Mumbai: A 38-year-old man was shot at by an unidentified assailant while entering a restaurant near Dockyard railway station on Tuesday evening. The victim, Sameer Shaikh, sustained a bullet injury in his leg and was immediately rushed to JJ Hospital. He is identified as the son of Asif Shaikh alias Asif Dadhi, an alleged former member of the Dawood Ibrahim gang.
Incident Details
The firing occurred around 6:15 pm at Dockyard Road in Byculla. Police officials confirmed that Sameer Asif Shaikh suffered a single bullet wound but is currently out of danger. “Further investigation and processes are underway,” a police spokesperson said.
Police Investigation
Senior police officers suspect the motive behind the attack could be a property or money dispute. “We are working on the case and will soon nab the accused,” a senior IPS officer stated. The area outside the restaurant was cordoned off, and crime branch personnel were deployed. CCTV footage from nearby cameras is being scanned for clues.
Background of the Victim’s Father
Asif Khan alias Asif Dadhi, now 56, is a former detainee under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). He was previously involved in a gang-related shooting on February 13, 2010, near Bhendi Bazaar. In that incident, two people were killed and two others injured, including Dadhi and a daily wage labourer named Gangubai. The police then described it as a case of gang war.
That attack occurred outside the Phool Gali mosque near Null Bazaar. At least three assailants on motorcycles opened fire on the victims, who were sitting and chatting in the lane. Dadhi, a resident of Princess at JJ Junction, ran a garment shop. He was arrested by the crime branch in 1999 under MCOCA and again in 2001 for another offence. In the first case, he was acquitted, and in the second, he was discharged.
