Mumbai gangster killed in encounter

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, NOV. 4. A dreaded underworld criminal, Mohammed Haniff (40) alias Yameen Takhla, of Mumbai, was killed in a `chance encounter' with the Commissioner's Task Force police here in front of the Qutub Shahi tombs' main gate on Saturday night.

A .30 pistol, few spent cartridges, a bag containing two country- made firearms and ammunition, a cellphone and a diary were recovered from the encounter spot.

Addressing a press conference here today, the City Police Commissioner, Mr. P. Ramulu, said two more countrymade weapons, ammunition and material used for manufacturing of hand grenades were seized during the search of a house in Akbarbagh based on the information available in the diary of Haniff.

Haniff was a close associate of the Mumbai ganglord, Chota Shakeel, and wanted in eight murder cases committed in Mumbai. He was one of the most feared Mumbai mafia gang members and people stopped lodging complaints against him after 1997 as he began killing complainants also, the Commissioner said. According to Mr. Ramulu, the Task Force teams were conducting frisking operations on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday on a tip off that some criminals were smuggling weapons from the Golconda area to the City.

At 2.15 a.m., two persons were seen approaching from the Golconda side on a scooter. On seeing the police at the Qutub Shahi tombs' main gate, the pillion rider, later identified as Haniff, jumped from the bike and ran into the bushes adjoining the main road. Haniff then began firing at the police. Police returned the fire in self-defence. After a few minutes, police found Haniff with bullet injuries and rushed him to the Osmania General Hospital where he was declared brought dead.

Mr. Ramulu said Haniff had a paralysed right hand and used to plead not guilty in courts pointing out his physical impairment. A resident of Meera Road in Bhayandar of Thane, Haniff committed his first murder in 1996 in Mumbai and was accused in several cases of extortion. Cases were pending against him under the police stations of Bandra, Godegaon and Vakora. Haniff came to Hyderabad reportedly for temporary shelter.

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