The Navi Mumbai police have urged citizens to inform them if they spot Fayyaz Khalid Shaikh (34), who is wanted in 81 chain-snatching cases. Shaikh, who gave the slip to the Navi Mumbai police after opening fire on Sunday night, is suspected to be injured, said Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Kumar. He said, “The accused is wanted in 81 cases of which 58 were committed in Navi Mumbai since 2006. He has firearms with him and is a notorious criminal. If anyone notices him anywhere, we urge them to inform us immediately.”
Woman aide
Apart from snatching chains, Mr. Shaikh has also enlisted the help of a woman. He would ride a motorcycle with a woman in a burqa riding pillion and guide the woman to snatch chains. “On Sunday, in Kharghar, a chain-snatching incident was reported where the burqa-clad woman had committed the offence. From CCTV footage, we recognised the rider to be Shaikh. We suspected he would return to Gujarat, where he hails from, and laid a trap near Khaniwade toll naka near Virar,” said senior police inspector Shirish Pawar from the Anti Extortion Unit.
On Sunday night, the police team chased Mr. Shaikh in three vehicles. At 11 p.m., the team spotted a grey Xylo being driven by Mr. Shaikh. While one vehicle followed him, the other two cornered him from both sides near the toll naka and asked him to surrender.
Saying, ‘ Thok dunga [I will kill you]’, Mr. Shaikh fired two rounds at the police, which did not hit anyone. His wife and grandmother who were in the vehicle provoked him, saying, ‘ Inko chhodna mat, gadi chadhake maarde [Don’t let them go, drive over them].’
The police fired five rounds and punctured the front tyres, which made Mr. Shaikh drive on the tyre rim and reverse the car, ramming into the police vehicle. Mr. Shaikh’s vehicle then climbed on to the divider and escaped on the Mumbai-bound road. After driving another 150 m, Mr. Shaikh abandoned his vehicle and family in the car. “His three-year-old daughter was in the vehicle, due to which we couldn’t open fire,” said a police officer.
Stole another car
Later, police learnt that after going ahead he threatened the watchman of a restaurant on the way to give him the keys to an Innova in the parking lot, which he drove for another 3 km and abandoned it near Bilwadi village. “The wife, Yasmin (26), in her statement said Shaikh received injuries while he reversed the car and rammed into various vehicles,” the police said. The police suspect the woman in the burqa is the wife. Yasmin and his grandmother Fathima Usman Shaikh (69) have been arrested by the Virar police under Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from his duty), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty), 427 (mischief causing damage), 108 (abet a crime) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code, and Sections 3 and 25 of the Arms Act.
