Chhota Shakeel’s key sharpshooter, Arif Ismail Javar alias Arif Kalia, was killed in a police encounter today morning at Ghatkopar. He was on his way to attack a journalist.On a tip-off, a special squad led by Senior Inspector Praful Bhosle laid a trap for Kalia near Sunil Chemical Industries on NSS Road, Ghatkopar (West). Officers of the Criminal Intelligence Unit closed in when Kalia alighted from an autorickshaw around 8.40 am today.Kalia fired five rounds in a bid to escape but was seriously injured in the subsequent exchange of fire. He was declared dead before being admitted to the Rajawadi Hospital.A .38 calibre imported revolver was recovered from the spot. A live round and five empty rounds were also seized during the panchnama.Kalia (38) made it to the list of the city’s most dreaded criminals through his involvement in several cases of murder, extortion and dacoity. He played a major role in the murders of former Customs officer Farooque Batatawala, estate agent Parves Gama, Sada Sawant of the Amar Naik gang, Haji Mukhtar of Dongri and Salim Mansoori from Tardeo. In July 2002, a case of kidnapping of a minor girl was registered against him at Palanpur police station, Gujarat. Kalia’s elder brother, Sadiq, too was killed in an encounter near Dadar in 2000.Besides Bhosle, the police team had Assistant Police Inspectors Hemant Desai, Prakash Patil, Rajan Vanmane and PSI Ashok Khot.
