Mumbai – A special court constituted under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act has recently recorded further evidence against accused Farooq Mansuri, also known as Farooq Takla, and Tribhuvan Rampati Singh alias Shrikant Rai Rampati Rai, bringing renewed attention to the infamous JJ Hospital shootout of 1992. This brazen underworld attack, which claimed three lives including two on-duty police constables, remains one of the most audacious gang-related incidents in Mumbai’s criminal history.
The Deadly Attack at Sir JJ Hospital
The JJ Hospital shootout occurred in the early hours of September 12, 1992, at the state-run medical facility where gangster Shailesh Haldankar, an alleged sharpshooter of the Arun Gawli gang, had been admitted for treatment. The attack was meticulously planned and executed with military precision, demonstrating the reach and ruthlessness of organized crime in Mumbai during the early 1990s.
According to the prosecution’s case, fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar personally ordered the assault to avenge the killing of his brother-in-law, Ismail Parkar. Dawood blamed members of the Gawli gang for Parkar’s death, setting the stage for the violent retaliation that would become known as the JJ Hospital shootout.
Planning and Execution of the Attack
Court documents, including confessional statements recorded in the case, provide detailed insights into the sequence of events leading up to the JJ Hospital shootout. Members of the Dawood gang first conducted reconnaissance at the hospital to assess police deployment and security arrangements around Haldankar.
Subsequently, a heavily armed team of approximately two dozen shooters arrived at the hospital in the early morning hours. The assailants came equipped with AK-47 rifles, pistols, and revolvers, indicating the level of firepower they were prepared to deploy. According to evidence presented in court, the attackers allegedly posed as police escorts to gain access to the ward where Haldankar was being held under guard.
Confrontation and Fatal Exchange of Fire
When the armed men attempted to enter the ward during the JJ Hospital shootout, the police constables on guard demonstrated remarkable presence of mind by shutting the door to prevent entry. This action triggered a violent response from the assailants, who began firing at the closed door with automatic weapons.
The situation quickly escalated into a full-scale gun battle inside the hospital premises. Shots were fired with automatic weapons, leading to an intense exchange of fire in an active medical facility. Tragically, Haldankar and the two constables posted for his security were killed in the shooting. This episode underscored the intensity of gang warfare in Mumbai during the early 1990s and its alarming spillover into public institutions like hospitals.
Key Figure: Subhashsingh Thakur
A central figure in the prosecution narrative of the JJ Hospital shootout was Subhashsingh Thakur, who was arrested by the Delhi Police in July 1993. His confessional statement was recorded in November of that year, providing crucial evidence about the planning and execution of the attack.
Portions of Thakur’s confession, extracted by appellate courts for adjudication, detailed his alleged role in the JJ Hospital shootout operation. The statement included specifics about the movements of the assailants before and after the shooting and their attempts to flee Mumbai following the attack.
Trial court proceedings culminated in Thakur being sentenced to death, though this sentence was subsequently commuted to life imprisonment on appeal. Thakur is presently incarcerated in connection with a 2022 murder case registered by the Mira-Bhayander, Vasai-Virar police, under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act. Police have described Thakur—known in the Vasai-Virar region as “Chacha”—as a once-feared underworld figure who allegedly acted as an intermediary in property-related disputes.
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Decades of Delay and Recent Developments
The trial against Takla and Rampati Singh in the JJ Hospital shootout case has reached the evidence stage only after decades of delay. This postponement was largely due to their prolonged abscondence and the consequent separation of their trial from proceedings against other accused in the case.
Farooq Takla was arrested in the JJ Hospital shootout case on April 19, 2018, after being deported to India a month earlier in connection with the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case. He was subsequently taken into custody by Mumbai police’s crime branch while lodged at Arthur Road Jail.
Tribhuvan Rampati Singh was arrested much more recently, in October 2024, after being traced in Uttar Pradesh where he had been living under an assumed identity. He was then produced before the special TADA court to face charges related to the JJ Hospital shootout.
Renewed Judicial Scrutiny
With both accused now before the court, the prosecution has begun leading evidence in the long-pending case arising from the 1992 incident. This development revives judicial scrutiny of one of the most notorious episodes of Mumbai’s underworld violence, bringing closure to families of victims who have waited over three decades for justice.
The JJ Hospital shootout remains a stark reminder of the brazen gang warfare that once plagued Mumbai, demonstrating how organized crime penetrated even the sanctity of medical institutions in pursuit of revenge and territorial dominance.
