Family of seven involved in chain-snatchings slapped with charges under MCOCA; gang-leader is 65-yr-old woman, who is the head of the family.Fiza Hussain Sheikh was eight months pregnant when she was picked up by the Thane crime branch for her alleged role in selling off stolen booty that her extended family would steal. Fiza was lodged at Adharwadi central prison in Kalyan along with her mother Shera Bi Syed, who is the ringleader of the gang. In December, she gave birth to a baby boy at the Central Hospital in Ulhasnagar. When the nurses asked her what she wanted to call her child, she said ‘Kasab’, almost spontaneously. Policemen posted at the hospital to keep guard said the name symbolised Fiza, and her family’s close relationship with crime.Fiza is just one of the seven members of the family involved in chainsnatchings. The operations are controlled by 65-year-old Shera Bi – right from choosing the bike to be stolen for the chain-snatching to the rider and the chain-snatcher.A forthnight ago, the police initiated MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act) proceedings against the seven members of the family as the crimes they committed were highly organised and they were repeat offenders.The seven members of this family are from the Baloch community, which is also referred to as the Afghan or Irani community, residing in Ambivali locality near Kalyan and are said to be involved in several such crimes committed in Thane, Navi Mumbai and Mumbai.In their report to the court, investigation officers described how this gang operated in an organised manner terrorising female pedestrians for their gold ornaments. Gold and valuables worth crores have been stolen and disposed of by the gang members.“The head of the family is a woman named Shera Bi Yusuf Syed, 65 who operates and controls activities of the members and also plans the execution at the chosen spots. Shera Bi not only monitors the execution of the hit, but also coordinates the sale of the stolen booty to her trusted goldsmiths and jewellers. She chooses the riders too -- and it could be anyone from her son to her grandson to her son in law,” said a senior officer from the Thane crime branch.The crime branch chanced upon the group when Shera Bi would turn up regularly turn up at the police station pleading for the release of the accused caught in the act. “The initial arrest that led us to the gang happened in August last year and since then we kept a track on her. Along with her daughter, Fiza Hussain Shaikh, she would assure us that she would help us recover the booty if we helped her. But their real role became clear in November with the arrest of some more accused,” the officer added.Sadik Ali alias Shakil Sayed, 35, and his younger brother Mehendi Yusuf Sayed, 28 – Shera Bi’s sons --would execute the robberies and chain snatchings as a pair while their cousin Kasim Mukhtar Irani, 19 would steal high-speed bikes for the crimes. The bikes were chosen by Shera Bi as the riders believed that it would bring them luck. Kasim used to get Rs 10-15,000 for stealing a bike. Kasim’s brother Waseem alias Pichoti Irani, 25 was also one of the riders who was considered to be one of the fastest riders and was much sought after. The areas where the crime was executed were recced earlier by the rider and then the crime would be executed within a day or two.“Once out, the rider and snatcher would not return without executing three to four snatchings in a day. Shera Bi’s gang was one of the major gangs operating in the area and they also sought services of others from the community. Fiza mastered the art of selling stolen booty and had managed to sell off stolen gold worth more than a crore,” said another officer.Other than chain snatchings, the gang was also involved in duping and robbing senior citizens by posing as cops but as vigil was increased in Mumbai and Thane they shifted to chain snatchings. The youngest member of the gang is 17 – Sadik’s son. He started training to be a rider when he was 16. Shera Bi allowed him to join his father in 2015 and since then he has been with him executing snatchings in select areas.Thane police commissioner, Parambir Singh, termed the snatchings ‘street terror’. “Chain snatchings not only lead to financial loss but it has a huge psychological effect on the victim too. It leaves a scar on her mind. We have started a massive crackdown on gangs involved in these crimes,” he said.