Gangster Mukesh Harjani killed in Vadodara; police launch manhunt to nab shooters

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Harjani, who was rushed to a local private hospital, was declared dead on arrival on Thursday. On Friday, according to officers attached to the City Police Station, which is investigating the case, six persons were detained for questioning and later released. Sources said that those called for questioning include Raju Sindhi, Viju Sindhi and Aju Parmar. Sashidhar said, “We are exploring all possible angles and every single person, who could be associated with this crime, is under the scanner. However, we will not be able to reveal names at the moment.”

According to sources at the SSG hospital, where Harjani’s autopsy was conducted on Friday, six bullets out of the nine fired had hit Harjani – one above his left eye in the head is said to have been fatal. Sources added that two types of bullets – of 7.65 mm and 9 mm thickness – have been recovered from the spot, indicating that at least two assailants may have simultaneously shot Harjani. The police has sent samples of Harjani’s viscera to the FSL for further investigation. The police have not ruled out the possibility of a sharp shooter, who may have been contracted to bump off Harjani.

According to top officials, the prime suspect is Kalpesh Kachiyo, who is absconding. Harjani’s former associate and history-sheeter, Kachiyo – co-accused in the murder of BJP corporator Alpesh Chako’s murder in Anand – had recently released a newspaper advertisement on October 13, in all vernacular newspapers in Vadodara, begging pardon from the dreaded Harjani, who had recently been released from jail. Through the advertisement, Kachiyo clarified that he had no role in stalling Harjani’s bail plea in Chako’s murder. The state government had used special powers under the CrPC Section 268 to oppose Harjani’s bail, which Harjani believed was Kachiyo’s doing.

On Thursday night, Harjani, who was said to have strong connections with the Mumbai underworld, was passing through the Harni area on the way to his family home in the Sindhi neighbourhood of Warasiya, when he was shot dead.

Harjani, who had been lodged in the Vadodara Central Jail after being arrested from Ropar district in Punjab in August 2011 and was later transferred to Rajkot Central Jail, had been granted bail by the Gujarat High Court in 31 FIRs filed against him for murder, kidnapping, extortion in July this year. He finally secured bail earlier this month in the 32nd FIR related to the 2009 killing of Chacko in Anand.

Harjani’s body was handed over to his family late on Friday evening at Vadodara’s SSG hospital. As the autopsy was delayed during the afternoon, his elder sister, Lakshmi Chawla, threatened hospital authorities that the family would “simply take away the body” to be able to perform the last rites “as per Hindu rituals before sunset”.

Harjani,one of the most wanted criminals in Gujarat, was said to have turned a bootlegger by allegedly supplying country-made liquor in Dahod and Panchmahals district while delivering bread in his mini van. He was also a wanted criminal in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

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