Underworld and the police in Mumbai

Abstract

Mumbai city, because of its unique position as the commercial capital of India, with the busiest seaport and airport, heavy influx of population from all over the country, exorbitant price of real estate, interspersing of slums with high-rise buildings of well-to-do people, has been a fertile ground for criminals. It is the only city in South Asia where the underworld has ruled for so many years. The areas dominated by the marginalised sections of population have often been the fertile grounds for gangsters in the city. The state’s important arm, the police, has also been deeply involved in corruption and extrajudicial killings, and many a time gangs have been a reaction to it. The city has also seen the rise of female dons under the shadow of males ones. The female dons have often worked as collectors of extortion money, and con-women for the main gangsters. This chapter discusses the rise of the underworld in Mumbai and its association with business, police, politics, and terrorism.