Most of the media reports about Dawood are deliberately leaked by his gang members for garnering publicity say sources.
Often underworld don Dawood Ibrahim gang plant stories about him in media for garnering publicity and remaining in public memory. Dawood the mastermind of 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts is India’s most wanted terrorist. The Mumbai blasts had left 257 dead and more than 700 injured. Dawood is the founder of D-Company and currently ranks at no. 3 in world’s most deadly criminal list. There was news report in media that Dawood Ibrahim is said to be undergoing treatment at Karachi’s Liaquat National Hospital and Combined Military Hospital as he is suffering from life-threatening gangrene in his legs. In the recent past there was also news that he was suffering with HIV and his life is under threat, then there were rumours that on his 60th birthday he is declaring his successor.
Refuting the news reports, Chhota Shakeel called media and has denied that Dawood the Don is seriously ill. Shakeel reportedly said his boss is “perfectly fit.
Whereas, Former Assistant Commissioner of Police Shamsher Khan Pathan said, “Chhota Shakeel is likely to be Dawood’s successor since he is very aggressive, but doubtful about his health.”
“I don’t think Pakistani officials are foolish enough to aid Dawood openly. If it is happening then the (Indian) government should act in haste, since they have been saying that Dawood does not live there,” said Mr Pathan, who is well versed with the Kumbharwada area of Mumbai, where Dawood Ibrahim lived with his family before escaping the country in late 1980s.
Former IPS officer Y.P. Singh said unless and until, these specific facts are put to a proper verification through formidable evidence, no credence can be assigned to the entire thing. He criticised Indian intelligence agencies, saying they have become so non-operational that they have even failed in obtaining a recent photograph of the underworld don. It is overwhelmingly apparent that Dawood Ibrahim is in Pakistan. But whether he is affected by gangrene, this is a mere conjuncture put forward by certain quarters and also by Chhota Shakeel.
“What we require is specific proof otherwise everything else will be just a guess. It is unfortunate that the Indian intelligence agencies are so defunct that we don’t have a recent photograph of Dawood Ibrahim. It has been 24 years and India still doesn’t have a photograph of Dawood. The agencies have failed to gather any information about Dawood,” he added.
A police officer said, “Often the Dawood Ibrahim gang plant story in media about Dawood so that he remains in people’s memory. They also indulge in this act to divert the attention of the intelligence agencies and confuse them. Their main intention is to garner publicity and create fear among citizens.”
Another Mumbai police officer, who is famous encounter specialist on the condition of anonymity said, “Most of the media report on Dawood are deliberately leaked by his gang members or sometimes even they are tabloid stories. Police has no such information. Its media who are more interested in knowing about underworld and their sources often misguide them by giving all irrelevant news.”
According to doctors treating Dawood, “The gangrene was due to loss of effective blood supply to his legs as a result of high BP and blood sugar and there’s a chance both his legs may have to be amputated to save his life. Gangrene is caused by loss of blood supply and leads to body tissues dying. Fingers, toes, and limbs are most often affected, but gangrene can also occur inside the body, damaging organs and muscles.”
Dawood’s subordinate Yakub Memon was hanged to death for his role in the Mumbai blasts in July 2015, Dawood and Tiger Memon are still free. Dawood is the son of a Mumbai police constable who got involved with gang members of Haji Mastan. He was first arrested for a robbery case in the 1980’s. India has been trying for many years to track down and apprehend Dawood, who is said to have run Mumbai’s underworld by remote control out of Dubai and Karachi. Pakistan has always denied Dawood’s presence in that country.
