Byculla to Bangkok

Byculla to Bangkok chronicles the rise of organized crime in Mumbai, focusing on three prominent mobsters: Chota Rajan, Arun Gawli, and Ashwin Naik. The book serves as a sequel to Zaidi's earlier work Dongri to Dubai and expands on the criminal ecosystem surrounding notorious gangster Dawood Ibrahim. Based on police case files and extensive research, the narrative tracks how local youth were drawn into Mumbai's criminal underworld and transformed into powerful gang leaders. The book documents the operations of law enforcement, including the activities of Mumbai police's "encounter specialists" like Vijay Salaskar and Pradeep Sharma. This non-fiction account examines the complex web of relationships and rivalries within Mumbai's criminal landscape, including the transformation of Chota Rajan from Dawood Ibrahim's deputy to his adversary. The book details the parallel development of organized crime and the city of Mumbai itself. The work presents a stark portrait of power, betrayal, and the societal conditions that enable organized crime to flourish in urban environments. Through its exploration of real criminal cases, the book raises questions about the intersection of poverty, opportunity, and illegal enterprise in modern India.

Readers describe this as a well-researched account of Mumbai's organized crime that picks up where Dongri to Dubai left off. Many note it provides clear explanations of how Mumbai's gangs evolved and fractured in the 1980s-90s. Liked: - Detailed accounts of lesser-known gangsters and their operations - Clear breakdown of gang rivalries and power dynamics - Journalist's firsthand insights from covering the crime beat - Accessible writing style for complex subject matter Disliked: - Too many characters introduced rapidly - Some storylines feel incomplete or abruptly ended - Less cohesive narrative structure compared to Dongri to Dubai - Limited coverage of more recent events Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (2,000+ ratings) Amazon India: 4.3/5 (1,000+ ratings) "The amount of research is impressive but I often had to flip back to keep track of all the names" - Goodreads reviewer "Reads like a thriller but needed better organization" - Amazon reviewer

Dongri to Dubai by S Hussain Zaidi The book traces Mumbai's underworld from 1947 to 2011, documenting the transformation of local criminals into international crime syndicates.

Black Friday by S Hussain Zaidi This investigative account details the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts, the criminal networks behind them, and the subsequent police investigation.

Dawood's Mentor by Shyam Kishore Singh The book presents the story of Mumbai gangster Khalid Khan and his role in shaping Dawood Ibrahim's criminal empire.

The Mafia Queens of Mumbai by S Hussain Zaidi and Jane Borges The narrative uncovers the stories of women who controlled Mumbai's criminal underbelly, from smugglers to brothel owners.

Zero Dial: The Dangerous World of Informers by Neeraj Kumar This compilation reveals the inner workings of Delhi's crime world through the experiences of police informers.

🔸 Mumbai's infamous "encounter specialists" - police officers known for extrajudicial killings - eliminated over 600 alleged criminals between 1993 and 2003, marking one of the most controversial periods in the city's law enforcement history. 🔸 Before becoming a celebrated crime journalist and author, S. Hussain Zaidi worked as a reporter for Mid-Day, where he developed crucial connections with both police officers and underworld figures that would later inform his books. 🔸 The book traces how Mumbai's criminal organizations evolved from local street gangs in areas like Byculla into sophisticated international syndicates operating from Thailand, particularly after the 1993 Mumbai bombings forced many gangsters to flee India. 🔸 Arun Gawli, one of the main subjects of the book, transformed from a textile mill worker into a feared gangster and later became an elected member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly while still running his criminal enterprise. 🔸 The neighborhood of Byculla, once home to Mumbai's elite during the British colonial period, became a crucial hub for organized crime in the 1980s due to its strategic location between the dockyards and the mill areas.