JANUARY 8: A jockey was assaulted by members of a powerful mafia operating at Mumbai's Mahalaxmi Race Course, accusing him of deliberately losing a race yesterday afternoon.Police Inspector Subash Pagare, of the South Central Control confirmed that Jockey Dickie George was assaulted near City Bakery, Worli, around 9.30 pm by three unidentified men. The jockey suffered abrasions and was admitted to the Podar Hospital. A case has been registered by the Worli police under section 324,342, 452 and 506 (II).Tension gripped the Race Course this morning as the news of the assault spread. Champion Jockey P Shroff took the initiative and shifted Dickie from Podar Hospital to the Breach Candy Hospital.Dickie was riding Hot Stuff in the upper division of the Nyayo Plate, in the seventh race on Wednesday, which ended in a photo finish. The winner was Emmanuel's Pet ridden by J Fortune, a top international rider.According to sources at the Race Course, the mafia believed that Dickie lost because of `wilful hooking'. The group had bet Rs 7 lakh on him. However, observers feel that if the jockey wanted to lose he could have gone out of reckoning well before the finish post. This, in fact, was not an isolated case. More than nine book-makers have been looted in the city in the last two years, sources said. The book-makers usually carry huge amounts of cash with them. Threats are common and many cases have gone unreported due to fear of the mafia.A senior official book-maker was asked to cough up Rs 2 crore by the mafia. He was expected to collectively hand over the booty for himself and his colleagues. The book-keepers' residence is under observation now. A 24-hour police cordon has been thrown round his house. The RWITC authorities, it seems, treat the incident as beyond their jurisdiction.There are 70 licensed book-makers in addition to the few hundred unauthorised bookies. Earlier, the Royal Western Turf Club Ltd (RWITC) had secured the services of the former commissioner of police, JulioRibeiro, and his private security outfit.
