After a TV news channel reported on Tuesday that underworld don and the 1993 Mumbai blasts accused Dawood Ibrahim had crippling gangrene in his legs, another report by a newspaper denied the initial report. The Times of India quoted his close aide Chhota Shakeel as saying that Ibrahim was "fit." He reportedly said that the rumours were floated to harm their business.
Doctors treating Dawood, who is reportedly in Karachi, Pakistan, were quoted as saying by News 18 that the gangrene has reached an advanced stage and his legs could be amputated. He is reportedly being treated by doctors of Liaquat National Hospital, Karachi, and the Combined Military Hospital, Karachi, at his house in Karachi's Clifton neighbourhood.
"Aapki agencies ke pass galat khabar hai. Ye sab rumours hain. Bhai bilkul fit hain. Sehatmand hain (Your agencies have wrong information. Dawood is perfectly fit)," Shakeel was quoted as saying by the Times of India.
Former assistant commissioner of police Shamsher Khan Pathan, who investigated Dawood for years, was quoted by NDTV as saying that "Chhota Shakeel is likely to be Dawood's successor since he is very aggressive." Pathan also expressed doubts regarding the reports on Ibrahim's ailing health.
News18 also quoted sources as saying that Ibrahim won't be moved out of Karachi, where he is under the tutelage of Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI).
Ibrahim's death in Pakistan would be a blow to the victims and kin of the victims of the serial blasts in Mumbai. Tiger Memon, Yakub Memon and Ibrahim were accused of organising and financing the blasts, for which Yakub Memon was hanged to death in India in 2015.
