Amar Naik

Amar Naik was a Mumbai underworld don whose life and death illuminate the brutal mechanics of the city's gang wars and the precarious position of women connected to the mafia. As the brother of Ashwin Naik and a rival of Arun Gawli, his murder in a fake police encounter serves as a stark example of the state's lethal power over gangsters, a fate that contrasts sharply with the survival of his rival Gawli, who was protected by his wife Asha. His story, as told in Mafia Queens of Mumbai, is a testament to the violent world where power is won and lost through bloodshed, and where the lives of even the most powerful men are expendable.

Identity and Background

Amar Naik was a Maharashtrian gangster who rose from humble beginnings as a vegetable vendor to become a significant figure in the Mumbai underworld. He was the brother of Ashwin Naik, a man who would later marry Neeta Naik, a convent-schooled Gujarati girl from the upmarket south Mumbai locale of Breach Candy. Amar's own criminal career was established enough that his brother Ashwin felt the stigma of being 'the brother of a don,' a label that would eventually drive Ashwin to consider moving his family away from Mumbai. This background places Amar within a network of familial ties that were both a source of power and a vulnerability, as his brother's marriage and subsequent actions would draw them all deeper into the dangerous world of organized crime.

Rivalry and Conflict

Amar Naik's power in the underworld put him in direct conflict with other major players, most notably Arun Gawli. The rivalry between the two dons was a central feature of the Mumbai gang wars of the 1990s. This conflict escalated to the point where Gawli's men shot at Ashwin Naik in 1994, an attack that rendered him wheelchair-bound for life. This act of violence against his brother was a direct assault on Amar's family and his own standing, demonstrating how the gang wars were fought not just between individuals but through their families. The attack on Ashwin was a strategic move by Gawli to weaken Amar's position, and it succeeded in forcing Ashwin to flee Mumbai, leaving his wife and children behind.

Death and Aftermath

The rivalry between Amar Naik and Arun Gawli ultimately proved fatal for Amar. Unlike Gawli, who managed to survive numerous attempts on his life and even carve out a political career, Amar Naik was killed in a fake police encounter. His death is cited as a prime example of the fate that befell several top dons, including Sada Pawle and Nari Khan, who were also killed in such staged encounters. The killing of Amar Naik by the police, rather than by a rival gang, highlights the state's own role in the violent elimination of underworld figures. His death served as a grim warning and a demonstration of the power of the police to decide who lives and who dies, a power that was notably not exercised against his rival Gawli, who was protected by his wife Asha's political maneuvering.

Narrative Role and Significance

In the narrative of Mafia Queens of Mumbai, Amar Naik's story serves as a crucial counterpoint to the stories of the women who are the book's central focus. His death is used to illustrate the exceptional survival of Arun Gawli, who is portrayed as being protected by his wife Asha. The book notes that several top dons like Amar Naik have been killed in fake police encounters, and that even low-level acolytes have not been spared by the cops. This context underscores the extraordinary nature of Gawli's survival, which is attributed largely to his wife's efforts. Amar's fate, therefore, is not just a story of a gangster's demise but a narrative device that highlights the agency and power of the women in the book, who are able to navigate and sometimes even subvert the deadly systems that claim the lives of men like him.