In the city’s Maharajpur area, where the stabbing took place, police have intensified patrols and local residents are taking turns to make night vigils, fearing the revelation of a deranged assailant.
While police are yet to identify the suspect, a similar modus operandi indicates that it may be the handiwork of same person.
Police said the CCTV footage of an incident indicated that the age of the accused could be between 20 and 25 years.
Police said the first attack took place on Thursday afternoon when a local resident, Shahnaz (27), was stabbed in the head with a kitchen knife while she was sleeping on her ground floor. “Thursday around 3.40 pm, my wife was alone in the house. She fell asleep while leaving the main door. The attacker broke in, picked up a kitchen knife from our house and stabbed the temple, a few inches from Shehnaaz’s right eye, before trying to escape. Even after piercing her head with a knife, Shehnaaz tried to follow her but fell a few meters away,” said Aslam, the woman’s husband.
The woman was taken to a private hospital by a passerby where she underwent an hour-long surgery to remove the knife. Aslam, an e-rickshaw driver, said, “The attacker lost his right eye badly.” He added that though he is out of danger, it is a long road to recovery.
Police at Link Road Police Station have obtained CCTV camera footage of the incident from the adjoining building. Police said the footage showed a youth wearing shorts running out of the house. A few seconds later, Shehnaaz is also seen trying to chase down her attacker.
In the second incident, Hasmena Khatoon (23), who lived just a short distance from Shahnaz, was stabbed in her face on Friday evening. Link Road Station House Officer (SHO) Ran Singh said, “The second attack took place around 7 pm. The attacker seems to have entered Khatoon’s fourth-floor house while she was sleeping and stabbed her in the face with a kitchen knife. The woman has sustained injuries and has to be admitted to a local hospital.”
Police said there was no evidence of any links between the attacks or the victims.
“We have questioned both the families and the neighbours. It seems that the attacker is mentally unsound as there is no sign of personal animosity and the victims are random,” Singh said.
While the condition of both the women is currently stable, the twin attacks have created panic in the area and people are hesitant to step out of their homes. “The residents of Maharajapur, especially women and children, are in a tizzy after the constant knife attacks. We are working in rotation to protect the area, mostly at night. Residents have also been advised to keep their doors closed at all times,” said Bhatosh, a local resident.
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