square inch) pressure. The air pressure was so intense that it instantly blasted his internal organs and his body bloated up like a balloon. The Kalachowky police later arrested Areker under Section 302 (murder) of IPC.