26-year-old who tried to resolve fight killed in front of police team in Dharavi
Rahul Vaishya, a cousin of the deceased, claimed the accused were dreaded criminals who were always under the influence of drugs and troubled people
MUMBAI: A 26-year-old man from Dharavi who tried to resolve a fight between two groups of residents was killed in front of a police team on Sunday night. The victim, identified as Arvind Vaishya, 26, had sought the help of police when he failed to separate the two warring groups. But he was stabbed in his chest even as policemen in plain clothes were trailing him by 50 metres, leading to his death.

According to the police, Vaishya, a resident of Rajiv Gandhi Nagar in Dharavi, worked with a medical supplies firm. He had two more brothers – one younger and one elder, while his father works as a watchman.
Vaishya was friends with Siddhesh Gore, who runs a cutlery shop in his neighbourhood, said police. On Sunday evening, Gore had a dispute with Niyaz Islam Shaikh alias Allu, his father Aslam Shaikh, and his friend Arif Shaikh, reportedly over the latter honking loudly near his shop. When the dispute escalated to a physical fight, Vaishya tried to resolve it, but was assaulted. He then visited the Dharavi police station, informed the police about the fight, and requested their help.
“Since Vaishya was on a two-wheeler and knew the spot where the fight was taking place, a police team comprising detection officers in plain clothes followed him in a police jeep,” said a police officer from Dharavi police station. Upon reaching Rajiv Gandhi Nagar, when Vaishya alighted from his two-wheeler and went into a narrow lane, he saw Niyaz Shaikh. “He wanted to show the police officers, who were trailing him by around 50 metres, that Shaikh was one of the accused. But Shaikh suddenly brought out a knife and stabbed him near his chest,” said the police officer.
Vaishya was rushed to Sion hospital immediately, where he was declared dead barely ten minutes later, said police. “He had just one stab wound, but it punctured his chest, leading to his death,” said the police officer.
While Niyaz Shaikh was nabbed soon after he stabbed Vaishya, his friend Arif Shaikh, who was also present at the spot, managed to flee. Arif was arrested later on Sunday after a two-hour search, said Tejaswini Satpute, deputy commissioner of police (zone V).
Rahul Vaishya, a cousin of the deceased, claimed the accused were dreaded criminals who were always under the influence of drugs and troubled people. He said his brother was killed as the police had failed to act against them.
“My brother was killed in front of the police team. The police told us it took time for them to open the door of the police jeep as it was jammed, which led to his death,” said Rahul Vaishya.
Rajiv Chaubey, secretary of the Mumbai division of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, levelled similar allegations against the police. “The murder took place in front of the police. There is no fear of the police,” he said.
Chaubey also participated in a sit-in protest in front of Dharavi police station on Monday demanding swift action against the accused. “There are several accused in the case, although the cops have named and arrested only two persons. We have handed over CCTV footage of the area to them and we want them to arrest all the accused,” he said.
The police have registered a case under sections 103 (2) (murder) and 351 (2) (criminal intimidation) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. “We are verifying the role of others and if we find their involvement, we will make further arrests,” said a police officer.

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