Method in madness

Youth held for flooding people with dirty SMSes and demanding money to stop the harassment is mentally ill, say parents

Youth held for flooding people with dirty SMSes and demanding money to stop the harassment is mentally ill, say parents

A 25-year-old man who the police said derived strange pleasure from sending nasty, threatening, and at times obscene text messages to people is now cooling his heels in the lock-up.
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The Anti-Extortion Cell arrested Javed Bashir Daffedar, a resident of 54, E P Lohiyanagar, for demanding money from a city doctor, Shriram Dattatray Athavle, when he was asked to stop sending unwanted messages.
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Javed Daffedar (green shirt) after his arrest by officials of the Anti-Extortion Cell.

Daffedar's father Bashir, who works as a telecom technical assistant with BSNL, said, "Javed is mentally ill and was on and off under treatment from several doctors, including Dr Athavle."

Athavle was unable to confirm if Daffedar had been his patient as he was busy.

Police Inspector Kishor Jadhav said, "It is also learnt that Daffedar had earlier sent SMSes and demanded money from the owner of a shoe shop where he used to work.
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As the shopkeeper threatened to lodge a police complaint, he lowered his ransom amount."

Police appeal

DCP (Crime) Anil Kumbhareu00a0 said, "Only four (people) have come forward and lodged a complaint. If there are others, I appeal to them to report the incidents to us. They should come forward to register a complaint."