Chennai: Jaffar Gulam Hussain Irani, Mumbai's most-wanted chain snatcher with over 100 registered cases against him, was gunned down in an encounter by the Chennai police on early Thursday morning (March 27) near the Taramani Railway Station.
The 35-year-old's accomplices, identified as Salman Hussain Irani and Misamum Dhusvasam Mesam Irani, were also arrested by the police.
Jaffar and Misamum were tracked down at the Chennai airport. While Jaffar was apprehended from the boarding gate of his flight to Mumbai, Misamum was en route to Hyderabad. The police made a breakthrough after they identified Jaffar's bright-coloured shoes in the CCTV footage near the Taramani railway station.
Salman, who was travelling by a train, was caught at the Ongole station in Andhra Pradesh with assistance from the Railway Protection Force.
According to reports, all three belonged to the Irani gang from the Irani Basti in Thane. Known for operating across multiple states, the gang frequently travelled by air, targeting affluent areas and swiftly fleeing to a different city via air after executing 5-10 chain-snatching crimes.
Who Is Jafar Irani?
Jafar, also known as Jafar Bhura, was a history-sheeter with over 150 cases registered against him across the country. He was previously jailed under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA); however, was released on bail a few months ago.
According to Midday, Jafar used to reside in Ambivali with his parents, wife, and a child. He was deeply entrenched in criminal activities for years. His involvement in numerous offenses made him a high-profile target for law enforcement agencies.
Reportedly, crime ran in the Irani family, as Jafar's father, Gulam Irani, also had a record of criminal activities.
What Did the Investigation Reveal?
During interrogation, Jafar and Misamum disclosed information about the parked motorcycles and stolen jewellery. At around 2:30 AM on Thursday, March 27, the police escorted them to the Taramani railway station to recover the stolen items.
However, Jafar had concealed a country-made pistol at the location. Pretending to retrieve the jewellery, he suddenly pulled out the firearm and opened fire on the police. Despite multiple warnings to surrender, he continued to resist, forcing officers to retaliate. Jafar sustained injuries in the exchange and was rushed to a private hospital, where he was later declared dead.
Dr N Kannan, Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order), South Chennai, told mid-day, “The accused appears to have conducted a recce of the area. The bike used in the crime was brought from Karnataka. . He was apprehended at the airport, but during the recovery of the bike and jewel-lery, he fired at the police. In retaliation, he was injured and later suc-cumbed to his injuries.”
