The Republic of Pakmodia Street

Pakmodia Street, a narrow lane in the busy Bhendi Bazaar area of South Mumbai, hit the headlines after the sensational 1993 serial blasts in the city, orchestrated by underworld don Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar.

Though the don has been living and operating from outside India for the past nearly two decades, the street still seems to be ruled by the don to the extent that the police fear to enter it unarmed.

Pakmodia Street, along with the nearby Temkar Mohalla, is the backyard of the D-gang, a place where most of the notorious gang members, including Dawood, honed their skills.

This fact came to light again on May 17 when, around 9.30 pm, two people walked into Pakmodia Street and fired indiscriminately at one Arif Sayed, who was the bodyguard and driver of

Dawood’s brother Iqbal Kaskar. It was an attack inside the Dawood den after
almost 20 years, and the question uppermost in everyone’s mind is: Who dared the big D himself?

It later transpired that Sayed was the actual target and the shooters didn’t have to do anything with Dawood or Iqbal. But underworld sources believe that the shooters and those who planned the killing will eventually pay for trespassing the D-Gang’s area.

For members of the D-gang, Pakmodia Street is almost like their territory that no one can trespass without being scrutinised. It is a law unto itself. Every resident of the street is like a security guard.

They question and stop every stranger who passes by. So much so that if they find the individual suspicious, he is subjected to a thorough security check, which would put even the airport security checks to shame.

Immediately after the firing incident on May 17, instead of the police, it was the residents of Pakmodia Street who barricaded the entrance to the street and no one, including the media, was allowed entry.

In fact, even the police found it difficult to enter the street. Vehicles were used as barricades and locals were seen instructing the police regarding the bandobast in the area. Such was the terror of the locals that no one from the media even dared to breach the vehicular barricade.

Interestingly, there were apparently no eyewitnesses to the incident. No one wished to come forward and talk to the police or the media, fearing a backlash from the D-gang.

Media persons have often borne the brunt of Pakmodia Street’s high-handedness. There have been several instances of journalists and photographers being assaulted by locals for attempting to sneak into Pakmodia Street and taking photos of Dawood’s residence.

“A group of youngsters on motorbikes will approach you and ask questions. Once it is confirmed that you are an outsider and a journalist, they signal to their accomplices, who force you into a Maruti van. Once inside, they start beating you up while the van moves around in the area. Then they leave you in an isolated place and warn you of dire consequences if you attempt the same again. This message is passed on to other journalists too,” said an ‘experienced’ journalist.