Byculla police arrest man for attacking Muslim community leader

Rizwan Lakdawala being stopped by locals

On Tuesday night, Byculla police arrested a man for attacking a leader of the Muslim Bohra community over a suspected property dispute.

Around 11 pm when the community leader, Qaidjohar Ezzuddin, stepped out of the Hindu Mill Compound after performing namaaz, he was attacked by the accused with a knife.

The culprit, identified as Rizwan Lakdawala, was stopped by locals before he could bring any harm to Ezzuddin and later handed over to Byculla police.

Ezzuddin is in-charge of the Bohra community redevelopment project at Bhendi Bazaar and the attacker’s residence is reportedly part of the project. Police suspect that Lakdawala tried to attack the leader over a property-related dispute.

On Thursday, senior inspector of the Byculla police station, Avinash Shingte, told DNA, “Lakdawala was caught with a knife. He has been arrested on the charge of attempt to commit murder. He was produced before a court on Wednesday and has been remanded in police custody till June 26. We suspect that Lakdawala has some grudge against Ezzuddin and approached him for confrontation. We are probing the case from all angles.”