Gangster killed in encounter

Mumbai, July 18 (UNI) A close associate of gangster Ejaz Lakdawala was killed in a police encounter during early today at Bandra in the western suburbs of the metropolis.

Acting on a tip-off that Imran Shadiq Radiowala (25) would be coming to meet his associates near the Provident Fund office at Bandra, a police team led by encounter specialist Vijay Salaskar laid a trap.

At around 0030 hrs, Radiowala came on a motor bike at the specified spot. When The police team asked him to surrender, he allegedly fired two rounds at the police from an Italian pistol.

Salaskar and his men fired four rounds. A grievously injured Radiowala was rushed to V N Desai hospital, where the doctors declared him dead before admission, police said.

His body was later shifted to the J J hospital.

Besides the Italian gun, police have recovered two empty cartridges and four live cartridges from the scene of the encounter.

It may be recollected here that Radiowala started his criminal career with the Ravi Poojari gang. But had recently joined the Ejaz Lakdawala gang, police said while adding that several cases of extortion, murder, attempt to murder and a host of other criminal cases were registered against him in the metropolis.

UNI