Dharavi shooting was rivalry within gangs: Mumbai Police

Crime Branch officers with the six accused arrested on Wednesday

Last week's shooting and murder in Dharavi was the result of a rivalry within a gang that wanted to rule over the city's biggest slum, the Crime Branch has found. Officers of Unit V have arrested seven people in the case.

Around 10.30 am on February 12, two unknown assailants fired eight rounds of bullets on Amir Anis Khan, 30, while he was answering nature's call near Pila Bungalow. Severely injured Amir was rushed to Sion hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. Dharavi police filed a murder case against unknown accused, and arrested a woman named Shama Parvez Sheikh on Monday.

Simultaneously, sleuths of the Crime Branch also started the investigation. "The deceased himself was active in criminal activities and was friends with the other accused in the case. There was a dispute between Amir and others about who would rule in Dharavi, and it led to the killing," said an officer from Unit V.

The scooter used in the shooting

The Crime Branch arrested Saeed Sheikh alias Langda Saeed, Mohammed Afsar Asgar Ali Sheikh alias Mulla Bablu, Sahil Sheikh, Saddam Hussain Sheikh alias Saddam Mama, Shoaib Hussain Khan alias Papa and Yasin Abdulla Sheikh, on Wednesday. All are in police custody now.

The background

The arrested accused worked with one Kalim Sayyed, all residents of Dharavi. They called the gang ‘K-company'. They were involved in a double murder in Santacruz in 2016, and after the killing, had gone into hiding. Kalim jumped into the drug business, but was arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence and has been in Arthur Road jail since 2020. After Kalim's arrest, his associates were trying to make a hideout in Dharavi, but Amir opposed, forcing them to live in Wadala.

On January 3, 2021, when Kalim was brought to Thane court, Saeed Sheikh met him and told him about Amir's resistance. He said that Amir was trying to spread his own network of a drug cartel. Kalim, who wants to rule Dharavi one day, asked Saeed to execute Amir. The accused then travelled to Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh and Kolkata to buy country-made pistols. After spending 18 days in UP, they returned to Mumbai on January 30.

Recce and attack

For 10 days, Sahil followed Amir, took notes of his routine and habits, and told Saeed that they can attack him only in the morning when he goes to answer nature's call. On February 11, Saeed and Afsar came to Dharavi and took shelter in Shama's residence, and shot him the next morning. Saddam helped the shooters escape on his bike, while Shoaib and Yasin helped them hide the weapon.

Revenge for break-up?

Shama was in a relationship with Amir until a couple of years ago. She had dreamt of running a drug cartel in Dharavi, but Amir wanted her to stay low as he wanted to be the king of Dharavi. He then broke up with her, and even started sharing tip-offs with police about consignments of the drug button and cough syrup which is also used as a drug, in Dharavi. Officers said she helped the others to take revenge for both the break-up and for informing police.

Inspector Ghanshyam Nair, the Unit V in-charge, Inspector Sadanand Yerekar, Assistant Inspectors Amol Mali and Jaydev Jadhav were part of the team that nabbed the six men. They also seized two country-made pistols, one country-made revolver, 15 live rounds, two choppers, one sickle and a scooter.