Chhota Shakeel's aide held in Thane

THANE: In a major breakthrough, Thane Police have nabbed one Mohammed Sajid Abdul Wajid, a close associated of gangster Chhota Shakeel.

Wajid is said to be involved in the January 1993 murder of five Mathadi workers in south Mumbai that triggered off the second phase of the bloody riots that rocked Mumbai in December 1992-January 1993.

The police stumbled upon their prized catch when the Special Squad of Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone I) arrested a six-member gang of dacoits on April 23.

According to DCP Madhukar Pandey (Zone I), the kingpin of the gang confessed to his involvement in several crimes and the killing of some Mathadi workers. He is also wanted wanted for an extortion case in Mumbai which he carried out with the help of Ejaz Lakdawala, a close associate of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.

The police landed the sensational catch quite innocuously. Inspector CF Goley of the Special Squad got a tip-off that some armed people were coming to loot the Sejal Jewellers, in Wagle Estate, late in the night of April 23.

Accordingly, a trap was set up in the Shree Nagar locality and the police arrested the accused when they arrived in a Maruti van (MH-01-X-8181). They recovered one country made pistol, cartridges and choppers from them. The accused are said to have confessed that they had come to loot the shop.