Dawood's car to be burnt today

Swami Chakrapani, the right-wing Hindu leader who successfully bid for a car belonging to fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim at an auction here earlier this month, said it would be burnt publicly in Ghaziabad near Delhi today.

Speaking to PTI over telephone from Delhi, Chakrapani said, "Our organisation has decided to burn the car publicly at Indrapuram in Ghaziabad between 1 PM to 2 PM.

"Burning the car would be symbolic of conducting the last rites of the terrorism that Dawood and his henchmen spread in the country, especially in Mumbai," added Chakrapani, who claims to be the national president of 'All India Hindu Mahasabha' and is one of the petitioners in the Ram Janmabhoomi case.

At an auction



of Dawood's properties held in Mumbai on December 9, Chakrapai bid successfully for the green Hyundai Accent car for a mere Rs 32,000.

"Earlier I wanted to covert the car into an ambulance, but when D-company's (Dawood gang's) henchmen threatened me to be ready to face the consequences, I decided to give a reply to him in his own language. I am going to torch it in full public view," he said.

The car, which is in a battered condition, was transported to Delhi from Mumbai a few days ago.

Chakrapani said he didn't need any security as he was not afraid of threats, though he filed a complaint with Mandir Marg police in Delhi on December 11 after receiving the threat calls.