Prime accused held for killing project caretaker

He was on run since the December 21 Kalina incident

The Vakola police have arrested Ameershad Khan (56), who is said to be the prime accused, in the murder of Kalina resident, Abdullah Khan. Ameershad, who was on the run since December, was arrested by Vakola police from his residence in Kalina on the night intervening Monday and Tuesday. Earlier, police had arrested four other assailants in connection with killing Abdullah.

According to the police, Ameershad, a distant relative of Haseena Parkar, younger sister of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, had brutally stabbed Abdullah on December 21 last year with the help of four other assailants. While on the run, Ameershaad had sought temporary asylum at various mosques outside Maharashtra. “Mosques located at Ajmer, Indore and Uttar Pradesh were among the ones visited by Ameershad to avert arrest. Ameershad stayed in each mosque for a week and then moved to another location to avoid suspicion."

The accused confessed while

recording statement that he was not in touch with his family but since he was out of cash and could not use debit cards, he had to return to refill funds. As soon as the police informers learnt about his return, a team was sent at his residence and the accused was arrested, said police.

On December 21, Abdullah was brutally stabbed to death after reading his noon namaz at the mosque and was on his way back to the shop when one of the assailants hit him with an iron rod. Other assailants who were silently waiting for Abdullah threw chilli powder at his face, following which he was stabbed and his throat was slit by the same weapon. The accused later thrashed Abdullah's face with a stone, killing him.

Vakola police had earlier arrested Azeemshaad Khan, Jaahid Khan, Moinuddin alias Guddu Shaikh and Jitendra Jadhav, who confessed of killing Abdullah as Ameershaad suspected him of performing black magic on his family, which led to the loss of his job and three consecutive deaths in the family.