Mira Bhayandar: In less than 24 hours after a 35 year-old-man was shot dead in the Shanti Shopping Centre area of Mira Road on Friday night, the crime branch unit (Zone I) have arrested two people (both brothers) for ordering the hit. However, the shooter is still at large.
According to the police the deceased who has been identified as Shams Tabrez Ansari alias Sonu (35) was shot on his head by a shooter who fled the spot at around 9:15 pm. Sonu was shot at point blank range on his head by the shooter while he was talking to his friend outside a closed store in the shopping centre.
The recovered arms |
While Sonu died on the spot, the shooter, who was wearing a face mask and cap in an apparent bid to hide his identity, fled towards the direction of the Mira Road railway station.
The entire sequence of events had been captured by closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras installed in the vicinity. Sensing the gravity of the crime, MBVV chief- Madhukar Pandey deputed the crime branch unit to conduct parallel investigations into the case and nab the culprits at the earliest.
Subsequently a team led by police inspector- Aviraj Kurhade immediately initiated investigations. The team conducted a background check of the deceased and learnt about his previous enmity with a person named Yusuf Ali Mansoor Ali Alam (34).
Armed with the lead, the team on the virtue of footage captured by CCTV cameras supported by electronic surveillance apprehended Saif Ali Mansoor Ali Khan (22) from Nallasopara on Saturday (4, December).
Based on information provided by Saif Ali, the police team nabbed his elder brother -Yusuf Ali Mansoor Ali Alam from Badlapur. “Prima facie investigations revealed that the deceased was at loggerheads with Mansoor for the past several years. While both the planners are behind the bars, the shooter will be arrested soon. Five teams are on his trail.” said DCP (Crime)- Avinash Ambure.
Sonu and Mansoor were into the same profession of selling eyewear and mobile accessories out the Mira Road railway station. It has been alleged that Yusuf is a member of a gang which recovers “hafta” (protection money) from hawkers in the premises of the railway station pointing fingers to a suspected hafta war over which apparently took a bloody turn.
Apart from the magazine and six bullets, the police also recovered the country made pistol which was used in the crime. An offence under sections 103(1) for murder, 61(2)(A) for criminal conspiracy and relevant sections of the Arms Act has been registered at the Naya Nagar police station against the duo who have been remanded to seven days custody.
Further investigations were underway.
