Ex-Mumbai police officer A A Khan passes away

Famed police officer A A Khan — who inspired the formation of Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) type units in the country and carried out several actions including the Lokhandwala Complex shoot-out — passed away in Mumbai on Friday.

Khan (81) breathed his last at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital around 3 pm surrounded by his near and dear ones. In 1990, Khan, an officer of 1963 cadre of IPS, had inspired the formation of the ATS of Maharashtra Police on the lines of Special Weapons and Tactics of the United States.

He took premature retirement in 1997 as Additional Director General of Police (Training) and later set up his own security agency. He also briefly joined politics.

The Bollywood film Shootout at Lokhandwala was based on his 1991 encounter at the Swati Building at Lokhandwala Complex in Mumbai, in which seven gangsters including Maya Dolas were gunned down.

Khan was then an Additional Commissioner of Police. More than 450 rounds were fired in the daylight encounter. Sanjay Dutt played the role of Khan while Vivek Oberoi essayed the role of Maya Dolas and Amrita Singh the latter’s mother.

Khan himself played the small role of the then Mumbai Police chief. The encounter itself had led to controversy given the fact that nearly 450 rounds were used.

Known for his no-nonsense approach, Khan commanded tremendous respect from his officers and had excellent ground-level intelligence. Khan had also served on central deputation being the Deputy Inspector General (Sector Commander) of CRPF in Punjab, Joint Director of Intelligence Bureau in Haryana.

During his stint in Maharashtra, his teams had eliminated militants and terrorists.

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