Gangsters wanted to terrorize Lucky Ali

BENGALURU: Eight men with criminal antecedents were on Saturday night arrested near singer-composer Lucky Ali's farmhouse, Ali Estate, in north Bengaluru, as they lay in wait, allegedly to commit a dacoity.
Police said the gangsters had no intention of harming Lucky Ali, who is embroiled in a legal battle to retain his family property. They may have come to terrorize him, who was not in the city at that time, they added.
"We got a call from someone who claimed that a gang had gathered in Lucky Ali's brother's farm, next to his. We rushed to the spot and found the eight men, and caught them.
"We found lethal weapons like machetes and choppers in their Tata Sumo. A case of attempted dacoity was taken up by Yelahanka New Town police," in-charge DCP TR Suresh said. Preliminary investigations revealed the gang was sent by a rowdy from KG Halli Asif Ali, and his associate Naveen.
"They seem to have been contracted to terrorize Lucky Ali and his family members to vacate the land and hand it over to a person with whom the family has been engaged in a long-pending legal battle," said an officer. Ali Estate, in Yelahanka, was owned by Lucky Ali's father, Mehmood, the legendary Bollywood comedian.
"Another person, Asif Iqbal, is also involved. It's the handiwork of the land mafia," the police officer said.
Police commissioner MN Reddi said the gang had come to the farm to settle the land dispute. "We're not sure whether Lucky Ali faces a threat to his life. On the face of it, it looks like an issue related to land dispute and pending court cases. If Lucky Ali requests us, we'll give him more security. But there is no such request as of now," he said.