The founder of Mumbai ATS, has died

Aftab Ahmed Khan, a retired IPS officer who is credited with founding the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in the Mumbai police three decades ago the country’s first such special force died here on Friday, according to a police official.

During his decades-long career, the legendary police officer was also involved in various operations against mafia in Mumbai and terrorists.

He was 81 years old and leaves behind a wife, two sons, and a daughter.

Khan contracted COVID-19 a few days ago and was hospitalized to a private hospital in suburban Andheri, where he was later discharged, according to the official.

He was brought to the hospital again today afternoon, when he was confirmed dead before admission, he said.

He said Khan, a 1963-batch IPS officer, resigned from the Maharashtra police in 1995 while serving as Inspector General of Police.

According to the official, the experienced officer was the founder of the ATS, which was the country’s first counter-terrorism unit at the time.

The Mumbai police department established an anti-terror agency in 1990, modelled after the Los Angeles Police Department’s Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT).

Iqbal Shaikh, a retired ACP who served with Khan saab in numerous operations, told PTI that Khan saab was a stylish officer who always led from the front.

He was never under any form of pressure during his illustrious career and was always forthright in his behaviour, according to Shaikh.

On January 24, 1991, a team led by Khan travelled to Baroda (now Vadodara) in Gujarat, where ‘Operation Baroda’ took place for two days, killing the chief of the Khalistan Commando Force, Baldeo Singh Saini, as well as four other terrorists, he added.

“In 1992, our squad killed five terrorists at Khindipada in Mulund suburbs,” recalled the retired ACP.

Manjitsingh alias Lalsingh, a feared terrorist, was apprehended by Khan’s team in 1992 at Dadar Railway Station in Central Mumbai, when he arrived by train from Amritsar, according to Shaikh.

He claimed Lalsingh was engaged in the 1985 Air India Kanishka flight bombing.

According to the former ACP, Lalsingh was allegedly involved in firing on then-Haryana Chief Minister Bhajan Lal on his visit to Canada.

According to Shaikh, Khan commanded the Mumbai police team that shot and killed feared criminals Maya Dolas and Dilip Buwa during a gunfight at the Swati Building in Lokhandwala Complex.