City a haven for Mumbai mafia gangs?

By Marri Ramu

HYDERABAD, NOV. 4. Is the State capital, Hyderabad, becoming a haven for the nefarious activities of mafia and underworld gangs?

The question assumes importance in the wake of the recent arrest of six associates of the mafia don, Dawood Ibrahim, in connection with a fake currency racket and the killing of Mohammad Haniff (40), also a mafia gang member, on Saturday.

Though any possible linkage between the arrested operators of fake currency owing allegiance to underworld gangs and the deceased Haniff could not be ascertained immediately, the mafia link has turned to be an undisputed fact.

Even these two incidents are not stray happenings. The arrest of three associates of the mafia gangster, Chota Shakeel, indulging in the sale of weapons and the kidnapping and rescue of an ITC dealer's daughter, Sumedha, points to the increased presence of Mumbai-based mafia gangs in the City.

While the arrest of Chota Shakeel associates officially endorsed the movements of underworld criminals in the City, large scale speculation was made about the direct and indirect involvement of mafia gangs in these two incidents above.

Police sources said that ruthless suppression of mafia gangsters in Mumbai was probably one of the factors driving them to shift their operations to a comparatively calm and quiet Hyderabad.

The rapid strides made by the City on the economic front also seems to be luring the underworld gang members to resort to threatening of businessmen and industrialists for extortion.

The kidnap of a timber merchant, Eshwar Patel, from L.B. Nagar, a few months ago and his subsequent release after reported payment of huge money is a classic example of the growing menace of mafia gangs.

A large number of unemployed local youth, who fall prey for small amounts of money from the gangsters, are also becoming handy tools for mafia leaders like Chota Shakeel and Dawood Ibrahim who are operating from distant places like Dubai.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Southern States
Previous : Govt. concedes demands but medicos want 'proof'
Next     : Library networking meet to focus on digital
           resources