A Dismissed senior police constable identified as Uttam Keshav More, 53, was arrested by the Azad Maidan police on Friday for allegedly extorting money from a pan shop owner in SoBo, impersonating a cop. The incident took place on December 30. More, who served in the police force for 18 years, was dismissed in 2008 for looting people in the city under the influence of being a cop. Police said More created terror among small-scale businessmen and people from whom he extorted and looted on multiple occasions. More has previously been booked in four cases at different police stations across Mumbai, said a senior police officer, adding, “The fifth case was freshly registered on January 1 under various sections of the BNS for duping a pan shop owner of Rs 8,400.” On December 30, More accosted a pan shop owner, Suresh Ramdev Barai, at his shop in south Mumbai and asked for his license. According to the police, More posed as a crime branch officer. Speaking with mid-day, the senior officer said that More knows the ins and outs of how the police department functions and how to tactfully talk to people to get his work done. “More flashed an identity card and identified himself as an officer from the crime branch. The poor pan shop owner got tricked, and he was bundled into a taxi and taken to Byculla. After reaching Byculla, More asked the pan shop owner to cough up R8,400. The money was paid through Google Pay to the taxi driver’s mobile number,” the officer told mid-day. Following the incident, Barai approached Azad Maidan police and registered an FIR. After the case was registered, Zonal DCP Pravin Mundhe formed a team to investigate the matter and nab More. Using the information given by the pan shop owner and other technical evidence, More was arrested and produced before a competent court, which sent him into police remand for five days. More, who lives in Thane, often comes to Mumbai to dupe people by criminally intimidating them, said police. “Since he has worked in the force, he is familiar with the names of all the senior police officers in the crime branch and police stations, under whose jurisdiction he intends to commit crimes,” said another officer.
04 January,2025 08:12 AM IST | Mumbai | Diwakar SharmaMumbai has recently witnessed a rise in attacks on on-duty police personnel, with two incidents reported within the Malad police station limits in just one week. The latest incident occurred on New Year’s Eve during a checkpoint operation, where a couple allegedly misbehaved with police officers. They snatched a nameplate from a male officer's uniform, verbally abused him, and bit a female officer who intervened to assist her colleague. In an earlier incident on December 24, a police officer from the same station was assaulted with a bamboo stick by a man while managing traffic, leaving the officer with serious injuries. According to a source from Malad police, the couple—identified as Mohammed Yunus Baladiwala and his wife, Shabnam Baladiwala—were booked in the early hours of Wednesday, January 1, for allegedly assaulting a male constable, Arun Mansingh Pawar, 42, and two female constables during a routine nakabandi (checkpoint) operation. “The incident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday on the road opposite Dakshin Bar in Chincholi Bunder, Malad West, where Arun Pawar and his team were on duty. When Pawar noticed Baladiwala’s car being driven rashly, he suspected the driver was drunk and signalled for him to stop for a breathalyser test. However, Baladiwala refused and resisted, becoming agitated and manhandling Pawar while hurling abuses,” said an officer. Pawar called for backup, and two female constables, Jagtap and Bhangle, arrived at the scene. As they tried to intervene, Shabnam Baladiwala exited the car and allegedly pushed the constables, bit Jagtap’s hand, and kicked them in the stomach. The couple was eventually subdued and taken to the Malad police station. They were charged under sections 115(2), 132(3)(5), and 352 of the BNS and section 85(1)(A) of the Maharashtra Prohibition Act for obstructing a government officer from performing their duty. The couple was released after receiving a notice to appear for further investigation. In the earlier incident on December 24, a traffic jam near Kanchpada Junction led to another violent attack on police personnel. A man was obstructing traffic by standing in the middle of the road and directing vehicles according to his whims. Assistant Police Sub-Inspector Manik Sawant and his colleague Gaikwad were dispatched to clear the traffic. While Sawant was busy managing the situation, the man, identified as Arun Harijan, struck Sawant on the head with a bamboo stick from behind and attempted to flee. Sawant collapsed unconscious but was quickly rushed to Thunga Hospital. He was treated and later discharged. Harijan was detained by bystanders and arrested by police. He was booked under various charges of the BNS, confirmed another officer from Malad police station. In 2012, amidst rising attacks on law enforcement, then-police commissioner Dr Satyapal Singh issued a circular warning miscreants of severe consequences, such as losing their passports and driving licenses. Miscreants were also warned of difficulties in finding employment, restrictions on leaving the country without court clearance, and the possibility of lookout notices being issued against them at airports. Additionally, the police warned that driving licenses, rental agreements, and other documents might not be renewed, and the accused could face difficulties in obtaining police verification for employment. The police have reiterated the need for strict enforcement of such measures to deter further attacks.
04 January,2025 08:06 AM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanA 41-year-old woman allegedly stabbed her mother to death as she was upset that she loved her elder sister more. After committing the crime, she surrendered at the Chunabhatti police station. At the police station, the accused was identified as Reshma Qazi. “She stabbed her mother, Shabira Banu Shaikh, on January 2 around 8.30 pm at their residence in Qureshi Nagar, Kurla. We recorded the statement of her elder sister, who mentioned that Qazi is mentally stable. We are investigating the primary motive behind the crime,” said Navnath Dhavle, DCP, Zone VI. “When I reached the crime scene, my mother was lying in a pool of blood. She was rushed to Sion Hospital, but the doctors declared her dead before admission. My brother informed me that Reshma had stabbed our mother to death. I’m in shock. Reshma was jealous and often claimed that my mother loved me more than her. I never thought she would take such a drastic step,” said Jainbabi Qureshi, 42, Shaikh’s elder daughter. Qureshi added in her police statement: “On January 2 around 6.30 pm, my mother went to Reshma’s residence. Shortly after, I received a call from my brother, who said Reshma had called him and confessed to killing our mother. I immediately rushed there and found my mother lying in a pool of blood. Reshma was nowhere to be seen. We rushed my mother to Sion Hospital, but she was declared dead. There were wounds on her neck, shoulder and stomach.” In 2021, Qazi had filed a complaint with Chunabhatti police against her elder sister following a series of verbal altercations. “Shaikh lived in Mumbra but frequently visited her daughters in Kurla. Due to her advanced age, Qureshi cared for her mother. However, tensions arose when Shaikh praised the elder daughter, which upset Qazi. One such incident in 2021 led to a heated argument, prompting Qazi to lodge a complaint against her sister,” said an officer. After committing the crime, Qazi approached the Chunabhatti police and confessed. “She admitted to stabbing her mother with a knife and locking the door from the outside. She claimed she was angry that her mother favoured her elder sister, but we are still investigating the matter,” said the officer. Qazi, a resident of Kurla, is married and has a son. She has been booked under Section 103 (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and relevant sections of the Bombay Police Act, 1951.
04 January,2025 08:01 AM IST | Mumbai | Apoorva AgasheA garbage contractor was badly injured in Navi Mumbai’s Sanpada area on Friday after two unidentified assailants on a motorcycle allegedly shot at him. The incident occurred at 9.30 am opposite D-Mart, the Sanpada police said. The police have identified the injured as Rajaram Thoke, a 48-year-old contractor at the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) and a resident of Ghatkopar. The bike-borne assailants fired five to six rounds before fleeing the scene. Locals and eyewitnesses reported the matter to the police, who then reached the crime scene incident spot and cordoned off the area. According to the police, Thoke had arrived at the spot only minutes before the attack. “He came in his car only 10 minutes before the shooting incident,” said a police officer. Police cordoned off the crime scene. PIC//FAIZAN KHAN “The victim parked his car near a tea stall, and as he was sipping tea, the shots were fired in which he got injured,” added the officer. DCP (Zone 1) Pankaj Dahane said that Thoke was heading to the APMC ward office when the incident took place. “While the purpose of his visit remains unclear, we learned that he was going to the ward office. Following the shooting, he was initially taken to a government hospital and later referred to a private hospital in Navi Mumbai for further treatment,” Dahane said. Speaking about Thoke’s condition, the DCP added, “The bullets lodged in his body have been removed. His vitals are stable, and he is out of danger as of now.” Meanwhile, Navi Mumbai Crime Branch DCP Amit Kale, speaking to the media, informed that the crime branch, in coordination with the Sanpada police, is reviewing CCTV footage from the area to identify the assailants. “The motive of the assailants remains unclear,” Kale said. According to police sources, Thoke’s visit to the ward office was linked to his contractual work involving APMC’s garbage collection and disposal. While the possibility of a 'supari killing' is considered low, it has not been entirely ruled out. “It could either be a case of personal rivalry or a supari killing by someone who did not want him to secure the contract. The situation will become clearer once the victim regains consciousness and his statement is recorded,” a police source said.
04 January,2025 07:11 AM IST | Mumbai | Aishwarya IyerAmid rising security threats posed by illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) is preparing a detailed report on their unlawful entry into India. The report will outline how these immigrants procure fake Indian identities, the role of Indian agents in facilitating their shelter and employment and the networks aiding their movement. In the past month, the ATS has arrested over 40 illegal Bangladeshi nationals during a special drive. Investigators are scrutinising their entry patterns, identifying the border points they used and analysing how they managed to bypass detection by the Border Security Force (BSF). If lapses are identified, the ATS plans to alert the BSF to tighten security measures. The report, expected to be submitted to the state government soon, will also recommend actionable steps to curb such illegal activities and enhance border vigilance. “Illegal immigrants pose a potential national security risk, as they could be exploited by anti-national elements within or outside the country. We are working to dismantle the networks facilitating their entry and integration into the country,” a senior officer of the Maharashtra ATS said. Illegal Bangladeshi immigrants (women and man with covered faces) who were caught by the Navi Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad in the last week of 2024 “It has become crucial to break the chain and conduct a serious analysis, given the situation in Bangladesh, the release of several members of terror outfits and the influence of Pakistan’s ISI. The ISI may use the Bangladeshi network to carry out terror activities in India, and Mumbai has always been one of their prime targets,” the officer added. Bangladeshi immigrants arrested by the Maharashtra ATS had obtained Indian documents, with many presenting Aadhaar cards from West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas and Murshidabad. In addition to the Maharashtra ATS, Mumbai authorities arrested 278 Bangladeshi immigrants last year, registering over 190 cases, with 50 individuals deported back to Bangladesh. “India and Bangladesh share a border of more than 4,000 km. In the past, certain areas along the border lacked fencing, relying instead on natural barriers like rivers and mountains. Those who have been deported are familiar with these locations, enabling them to re-enter India and return to their respective regions,” an officer from the Mumbai police said. Background checks Sources in Maharashtra ATS also revealed that several private entities working for defence establishments are being sensitised to conduct thorough background checks on their employees to ensure they are Indian citizens. This comes in the wake of a recent case where a terrorist affiliated with Babbar Khalsa International was found working as a crane operator at a Metro construction site. He was in possession of multiple fake identity cards, revealing that he had previously worked on Metro projects in Lucknow and Delhi. Furthermore, he had been employed in the construction of Mumbai’s first Metro line between Versova and Ghatkopar in 2008. “There are existing guidelines for defence manufacturing companies, but such large firms source various equipment and raw materials from smaller companies that are not properly scrutinised. We are now working to collect all the necessary details and will submit a comprehensive report to the government, recommending more stringent guidelines. As part of the tender or contract process, we propose that a no-objection certificate (NOC) or background check be mandatory for every person associated with companies working on defence projects in Maharashtra,” the officer added. Released extremists ATS sources also said that their concerns followed a political upheaval in Bangladesh, which led to the release of several members of the Asadullah Bangla Team (ABT), a terror outfit, from prison. Many anti-national elements have reportedly been freed from Bangladeshi jails, raising fears that such individuals might collaborate with Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI and Pakistan Intelligence Operatives (PIO) to exploit illegal Bangladeshi immigrants for terrorist activities in India. Honey-trap threat Several cases in Maharashtra have shown that PIO operatives have successfully honey-trapped individuals working in defence establishments. Such attempts by PIOs aim to extract classified information about India’s security. In light of these developments, the Maharashtra ATS, local police, and other departments concerned are working together to prevent such incidents. Special awareness sessions are being planned for employees in sensitive institutions to ensure they do not fall prey to honey traps In December 2023, a 23-year-old apprentice working at the Mazagaon Dock was arrested by the Maharashtra ATS for allegedly sharing confidential information regarding the specific locations and names of Indian Naval ships with a Pakistan Intelligence Operative (PIO) in exchange for monetary compensation. The officials discovered that, between May and October 2023, he had been sharing sensitive information with three PIO women—Mukta Mahto, Payal Angel and Arti Sharma. These women allegedly honey-trapped him, offering monetary rewards in exchange for details about Indian Navy ship locations and movements. Similarly, in May 2023, a senior DRDO scientist was arrested by the Maharashtra ATS for sharing highly classified defence information with a PIO after being honey-trapped. It was revealed that the scientist had exchanged these sensitive details in return for explicit photographs and sexting.
04 January,2025 07:07 AM IST | Mumbai | Faizan KhanA 35-year-old businessman was shot dead at Shanti Shopping Centre in Mira Road near Mumbai on Friday night. The victim has been identified as Mohammad Tabrez Ansari. According to the police, Ansari was a witness in a serious crime owing to which he had been receiving threats for the past few days. He had also lodged a complaint with the police in this regard. Around 10 pm on Friday, an unidentified assailant shot Ansari in the head, leaving him dead. The police reached the spot immediately after learning about the incident. The CCTV footage and other evidence are being collected to identify the accused. The incident has triggered panic and fear in the area. The police are investigating if Ansari had a previous dispute with the attacker or if his murder was linked to the threats he had received. "The killer had covered his face with mask. A country-made weapon was used in this crime. The assailant fired one round of bullet from the pistol. He shot the businessman on his head from point blank range," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Avinash Ambure told mid-day.
03 January,2025 11:06 PM IST | Mumbai | Diwakar SharmaA railway employee was allegedly beaten, looted and was later dumped in the bushes at Kasara in Maharashtra, the officials said, adding that the Railway Protection Force (RPF) officials later saved him. They said that in a heroic act of teamwork, the Central Railway RPF team at Kasara came together to save the life of a railway employee who had been brutally attacked and left unconscious near the railway tracks. The officials said that on the morning of January 1, 2025, the RPF Post at Kasara received a distress message from Ankit Garg, Senior Section Engineer/Permanent Way. The message indicated that a person had fallen near pole no. 110/42 along the railway tracks. The team immediately swung into action, led by RPF Sub-Inspector Ram Lakhan Kumar, who rushed to the location with his team. They said that upon reaching the site, the team found an unconscious man lying near the tracks. Without wasting a moment, they carefully transported the the person to the hospital. The person was later identified as Somnath Eknath Shinde, a railway employee working as a Track Maintainer in Bhandup Unit No. 1, He was in critical condition at the time of his rescue by the RPF team. After completing the necessary formalities, the RPF team carried out a routine check of Shinde's bag, which helped them identify. Shinde revealed that he had been returning home after finishing his duty. He had gotten off at Umbarmali station and was standing on the highway when he was suddenly attacked and robbed by unidentified persons. The attackers brutally beat him before abandoning him near the railway pole. The medical examination revealed internal injuries, and his family was promptly informed about the incident, an official said. The RPF team, led by Sub-Inspector Ram Lakhan Kumar, Head Constable Santosh Bagul, and the Vehicle Driver Mahipal Pandit, have been praised by railway officials for saving the life of the injured person.
03 January,2025 10:03 PM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. AklekarThe Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in Mumbai has busted the airport staff allegedly involved in smuggling gold through Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) and recovered 6.05 kilograms of gold dust, valued at approximately Rs 4.84 crore, the officials said on Friday. According to the officials, an alleged syndicate of airport personnel working at the duty-free shop in the international transit terminal was allegedly involved in smuggling operations. The group was allegedly retrieving gold in small batches, consolidating it, and then smuggling it outside the airport premises. Based on specific intelligence, DRI Mumbai officers intercepted two airport staff members who were transporting the contraband gold outside the airport. During their search, officials recovered five oval-shaped capsules and two packets of gold dust in wax form. Upon conducting a detailed examination, it was found that the total weight of the gold was 6.05 kg (net weight). The seized gold dust was valued at an estimated Rs 4.84 crore, the officials said.
03 January,2025 08:27 PM IST | Mumbai | Faizan KhanThe lawyers of Sakshi Gawli, the co-accused in the rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl from Kalyan in Thane district, on Friday withdrew from the case citing the people's anger over the crime, news agency PTI reported. Gawli's husband Vishal, who is the main accused in the case, continues to be represented by his lawyers. According to PTI, Advocate Priyesh Singh announced in a video posted on social media that he and his colleague were returning the brief for the case. "While we took up this case as judicial duty, considering the strong social sentiment, we believe it is not appropriate for us to continue representing Sakshi Gawli," Singh said, adding that the decision was voluntary and not taken under external pressure, stated PTI. On Friday, Union Minister of State for Social Justice Ramdas Athawale visited the victim’s family in Kalyan. The minister said the culprits should be hanged. Athawale stated that the government would provide financial assistance to the victim's family, and the municipal corporation would demolish the accused's house which has already been declared as hazardous. Vishal Gawli allegedly abducted the girl with the help of his wife from Chakki Naka area of Kalyan on December 23 when she was playing outside her house. He allegedly raped and killed her. The couple then took the body in an autorickshaw to Bapgaon on Kalyan-Padgha road and dumped it there, as per the police case, stated PTI. Kalyan rape, murder: Thane court extends police custody of accused couple by 2 days A court in Maharashtra's Thane district on Thursday extended the police custody of the couple arrested in the Kalyan rape, murder case by two days on Thursday, reported news agency PTI. Prime accused Vishal Gawli and his wife Sakshi were presented before District Judge and Additional Sessions Judge VA Patravale at the end of their police custody in Thane. After the duo was presented before the court, the police sought their further remand to continue their probe into the crime and to recover the mobile phone of the accused that he threw in the Kasara ghat section as well as a bag which he disposed of in a creek, reported PTI. The lawyer representing the accused requested the court to allow their relatives to stay with them in police custody as they feared that they could be eliminated in a Badlapur-like encounter, stated PTI. However, the court turned down the lawyer's plea. (With in puts from PTI)
03 January,2025 06:59 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentA member of the Chhota Rajan gang, who was absconding in an attempt to murder case for 16 years, has been arrested from the eastern suburbs of Mumbai, police said on Friday. Vilas Balaram Pawar, alias Raju, aged 62, was nabbed by a team from the Deonar Police Station in the Chembur area on Thursday evening, an officer said. The police officer stated that Pawar is involved in serious crimes such as murder and attempt to murder and has cases registered against him under the Arms Act. According to news agency PTI, Pawar had allegedly shot and injured a man in Ghatla village in 1992 and was arrested in the case. The accused was released on bail in 2008, and had since remained absconding, the official said, adding that Pawar kept changing his location to evade arrest. He lived in the Nerul area of Navi Mumbai and supplied labour to construction sites, police said. According to the officer, the accused was an active member of the Chhota Rajan gang and was involved in gunning down a man in Dadar in the 1990s, stated PTI. The officer said Pawar was produced before a court on Friday and was remanded in judicial custody. One injured in firing near D Mart in Sanpada area of Navi Mumbai, probe underway One person was injured after two unidentified people fired several rounds in Sanpada area of Navi Mumbai in Maharashtra on Friday morning and later fled the crime scene, the police said, adding that a probe into the matter was underway. The duo was on a motorcycle and shot several rounds before fleeing, said an officer. According to Sanpada Police officers, the incident occurred on Friday around 9.30 am. The two bike-borne assailants opened five to six rounds of fire before fleeing the scene, PTI reported. Locals and eyewitnesses reported the matter to the police who reached the spot to conduct investigation. Navi Mumbai Police officers identified the victim as 48-year-old Rajaram Thoke, a garbage contractor at the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC), PTI reported. According to officers, moments before the incident, Thoke was seated inside his car, parked near a roadside tea stall, sipping tea when shots were fired. Within a span of 18 to 23 seconds, five rounds were fired allegedly at him by unidentified assailants, PTI reported. Four of the bullets struck Thoke, causing injuries to his abdomen, shoulder, and leg. He is currently in critical condition and undergoing treatment at a private hospital, police said. (With inputs from PTI)
03 January,2025 06:29 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAt least four persons were killed and three injured on Friday after a towing van rammed into their SUV on Mumbai-Goa highway in Maharashtra's Raigad district, a police official said, reported the PTI. The incident took place in the early hours of the day and the towing van driver was arrested since he was found to be driving under the influence of alcohol, the official added. "A Scorpio on its way to Lonere with eight occupants halted at Mahad after the driver realised the fuel tank was empty. A speeding towing van rammed into the SUV, killing four persons on the spot, while three occupants sustained injuries and were admitted to the local rural hospital. One of the injured is in a critical condition, while the other two are out of danger," he said, as per the PTI. "Prasad Natekar, Sameer Minde, Suryakant More, Sahil Shelar, all in the 25-30 age group, died on the spot. They are residents of Mahad. A case of causing death by negligence and other offences was registered against the towing van driver under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Motor Vehicles (MV) Act provisions," the official informed, according to the PTI. The accused's blood samples have been collected for alcohol tests, he added. Taxi, tempo fall into creek as trailer hits parked vehicles in Mumbai; no injuries Meanwhile, in an another incident, a black-and-yellow taxi and a tempo fell into a creek after a speeding trailer hit parked vehicles at Dharavi in central Mumbai on Friday morning, an official said, as per the PTI. No one was injured in the accident that occurred around 4.45 am at T-junction when the trailer driver lost control over the wheel, he said. The trailer crashed into at least six vehicles parked on the roadside. A few of them, including a tempo and a taxi, fell into the adjoining creek due to the impact. The trailer also rolled down the creek's bank, with the driver's cabin touching the creek water, the official said. Officials from the local police, Mahim traffic wing and fire brigade rushed to the spot, he said. The traffic police used a crane to pull out the vehicles from the creek. The trailer driver has been taken into custody and a case is being registered at Shahu Nagar police station, the official said. (with PTI inputs)
03 January,2025 06:27 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
