Ashwin Naik's car attack

On a return trip from the Santa Cruz airport in Mumbai in 1991, Ashwin Naik's car was ambushed by members of the Chhota Rajan gang. Around twenty men opened fire on the Kherwadi highway, an attack that would permanently alter the course of his life and that of his wife, Neeta Naik. The assault was not a random act of violence but a calculated strike against the brother of Amar Naik, a figure already entrenched in the city's criminal landscape. For Ashwin, a man who had sought to distance himself from his brother's notoriety, the attack shattered any hope of a life outside the mafia's reach and set him on a path that would make him a unique figure in Mumbai's underworld history.

Background and the Naik Family's Criminal Shadow

Ashwin Naik was not a typical recruit to the underworld. He had pursued a degree in electrical engineering in London, a path that set him apart from the uneducated foot soldiers of Mumbai's gangs. His brother, Amar Naik, was an established criminal, and this connection cast a long shadow over Ashwin's life. The stigma of being the brother of a don weighed heavily on him, and it was this very stigma that had driven him to consider relocating his family to Chennai. The decision to move was an attempt to escape the constant association with crime and to build a life defined by his own merits rather than his brother's reputation. The couple had made a couple of trips to Chennai to find a house, and it was on their return from one of these trips that the attack occurred, abruptly ending their plans for a fresh start.

The Attack on the Kherwadi Highway

The ambush unfolded with terrifying speed. As the couple returned from the airport, Ashwin's car was targeted by the Chhota Rajan gang. Neeta and her father-in-law were traveling in a separate car behind his, and they witnessed the chaos as around twenty men opened fire on the highway. Panic erupted on the Kherwadi road as the attackers unleashed a hail of bullets. Knowing that her husband was unarmed, Neeta stopped her own car, got out, and began screaming, desperately hoping that someone would call the police. In the midst of the gunfire, Ashwin managed to dodge the bullets and make an unlikely escape, but the psychological damage was done. The attack was a clear message that his brother's enemies would not allow him to live in peace, regardless of his own choices.

Neeta's Ultimatum and Ashwin's Decision

The attack was a turning point not only for Ashwin but also for Neeta. In the aftermath, she made a decisive intervention. 'It was then that I knew my husband was unsafe. I told Ashwin that I wanted him alive and not dead. For this, I didn't mind if he had to join hands with his own brother and become part of the crime syndicate,' Neeta revealed in her 1997 interview. Her words were a stark ultimatum: survival over principle. After much persuasion from his wife, Ashwin finally gave in and joined the underworld. This decision was not born of ambition or greed but of a calculated choice to protect his family. Neeta's role was pivotal; she was not a passive observer but the driving force who pushed her husband toward a life of crime as the only viable means of ensuring his safety.

Rise as the First Educationally-Qualified Gangster

Ashwin's entry into the underworld was marked by his unique background. He went on to become the first educationally-qualified gangster in Mumbai's mafia circuit, a distinction that set him apart from his peers. His engineering degree and time in London gave him a different perspective, and he became known for his meticulous planning and organisational abilities. His criminal career was marked by significant acts of violence, including the killing of Tanya Koli in a Kalyan local train and the murder of textile tycoon Sunit Khatau in Mahalaxmi. These acts cemented his reputation as a formidable figure in the underworld. He was later arrested under TADA, but this did not deter him. After Chhota Rajan's split from Dawood, Ashwin became an ally of the latter and was thus able to build a strong criminal base for himself, demonstrating a strategic acumen that was rare in the mafia's ranks.

A Partnership Forged in Crime

Throughout his rise, Neeta remained his pillar of support. She was his close confidante and personal advisor, a role that mirrored the partnerships seen in other criminal households. The attack and its aftermath transformed their marriage into a partnership forged in crime, where Neeta's resolve and Ashwin's planning worked in tandem. Her decision to push him into the underworld was a pragmatic one, and she stood by him as he navigated the dangerous world of gang politics. The couple's story is a testament to the complex dynamics of criminal families, where love and survival are often intertwined with violence and illegality. Neeta's role was not merely supportive but instrumental, as she helped shape the trajectory of her husband's criminal career, ensuring his survival in a world where death was a constant threat.