12 April,2009 07:21 AM IST | | J Dey
These encounter specialists have rid Mumbai of over 600 gangsters. They now live without any weapons, defenceless against revenge attacks
Slain encounter specialist Vijay Salaskar could have killed Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorist Ajmal Kasab had he been carrying his AK 47 assault rifle on 26/11.
Salaskar, who killed 50 high profile gangsters in separate encounters, knew all along that he was on the hit list of the underworld.
Yet the government thought it wise to withdraw the official AK 47 rifle issued to him.
Documents available with MiD DAY indicate that Salaskar requested Mumbai's Commissioner of Police in a letter dated August 22, 2006, why the AK 47 issued to him earlier was withdrawn. His seniors did not have an answer.
Salaskar finally returned the AK 47 with 50 live rounds to the Local Arms armoury on November 21, 2006. He could not bear the harassment meted out by his seniors.
Insiders disclosed Salaskar had incured the wrath of his seniors by initiating action against a ghutka baron. He was repeatedly warned to go slow on the case.
Salaskar's former second-in-command Hemant Desai said his senior (Salaskar) was under constant threat soon after he gunned down gangster-turned-politician Arun Gawli's lieutenant Sada Pawle alias Mama in 2007. He was living under the shadow of fear for the past two years, Desai pointed out.
Salaskar's is not a stray case. Desai, who killed 40 gangsters, himself is vulnerable to attacks after he was suspended from service in 2004.
Another glaring case in point is Praful Bhosle. Bhosle, who killed 82 gangsters, spends most of his time near his residence in Mulund and does not have a gun to protect himself.
Bhosle, Desai and another encounter specialist Ashok Khot, spend most of the time shuttling between their homes in the northern suburbs to Mantralaya with the hope they will be reinstated soon. The three officers are undergoing suspension for the past four years.
"It is mostly our families who are more worried about our safety,'' said Bhosle.
Another encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma faces similar threats from the underworld after he was dismissed from service late last year. Sharma, who gunned down 105 gangsters in separate encounters, spends most of the time inside his building compound.
Earlier, Sharma was guarded round the clock by phalanx of four armed policemen. It is something of the past now.
"I don't have gun or an armed guard to protect me now,'' lamented Shrama.
Daya Nayak, who bumped off 80 gangsters, is travelling to his native town near Mangalore regularly. He is already on the hit list of several gangs. Nayak told Sunday MiD DAY that he now bought a licenced Remington pistol to ensure his personal security. "I am sure the government will provide me with a gun if I need another weapon,'' remarked the flamboyant Nayak.
There are other encounter specialists like Aslam Momin, Sachin Waze and Ashok Borkar, who do not have guns to protect themselves. All encounter specialists share one thing in common they are involved in more than 40 encounters each.
The encounter specialists had gunned down an estimated 600 gangsters from various gangs in the past 10 years. Today, most of them live in the shadow of fear and unarmed.
"The government has used us and left us to die. We have outlived our utility after the underworld have been wiped out from the city,'' remarked an encounter specialist, who did want to be named.
The underworld, on the other hand, is known for its patience. Gangsters are known to take their targets by surprise.
(see images above)
Pradeep Sharma
Gangsters killed: 105
Weapons owned now: None
Daya Nayak
Gangsters killed: 80
Weapons owned now: a Remington pistol
Praful Bhosle
Gangsters killed: 80
Weapons owned now: None
Hemant Desai
Gangsters killed: 40
Weapons owned now: None
