10 May,2009 02:04 PM IST | | PTI
Chhota Shakeel gang member Anil Mhatre, wanted in at least 22 cases including murder and extortion, was on Sunday gunned down by police in an encounter at Kalachowke in south Mumbai, police said here.
Mhatre, a sharp shooter, allegedly opened fire at the police personnel who asked him to surrender after they surrounded him near Peninsula tower at 06.30 am following a tip-off.
He was wanted in at least 22 cases including murder, attempt to murder and extortion, Joint Police Commissioner (Crime) Rakesh Maria said.
Mhatre tried to escape from the spot, Maria said adding that he was asked to surrender before police when he opened fire at the officers. "In self-defence police opened fire and Mhatre received serious injuries. He was rushed to nearby hospital where he was declared dead," Maria said.
The shooter fired four rounds at police while they in retaliation fired three rounds, Maria said.
Mhatre was a former member of Suresh Manchekar gang. "Mhatre later joined Shakeel gang and was playing active role in the gang," Maria said.
Last week, police arrested five members of Shakeel gang, who allegedly had planned to kill an advocate. Fazal-ur Rehman Khan, Abdul Wahab Mohammed Hassan Faqeer, Mohammed Salaam Yakub Ali Hakeem, Ramesh Warkari and Salaam Mohammed Yousuf Kazi, who are behind the bars now, had planned to kill an advocate who is representing a member of their rival Ravi Pujari gang.
The plan was hatched after advocate Naushad Kasamjee was killed allegedly by Ravi Pujari gang members on April 9 this year at Mangalore south in Karnataka.
Kasamjee was representing Rashid Malbari, an alleged member of Shakeel gang.
