Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
Notorious shooter Abdul Rauf Merchant alias Dawood Merchant (60), the main assailant in the 1997 murder of T-Series founder Gulshan Kumar, died of a severe heart attack at Harsul Central Jail on the morning of January 8. He was serving a life sentence. Harsul Police Station has registered his sudden death.
On August 12, 1997, Gulshan Kumar was shot at close range while leaving the Shiv Mandir in Jeetnagar, Andheri (West), Mumbai, and was killed instantly. Merchant, who was affiliated with underworld don Abu Salem, fired 16 bullets at Kumar. The shocking murder had sent the entire nation into shock. Merchant, identified as the main assailant, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2002.
In 2003, he was transferred from Yerwada Jail to Harsul Central Jail in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. He was released on parole in 2009, but went absconding after misleading the police. He remained on the run for eight years before being rearrested in 2016–17 and returned to Harsul Jail.
Dawood Merchant's health had deteriorated in recent days. On December 30, he suffered a mild heart attack and was admitted to Government Medical College and Hospital. After showing some improvement, he was returned to jail on January 4. However, his condition worsened again on Thursday morning, leading to his death. Harsul Police have recorded his sudden demise.