A minor argument between two rival groups in Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail escalated into a violent clash last week, creating a highly tense atmosphere within the high-security facility. However, the jail authorities acted swiftly and prevented any major incident by intervening in time.
Following the incident, on the directives of senior officials, the N.M. Joshi Marg Police registered a case against notorious gangster Prasad Pujari and seven others. The Crime Branch, along with local police, has begun investigating the matter to determine the exact cause of the altercation and whether it was a part of a premeditated conspiracy.
Arthur Road Jail is currently housing several gangsters from rival gangs, accused in multiple crimes ranging from fraud to serious criminal offenses. Due to overcrowding, petty disputes are not uncommon. On July 7, a scuffle broke out between two such groups over a seemingly trivial issue. The situation threatened to spiral out of control, but jail officials quickly separated the involved inmates and shifted them to separate barracks, thereby averting a possible riot.
Initial investigations have revealed that gangster Prasad alias Subhash Vitthal Pujari and his associates were allegedly involved in triggering the incident. Based on a complaint from the jail administration, police have registered a case against Pujari and seven others — Irfan Rahim Khan, Shoaib Khan alias Bhurya, Ayub Anamuddin Shaikh, Mukesh Sitaram Nishad, Lokendra Uday Singh Rawat, and Siddhesh Santosh Bhosale.
The sudden outbreak of violence between the two groups not only raised security concerns but also spread anxiety among other inmates. With an official FIR filed, the Crime Branch is now probing several key angles — what led to the fight, whether it was pre-planned, if there was any specific target, and whether any of the inmates intended to cause serious harm. Fortunately, no one was injured, but the police are not ruling out the possibility that serious injuries might have been intended.
Prasad Pujari is a well-known underworld gangster, with multiple extortion and serious criminal cases against him. He had been living in China with his wife for the past two decades. To facilitate his arrest, Mumbai Police had issued a Red Corner Notice, and with Interpol’s help, he was eventually extradited to India in March 2024. Since then, he has been in judicial custody in Arthur Road Jail in connection with various extortion-related cases.
The investigation is ongoing to determine if the jail clash was part of a larger gang conspiracy.