In a shocking incident during the high-octane election season, Shiv Sena candidate Haji Salim Qureshi was stabbed while campaigning in Mumbai's Bandra East. The attack, which left the ward 92 candidate with serious abdominal injuries requiring 56 stitches, has sent ripples through the political landscape.
Attack in a Crowded Lane: No One Saw the Assailant
The incident occurred on Wednesday in the narrow, packed lanes of Dyaneshwar Nagar in Bandra East. According to his statement to the Kherwadi police, Qureshi did not see the attacker approach or flee. He was surrounded by a campaign trail of at least 100 supporters and party workers at the time.
"I felt a pinching pain in my stomach but realised it was a stab injury only after the party workers and I exited the lane," Qureshi told the police. His aide, Suleman Kherani, confirmed the chaos, stating no one witnessed the actual stabbing due to the crowd. They rushed Qureshi to the hospital on a scooter. Doctors stated his condition was stable as no vital organ was damaged.
Police Probe Hits a Wall, Past Incidents Under Lens
The Kherwadi police face a challenging investigation with no eyewitnesses and a lack of CCTV cameras at the exact spot. An officer confirmed they are scanning footage from cameras outside the locality. An FIR has been registered under BNS Section 118 for causing hurt with a dangerous weapon against an unknown person.
Multiple teams from the zonal DCP's office and the city crime branch are working on the case. Police are exploring all possible angles, including personal revenge and the alleged involvement of a builder lobby. This theory gained traction after Kherani revealed that Qureshi had spoken about a builder lobby at a rally just a day before the attack.
The investigation has also turned to Qureshi's past. A similar stabbing attack occurred in 2017 when he was campaigning for his wife, Gulnaz Qureshi, during the BMC elections. Furthermore, Qureshi was named as a suspect in a 2019 murder case filed with the BKC police, where seven individuals were arrested for the murder of Aamir Shaikh, who had allegedly criticised Gulnaz Qureshi and a builder online.
Political Repercussions and Ongoing Investigation
The attack on a candidate in the middle of an election campaign raises serious concerns about the safety of political workers. Qureshi is now contesting from the same ward his wife previously won. As of now, the police maintain that the precise motive behind the violent assault remains unclear.
With the assailant still at large and the motive shrouded in mystery, the case has become a top priority for Mumbai Police. The probe continues to examine the complex web of political rivalry, past conflicts, and alleged builder disputes that may have led to this brazen daylight attack.
