16 April,2025 12:29 PM IST | Mumbai | Shirish Vaktania
Kajal Chavan with her husband
In a dramatic act of self-defence, a one-month pregnant woman, Kajal Chavan, from Palghar used a wrestling move called âdhobi pachad' to foil a robbery and get one of the thieves nabbed. The 33-year-old woman bravely fought off two intruders who had broken into her home in Adarsh Nagar on Monday, saving gold ornaments and cash worth nearly Rs 10 lakh. The other thief managed to flee.
According to Palghar police, the incident took place around 7.30 pm. The woman had returned home with her husband from Kelve Road. He left shortly after to visit a nearby shop, while she headed up to their flat. On reaching the door, she noticed it was open. Inside, she found the house ransacked - and two men stuffing gold and cash into a plastic bag.
The robbers ransacked the cupboard
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Summoning all her courage, the woman confronted the intruders. As they attempted to flee, she grabbed the bag with the stolen items. One of the thieves then attacked her with a hammer, injuring her hands. Despite the blow, she refused to back down. She used a wrestling move, popularly known as dhobi pachad, to slam one of the attackers to the ground.
Empty jewellery boxes after the attempted robbery
"She lifted the thief and threw him from behind - it was an impressive wrestling move," said her mother-in-law, Neeta Chavan. "She then raised an alarm, and neighbours came rushing. They managed to catch one of the thieves while the other escaped."
The locals handed over the nabbed thief to Palghar police, who placed him under arrest. A manhunt is on for the second accused. The woman sustained minor injuries to her hands in the struggle but is in stable condition.
The police at the building after arresting the accused
Her brave actions helped save valuables estimated between Rs 8 lakh to Rs 10 lakh. The police have registered a case and are investigating the matter.
A First Information Report (FIR) has been registered against the accused under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for housebreaking, theft and robbery.
