Different types of records are made continuously and some of the records are broken without much efforts; however, some of the records are created with an intention that its name should be listed in Guineas insurance-education of World Records or at least in the Limca insurance-education. However, some of the activities of Personnel, Organizations or Government Departments are creating records unknowingly and are not recorded anywhere. Now if someone tells you similarly that a Yellow Gate Police Station has also created many records, you may not believe in this statement.
This Police Station is not very much famous as Gangwar, Killing, Kidnapping, Rape, Robbery, Cheating etc., is not reported in this Police Station. The people staying in Yellow Gate Police Station are educated, rich and law abiding and inspite of this fact the Yellow Gate Police Station of Mumbai is considered as unique record breaker.
The population of Mumbai is around 12 to 13 millions and to maintain law & order and peace in this city there are 72 Police Stations working day and night and Yellow Gate Police Station is one amongst them.
This is an unique Police Station having much more staff than the actually required staff. The station is having totally 825 men including Officers, whereas the population of this jurisdiction is only 500. Normally, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Controls two to three Stations, but Yellow Gate (Only) is having Compliment of Assistant Commissioner of Police. If one visits this station, understands that complaints lodged here are completely of different nature. This Police Station controls Mumbai Docks and this busy Port are handling Cargo worth of many billion rupees. Nearly about 25 to 30 thousand personnel are visiting this Port daily for service. Daily turnover of money transactions is really breathtaking. From Chatarpati Shivaji Terminus to Chembur Station a private road of 25 kms is provided for Port, Police and VIP’s. This road cannot be used for other Mumbaites.
Various essential commodities are transported on this road by special cargo containers and all complaints about thefts; pilferage etc. pertaining to cargo is lodged with Yellow Gate Police Station.
In Mumbai Port other than business transactions, there are small cases of pilferage, smuggling and entering of street urchins reported here. A small time dock labour Hajimastan became a don in Mumbai’s underworld. His life story was projected in a Hindi Movie ‘DEEWAR’ . The security Personnel labours and even sometimes constables are pocketed in order to take goods out from the boxes; however Deputy Commissioner of Police Mrs. Meera Borvankar and officers of her reputation were posted in this station and they could curb these pilferage’s.
Even accidents at Mumbai High, ONGC Platforms etc., are reported in this Police Station. This Indira Port and Sea is also under jurisdiction of Yellow Gate Police Station. Many complaints lodged here are adopting different types of methods to investigate crime, Yellow Gate Police Officer (Crime Branch) have many stories of crime detection. From different cities goods are transported to Mumbai Docks for export and on road many thefts are taking place.
Different types of commodities are transported for export from various places such as Ahmedabad, Pune, Goa etc. The Marine containers are very skillfully opened and the contents are robbed. It is not difficult to detect crime if reported in docks but the Police have to take real efforts to detect when reported in transportation.
We can understand complications when we see crime which is detected by Police. Divya Chemicals, Roha dispatched a chemical powder through a container which was sealed by Indian Excise. The container load was exported to New York in the month of July’1995. After two months the container reached the destination and the consignee’s were surprised to find cement bags filled with dirt and dust instead of cargo worth Rupees 40 millions. This was informed to Divya Chemicals by facsimile message. The owner of the chemical factory Mr. Surendera Karnik lodged a complaint with Yellow Gate Police Station and the Police started investigation of the case. The police were convinced that the goods were changed during transportation period and the truck driver Mr. Laxman Vagh was found involved in this case.
This driver was a small link to a major crime system. He was an ordinary person of a organized crime. From the information given by him, the Police could reach up to gang of four personnel. The gang used to open containers very systematically and used to take out two to four bags and majority of times there were no complaints from Foreign Ports and this has led to frequent thefts. As the driver Mr. Laxman Vagh was caught the Police could held the actual culprits.
The Police has now learnt about modus operandi, which is beyond the imagination of an ordinary person, but cargo worth millions of rupees is being smoothly pilfered overnight.
During night a red lamp is tied to a pole /bamboo on Highways. The gangsters wait nearby the planned location. The regular drivers on these Highways are quite aware of the red light sign. A driver who wills to sell the goods for Rs. 10 to 15 thousand stops the truck at these points. The gangsters get alerted as they see the truck slowing down and approach the driver to strike a deal.
After having discussed the particulars of the cargo/value/Market etc., the deal is finalized. The material from the container is then pilfered.
The seal of container is kept intact and door hinge bolts are removed skillfully and the cargo is replaced with stones/ loose earth etc. Afterwards the bolts are refixed with joint resins such as Fevicol/M. Seal/Aralite etc. in the complete operation, maximum care is exercised to keep the seals intact because at every stage the seals are checked by Customs/Surveyors/Agents/Stevendors etc. Therefore, these seals are never touched. They have all equipment’s available such as portable hand stitching machine and nylon threads etc., Highway robbers are interested in costly Chemicals, Electronic items, Tea Powder etc. These items can easily be sold in black market.
Few months back one of the Textile Unit from Baroda, Gujrat, exported Textile materials worth million of rupees, but when the consignment reached the destination the container was found filled with stones etc., Lipton Tea worth Rupees Eight Lacs were dispatched to Dubai. After a month Lipton received a letter informing that in your chests loose earth/ chemicals/injections are pharmaceutical items are found but no trace of Tea Powder.
After a detailed investigation Inspector Pandharinath Mandhare could catch the culprits and they informed the police that they were unable to sell the items and therefore this was replaced with tea powder. As per Inspector Mr. Mandhare during May vacation and Dipawali (October) vacations thefts are reported more as usual because the regular drivers take leave during this period and the reliver is taken without much investigations and these drivers indulge in thefts.
As per records of Yellow Gate Police Station, Vapi, Manor and Talasari Area is considered as heaven for Highway robbers.
Even in Docks premises many thefts are recorded. Few days back M/s Hindustan Copper imported 3500 M.T. of copper and the transportation contract was given to M/s Shukla Tranports. Nearly 350 trucks were arranged, two trucks were arranged by one driver and he deserted alongwith two trucks. However, he could not sell the goods due to marks on chips and ultimately the goods were abandoned on road and the Police could trace the goods. Similar case was reported in Paper consignment; however, in this case also the culprits were caught.
Street urchins, Drugs addicts, Beggers and slum dwellers enter the dock area and try to pilfer 1 or 2 kgs. Of pulses/grains etc., these people are not disturbed even by police.