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AK-56 gun, missing since 25 years, recovered from Dawood aides
Thane/Mumbai, July 7 (IANS) In a major breakthrough, an AK-56 assault rifle, among three reported missing since the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts was recovered from two arrested aides of absconding don Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar, police said here on Saturday.
The rifle was seized after a raid by the Anti-Extortion Cell, on the suburban Goregaon residence of Yasmin Naeem Khan, 35, on Friday, said an officer.
The AEC team also recovered two 9mm pistol and 13 live cartridges, the gun’s three magazines and 95 live cartridges and other materials during the raid.
This AK-56 rifle is among three such deadly rifles which were reported missing after the Mumbai 1993 serial blasts and was lying at the Khan residence since long, police said.
The breakthrough came after the arrests and interrogation of two small-time drug-peddlers on Thursday by the Thane AEC.
They are Zahid Jali Kashmiri, 47 and Sanjay Bipin Shroff, 46, who were nabbed in Nagpada, south Mumbai, and tipped off the sleuths.
Naeem Khan had been arrested on April 20, 2016 by Mumbai Police under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), and is currently lodged in Thane prison.
His wife Yasmin, nabbed on Saturday from Bhagat Singh Nagar in Goregaon, has been sent to police custody till Monday.
The AEC headed by Pradeep Sharma, plans to question her on why the banned weapons and other ammunition were kept at their house, since how long, who had brought them, and to know the whereabouts or fate of the other two missing AK-56s, said the official.
During his arrest in 2016, Naeem Khan had shifted the AK-56 rifle to a safe location with Kashmiri and police only recovered 5 pistols from his home then.
However, barely a few months ago, Kashmiri had returned the rifle to Khan’s wife Yasmin for safekeeping which has now been recovered by the Thane AEC.
Interestingly, Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt had procured one AK-56 rifle for self-defence during the aftermath of the bloody Mumbai communal carnage of December 1992-January 1993.
The rifle was among three brought by his friends and later co-accused in the March 12, 1993 serial blasts case – Samir Hingora and Hanif Kadawala.
After their arrests, Dutt had asked his friend Yusuf Nulwalla to destroy the AK-56 rifle in his possession, but later the actor was arrested in the case, tried and convicted for a five-year jail term which he completed in February 2016.
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.