What looked like a mere clash between jail inmates resulting in the death of  a close Chhota Shakeel aide and a member of Dawood’s gang may be more than what meets the eye. Especially, given the timing, as Rajan’s return to India looks imminent.

According to a report in The Times of India, central intelligence agencies believe that the Madoor Isubu’s alias Madoor Yousuf’s death could be a show of power between underworld dons Dawood Ibrahim and Chhota Rajan, who is awaiting extradition to India from Indonesia.

Some intelligence officials believe that Chhota Rajan’s gang members planned this attack to send out a strong message to rival Dawood-Shakeel network. This can also be seen as an act of revenge, for the September 2000 attack on Rajan in Bangkok by another Dawood aide Rashid Malbari. Rajan was severely injured while his close associate Rohit Sharma and his wife died in the attack.  

 An intelligence official told TOI that Mangaluru jail may have been chosen as it has some security loopholes.

The report quoted another intelligence official as saying, "After everything is over, we will seek a report from the local police and examine it for further action if required."

 Isubu and another jail inmate Ganesh Shetty were killed on Monday in what appeared to be a clash between two groups inside Mangaluru district sub-jail. Madoor Isubu was a sharpshooter allegedly working for Chhota Shakeel, who enjoys a close association with Dawood Ibrahim.

 Over the years, Chhota Rajan’s gang was perceived to have got weaker as it lost to the Dawood run syndicate of which Shakeel is a key member, due to its financial clout. It is believed that the D-company headed by Dawood, rakes in the moolah through an assortment of illegal activities, which include extortion, murders, betting and benami investments in real estate and Bollywood.   

 This is an aggregated report from an article published on November 4 in TOI(Bangalore edition).