Within 24 hours, the Saki Naka police has arrested a total of seven persons including the 35-year-old main accused, an externed criminal booked in 28 criminal cases — including drug peddling — for ganging up and murdering a 30-year-old man who, also, had a vast criminal record in Andheri (east).
Two of the accused are women. Apart from the main accused, six of them are from one family.
According to the Saki Naka police, the murder occurred on Sunday evening at 4.30 pm in Ambedkar Nagar, Sakivihar road.
The deceased, Bhima Bahadur Pawar, and the main accused, Ashok Mofisingh Nepali alias Chinya, are local residents of Saki Naka. Pawar was externed from the city limits but was illegally staying at his residence.
He lived with his wife and two minor children, a son and a daughter. Pawar has 18 criminal cases against him, mostly of bodily offences and robbery. He had been externed earlier as well.
Chinya and Pawar had a personal enmity over gambling over a period of one and a half years. The two had fought over the same on Sunday after which Pawar was ambushed by the gang who first threw chilli powder in his eyes and then attacked him with a sword, chopper and sickle.
He suffered serious injuries to his head, ear, nose and eye. A couple of persons who tried to save him were assaulted as well. Pawar was declared dead at Rajawadi Hospital. The incident, which took place in public view, had left the locals scared.
Deputy commissioner of police, Zone X, Vinayak Deshmukh said, “Based on human intelligence and technical evidence we traced Chinya in the nick of time. It was difficult to arrest him as he knew how the police operates due to his vast criminal record.”
Senior inspector Avinash Dharmadhikari said, “Chinya has 28 crime cases against him and had been detained four times under the Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities Act. He used to sell drugs.” Furthermore, Chinya had been externed from the city but had completed his externment period.
His parents are Nepali nationals, but he was born and brought up here. Chinya was also arrested for assaulting a policeofficer in the past.
Police inspector, crime, Chandrashekhar Nalavde said, “The rest of the accused are Lawrence (24), Eliza (32), Daniel (36), who have been arrested and Bharti (50), Yeshu (19) and Ulle (21), who are wanted. All of them have the surname Samsung George. Four accused have been remanded to police custody till November 6.”
