Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai

Mumbai, May 18: In a startling incident, the Andheri police have arrested a popular tennis ball cricketer and YouTuber, along with two of his friends, for allegedly assaulting and robbing a senior citizen of his gold chain worth Rs 1.5 lac. The main accused, Wasim Noor Mohammad Shaikh (30), is known for his cricketing videos where he mimics MS Dhoni’s iconic ‘helicopter shot’ and showcases training sessions.

Shaikh, a resident of Rashid Compound in Kausa, Mumbra, is a well-known face in the softball cricket circuit. The other two accused, Shaheed Farukh Shaikh (20) of Mumbra and Tofiq Riyaz Ahmad Idrishi (21) from Shilphata, Thane, were also arrested in the case.

The incident took place late night on May 5, when 63-year-old Shankar Jayram Joshi was walking along the footpath near Vijay Nagar Society in Andheri East. The trio allegedly pushed, assaulted, and robbed him of his 25-gram gold chain before fleeing towards Andheri railway station.

Joshi filed a complaint soon after the incident, leading to a swift investigation. Under the supervision of DCP (Zone X) Sachin Gunjal and ACP Shashikant Bhosale, Senior Inspector Ramesh Bhame formed two special teams. Led by PSIs Kishor Parkale and S Supe, the teams combed through CCTV footage from over 250 cameras across the vicinity.

Three hours after the robbery, the suspects were traced boarding a vehicle at Vakola Junction. Through technical surveillance, the vehicle was tracked to Mumbra, where all three accused were arrested. Police have recovered the stolen chain, and none of the suspects have previous criminal records.

PSI Kishor Parkale told mid-day, “We have arrested the three accused who robbed the senior citizen. The main accused, Shaikh, is a tennis ball cricketer who frequently posts social media reels hitting Dhoni-style helicopter sixes.”

The case highlights a shocking instance of social media fame turning into infamy, as police continue to tighten surveillance to prevent such street crimes.