When an ace police informer, Salim Siddiqui, was knocked down by a truck, speculation surged that the accident might have been an execution.
Police fear that the accident could be vendetta killing
MUMBAI: In their risky job, police informers draw rewards as well as murderous vengeance. So when an ace police informer, Salim Siddiqui, was knocked down by a truck on Saturday, speculation surged across the shadowy world of crime and intelligence that the accident might have been an execution.
Siddiqui, 44, popularly known as Salim ‘Chor’, and his wife Mumtaz were travelling on a scooter when a truck rammed into them near Darukhana, a Sewri police official said. The couple were taken to the JJ hospital, but were declared dead before admission. The Sewri police have arrested the truck driver, Mohammed Ansari, 23, and have booked him for rash and negligent driving.
According to the police, Siddiqui was close to several police officers and was instrumental in busting many rackets involving adulterated fuel. The information provided by Siddiqui resulted in the arrest of some aides of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim. That, sources said, might have earned Siddiqui the wrath of the underworld.
Police said they were not ruling out the possibility that the ‘accident’ was actually a contract killing. “We are trying to ascertain the background of the accused and whether he is associated with any gang,” said YP Dhoom, DCP (Port Zone). “We will also question him about the truck’s destination.”
Siddiqui regularly tipped off Mumbai police and other central agencies about the activities of the drug mafia. He is also believed to have exposed the multi-crore adulterated-fuel racket in Mumbai and its satellite townships. Siddiqui tipped the Narcotics Control Bureau off about actor Fardeen Khan, who was later arrested for allegedly possessing 1 gram of cocaine.
In the past decade, Siddiqui had earned close to Rs25 lakh as reward money from various departments.
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