Gangs of Kalapather: Fight for supremacy turns this Hyderabad neighbourhood into cauldron of crime

With one murder last week and two other attempts to eliminate opponents in a single night, the rowdy gangs of Kalapather are back in news.

Hyderabad: Its fight for supremacy and revenge narratives that have turned Kalapather in the old city into a cauldron of crime. With one murder last week and two other attempts to eliminate opponents in a single night, the rowdy gangs of Kalapather are back in news.

Sources in the police point out that two gangs – led by Asad and Ashwaq, both having rowdy sheets in Kalapather police stations – were at loggerheads and their battle for dominance was spilling into violence on the old city streets. In fact, Asad along with two other associates, was arrested by police in January 2024 for conspiring to kill Ashwaq.

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“It is a fight for supremacy and dominance in that area. Revenge murders are part of the fight for supremacy as both the gangs are trying to outwit the other,” said an official who earlier worked with Hyderabad Commissioner’s Task Force.

For at least three decades, different gangs vied for supremacy over localities falling in Kalapather, Falaknuma, Mailardevpally, Shahalibanda and Kamatipura police station limits. Rowdy sheeters such as Ayub Khan, Adil, Ashwaq, Rustum, Waseem, Shahnoor Ghazi, Younus had engaged in various crimes including bodily, property and narcotics offences in these areas.

In early 2002, Ayub Khan shot to notoriety after allegedly killing an advocate. Around same time, his associate, Ashwaq formed another gang and both carried out different tasks. Rowdy elements from the south west areas of the city such as Habeebnagar and Nampally started supporting small time rowdy sheeters and attempted to establish their base here.

“For dominance in the area, many bodily offences including murders took place. The gangs indulge in settling small disputes, looting gambling den, betting organizers and hawala operators. They extort money from brothel houses, PDS rice and wheat smugglers, and collect mamools from different hotels and shops,” said a police official who previously worked in old city.

While Ayub Khan reportedly reformed himself over a period of time and his associates were either killed or absconding, the vacuum was immediately filled by Ashwaq, Shahnoor Ghazi, Younus, Asad and Anwar.

“Shahnoor Ghazi was killed by his rivals. His associates later killed a couple of persons who were involved in the killing of Ghazi. At least five persons from both gangs were murdered,” said the official.

The Kalapather belt covering a radius of around 4 km has several slums and with numerous lanes and narrow by lanes making it convenient for the rowdy elements to hoodwink the police. “Only technology will not help in checking the gangs. A robust informer network should be developed and information gathered regularly about their movement,” said an ACP who previously worked as SHO Kalapather.