MUMBAI, MAY 18: Two Abu Salem sharpshooters who had planned to kill a film personality themselves fell victim to police bullets at Andheri today. Following a tip-off that the gangsters were likely to make a hit on a film personality at Green Acre Complex, Andheri, where several film personalities reside, a special squad from Zone-VII lay in wait for the hoodlums near Lokhandwala Bridge opposite the complex.At around 7.30 pm, police spotted a Maruti Esteem halting opposite the complex and immediately closed in. Recognising one of the two men who alighted from the car, police ordered both to surrender. In the chase and shootout that followed, the gangsters were fatally injured and were declared dead before admission to Cooper Hospital. They were identified as Mohammed Ayub Shaikh and Sayed Murtuza Beg. While the former is a known extortionist and shooter, Beg had only recently teamed up with Shaikh.
Police say the duo was allegedly involved in the murder of builder, George Dias, apart from numerouskillings executed at Salem's behest. Shaikh was initially with the Shakeel gang and later switched loyalties.
The Zone VII team comprised Assistant Police Inspector Pradeep Sharma, API Prakash Bhandari and Sub-Inspector Daya Nayak.
Copyright © 1999 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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