Bijoy Momaya: Meet Vijay Salaskar. Encounter Specialist

Vijay Salaskar – The Brave Iron Man Encounter Specialist whom Mumbai Underworld feared has killed about 70-80 criminals in his encounters whom the Mumbaikars once feared. Vijay Salaskar was a man who always wanted to white wash the crime & terror from the Mumbai City. He had cleared half of the Arun Gawli gang. He was also the Head of Anti Extortion Cell – Mumbai.

Vijay Salaskar was a commerce post graduate who completed his M.Com from Mumbai University. He joined The Mumbai Police as the Sub Inspector in 1983. Raja Shahabuddin ( a criminal / Supari Killer ) was the big threat to Mumbai when Vijay Salaskar joined the Mumbai Police. Raja had killed many builders & business people and was the underworld hero in 1980s. But Vijay Salaskar killed Raja Shahbuddin in an encounter in the very 1^st year of his service as a sub inspector.

The killing of Raja Shahbuddin was then a threat to Mumbai Underworld. The Mumbai Police was in strict process of cleaning the Underworld from Mumbai. Many small gangsters dissolved and ran away from Mumbai. A few of them surrendered. Vijay Salaskar was a fear to Mumbai Underworld. He believed that crime can be cleaned only by killing the criminals. He was a 1 man army who killed many supari killers and other criminals who were engaged in hafta vasooli. Vijay was the man who brought peace in the city. His discipline and fast action against crime was a boon to Mumbai City. Many criminal outfits lost their control over the city.

Vijay Salaskar has credits of killing Amar Naik, Jaggu Shetty, Saadhu Shetty, Kundan Singh, Zahoor Makhanda and many others who were from Arun Gawli Gang. He even had gone hunting for Arun Gawli, but he fled away from his place which made Vijay Salaskar to return empty handed. The sources also say that Vijay’s two trusted men informed Arun Gawli about his hunt. Later Vijay encountered his two trusted men Sada Pawle and Vijay Tandel and this killing was termed as Fake Encounter by Arun Gawli and his men.

Arun Gawli was a bloody politician then. I don’t know who such criminals in India can contest & win the elections. Money plays a vital role. This cheap politicians threw as much as money to remain safe. Arun Gawli was a coward. He was a milk man before he became Mumbai Underworld don. Arun was a pick pocketor and a small thief. He grew up by doing illegal trades of tobacco items like charas, afeem, ghanja. Vijay Salaskar unveiled the Gutka Underworld Nexus. This brought a big crunch to Gawli’s business. And Arun feared Vijay Salaskar a lot. In 1997, Vijay Salaskar conducted a raid at Arun Gawli’s residence at Byculla. But Arun had information about his hunt which helped him to escape.

Arun Gawli, lets call him a coward, was contesting elections in Mumbai. The corrupt election commission officials were flooded with money from Arun Gawli. Arun Gawli then requested the Government to transfer Vijay Salaskar as he feared that Vijay will kill him in an encounter.

This is what Vijay Salaskar had to say about Arun Gawli.

Gawli may have become an MLA. But for me, he continues to remain a former Mumbai don and I have to keep tabs on his activities. If I get any information of his group's involvement in a crime or learn about any shady activity going on at Dagdi Chawl, I will not hesitate to raid his Byculla residence. If I have to arrest him, I will not refrain from doing so. Now that Gawli is an MLA, arresting him will involve certain procedures. I will not bow to any political pressure. I will only take orders from the police commissioner, who is my supreme commander. It was embarrassing that khaki-clad policemen would be deployed to protect Gawli. In the past, we refused him police protection on several occasions. At that time, I had gunned down several of his top henchmen and so he was scared of me. But if Gawli is really reformed, he should not be afraid of me or any other policeman. We do not target innocent persons.

Vijay Salaskar has bravely fought against the crime for 25 years. Many big criminals have been prey to the bullets fired by Vijay Salaskar in his 25 years of service. I take a bow to such a brave man who cleaned the crime from Mumbai City to a big extent. Lets not discuss about the political failure. Discussing that would be an insult to such a brave man.

Vijay Salaskar lost his life on service. He was in charge to kill the terrorists which entered Mumbai in 2008. We also lost Hemant Karkare - ATS chief and Ashok Kamte – CP in the mission. Ajamal Kasab was the one who killed Vijay Salaskar and Kasab himself has also claimed that he fired at Vijay Kalaskar. Vijay Kalaskar gave away his life fighting for peace in the city. Lets take a bow for his love for Mumbai and his duty. I request all my readers to pray for well being of his family. Vijay Kalaskar has protected Mumbai for 25 years of his life. It’s really a big thing to dedicate such a big period of his life.

He lived for Mumbaikars. He died for Mumbaikars.

Let’s do something that can kill and clean the terror from India and the World. Barrack Obama killed the face of terror Osama Bin Laden. Let’s learn from him and ask our bloody corrupted Government to act wise.

Vijay Salaskar’s daughter says that she is proud that her father fought against crime and terror till his last breath. We salute to such a brave man. His sacrifice will always be remembered by Mumbaikars and everyone else. Vijay Salaskar has been honoured with Ashoka Chakara award for fighting against crime in his duty of 25 years. The people of India will never forget his contributions and bravery.

We all love you Vijay Sir, we will never forget what you gave us. You lived for us and you laid ur life for us. Jai Hind.