A 32-year-old gangster was murdered on Wednesday afternoon allegedly by his rival gang in front of his woman friend in Surat’s Bhestan, an area in the textile and diamond hub dominated by migrants, police said.
The murder of Satish Dhagde alias Satish Maratha is suspected to be an outcome of gang rivalry to gain control of the area, police said, adding that nine persons, including three minors, were detained in connection with the murder.
The three minors were produced before the Juvenile Justice Board, which sent them to a remand home.
The remaining accused, identified as Ketan Sirsath (19), Rahul Dubey (20), Karan Dubey (20), Ajit Goswami (25), Akash Thakur (18) and Rahul Kapure (29), all residents of different areas in Surat, were produced before the Surat district court which remanded them in police custody till August 12.
The accused were arrested on the Songadh-Uchhal main road in Tapi district while fleeing on bikes towards Maharashtra, police said. Tapi neighbours Nandurbar district in Maharashtra.
According to police sources, the same gang had allegedly attacked Maratha a few days ago in Godadara area by sprinkling chilly powder in his face. However, his associates saved him as the incident took place in the area where Maratha lived, sources said.
Police sources that a conspiracy for the murder was hatched in the city’s central jail at Lajpore by another gangster Rahul Mandal alias Rahul ‘Apartment’ to avenge an alleged assault on his gang member.
Maratha was in a car with a female friend when two bike-borne youths signalled him to stop. One of them broke the driver side window pane and began to abuse Maratha. Sensing danger, Maratha asked his friend to escape and got out of the car to confront the rider, police said. “He was unaware that six to eight youths were by then on bikes at the scene,” said police sources.
“He began running as the men armed with swords, knives and axes chased him. One of them allegedly fired two rounds from a pistol. The chase lasted around 50 metres after which the men got hold of Maratha and assaulted him with weapons. While defending himself from the blows of sharp weapons, his fingers were cut off. The accused inflicted repeated blows with sharp weapons even on his head, causing his death on the spot,” said police. After seeing local people gathering at the spot, the accused escaped on their bikes.
The female friend called the police control room and officers from Bhestan police station reached the spot.
Maratha’s brother Hitesh Dhagde lodged a complaint at Bhestan police station naming eight persons for allegedly murdering him.
The Dhagdes are originally from Dhule in Maharashtra. While Dhagde lives in Katargam, Maratha lived in Godadara and dabbled in the real estate business.
Apart from those arrested by the police, the FIR also named Arun Yadav, Ajit Goswami, Raj Pawar and Bunty Patel.
Bloodshed after friends turned foes
Maratha allegedly had clout over Pandesara, Bhestan, Dindoli, Godadara, and Limbayat areas in Surat which have a dense migrant population.
Surat Assistant Commissioner of Police (J Division) S C Tarde said, “After primary investigations, we came to know that the conspiracy behind the murder of Satish Marathe was hatched in Surat Central Jail by another gangster, Rahul Mandal alias Rahul Apartment. Rahul and Satish were close friends, but they parted ways over various issues a few months ago, and this had led to the murder of Satish.”
Sources said that after the break-up, Maratha and Mandal had a bitter rivalry to gain supremacy over the alleged bootlegging and gambling network in these areas.
A police official said Mandal and Maratha along with one Hardik Patel were accused in the sensational murder of gangster Surya Marathi in his office at Ved Road, in February 2020.
Patel worked for Surya, but later fell out and allegedly hatched the conspiracy with the other two to kill him. However, during the assault, Patel also died of injuries. Mandal, Maratha and others spent four years in prison in that case, but were acquitted in July last year.
Mandal allegedly got into gambling and bootlegging business with an interstate liquor supplier and began an illicit business in the Dindoli area and was arrested by the State Monitoring Cell which booked him under the stringent GUJCTOC (Gujarat Control of Terrorism and Organised Crime Act) 2015. According to sources, Mandal received bail from Gujarat High Court on July 28, but is yet to be released from jail.
A few months ago, Maratha had a dispute with a Mandal aide, Ajit Goswami, and allegedly attacked him in the Godadara area which provoked Mandal to seek revenge, police sources said. Police said that while in jail, Mandal planned the revenge, and the others joined him.
According to police sources, Sirasth and other arrested accused kept a watch on Maratha. On Wednesday, after learning that he was out in a car with a woman, they chased and intercepted his car at Bhestan and killed him, they said.
Police recovered three pistols with bullets and sharp weapons from the accused.
The New Civil Hospital, where Maratha’s body was taken for postmortem, and the crematorium witnessed a large crowd on Thursday, sources said.
Surat gangster Satish Maratha was killed in Bhestan amid an alleged gang rivalry. 
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