Man hacked with sword, beaten with sticks near Ajit Mill in Ahmedabad over missing wife dispute

A 30-year-old transport operator was left with multiple fractures after he was allegedly attacked with a sword, sharp weapons and wooden sticks by three men on a public road near Ajit Mill crossroads in the Rakhial area of Ahmedabad on Sunday night, police said.

The victim, identified as Mustafa Pathan, is undergoing treatment at Shardaben Hospital, where he recorded his statement from the SICU. Police have registered an FIR against Mohammad Ansar, Guddu alias Sanga, and an unidentified accomplice, invoking provisions related to attempt to murder, rioting with deadly weapons, criminal intimidation and causing grievous hurt.

According to the FIR, the attack was allegedly triggered by a dispute linked to the disappearance of a woman and a school teacher, who are said to have gone missing together around a month ago. Police said the woman is the wife of one of the accused, Mohammad Ansar.

In his complaint, Pathan stated that he lives with his family in Ahmedabad and runs a transport business. He said his in-laws reside in Sundaram Nagar, and that his elder brother-in-law, Islam alias Sameer, a school teacher, had been in a relationship with Heena, the wife of Mohammad Ansar. About a month ago, the two allegedly eloped and have not been traced since.

The complainant alleged that following their disappearance, Ansar had repeatedly threatened him and his family, accusing them of having information about the whereabouts of the missing couple.

On the night of January 31, Pathan said he left Sundaram Nagar around 7.45 pm on his motorcycle for work at Ajit Mill crossroads. As he was passing in front of Maniyar Tailor’s shop, he was intercepted by Ansar and Guddu alias Sanga, who arrived on a motorcycle and forced him to stop.

“They questioned me about whether I had any information about Islam and Heena and began abusing me,” Pathan told police. When he asked them to speak calmly, the situation escalated, he alleged.

Guddu alias Sanga allegedly grabbed Pathan by the neck, while a third accused — an unidentified man who arrived in an autorickshaw — joined them. Ansar then allegedly pulled out a sword and struck Pathan twice on both legs below the knee. When Pathan raised his right hand to shield himself, he sustained a deep cut between his thumb and forefinger.

The assault intensified as Guddu allegedly attacked him with a sharp weapon, stabbing him five to six times on both legs below the knee, while the unidentified accomplice beat him with a wooden stick, police said. The attackers also allegedly threatened to kill Pathan and his family before fleeing the scene in their vehicles.

Bystanders alerted emergency services, and Pathan was rushed to Shardaben Hospital in a 108 ambulance. Doctors later informed police that he had suffered fractures in both legs below the knee and a fracture near the little finger of his right hand.

Police said the FIR was formally registered in the early hours of February 1 and the investigation has been handed over to a police inspector. Efforts are on to trace and arrest the accused, including the unidentified autorickshaw driver involved in the attack.

Senior police officials said we have detained some suspects in the matter and further investigation in on.