MUMBAI, August 1: A close aide of underworld don Arun Gawli, Zulfi Mahimkar alias Zulfi, was killed in an encounter with the zonal police squad near Mumbai Central late last night.

The Nagpada police said that following a complaint lodged by a local resident, Rakeshchandra Upadhye, regarding extortion by Arun Gawli gangsters, they decided to lay a trap to nab the culprits. Zonal deputy commissioner of police Param Bir Singh told Express Newsline that Mahimkar was among Gawli's top henchmen controlling underworld operations like collecting `hafta' in Mumbai Central area. Senior inspector Ajit Wagh, along with other police personnel, was able to first arrest three persons from the Gawli gang: Nitin Khandare, Devendra alias David Ravindra Shinde and Rahul alias Lahu Ramchandra Kapkar.

The interrogation of the gangsters revealed that Zulfikar Mahimkar and Subhash Adivarekar had masterminded most extortion cases on Gawli's name. The arrested also disclosed that the duo was to arrive at Mumbai Central station to collect protection money at about 12.30 am.

Accordingly, the police laid a trap. Zulfi was seen walking with an unknown person on platform number five of Mumbai Central station. When the police squad asked Zulfi to surrender, he and his associate indiscriminately fired at the police. In self-defence, the cops retaliated, resulting in Zulfi being injured. His accomplice, however, escaped under cover of darkness by jumping over the railway tracks. Zulfi was immediately rushed to Nair hospital for treatment but was declared dead by the medicos.

e, ¬Ut›`?¼Tt›gh Sharma, however believes that it would be too early to read any trends in these attacks. ``There are no clear indications that the underworld is targeting film industry...there have been only two such attacks recently.''

The attacks may have shocked the industry, but none of the victims are willing to come forward and lodge a complaint. Even in the cases of Ghai and Rai no formal complaints were made. Film industry's reluctance to seek protection from police is understandable. None of the producers, or for that matter directors are willing to antagonise the underworld - the most reliable source of funds in film industry. It is the most potent source of trouble also.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.