Diwali bonuses for gangs include sexual favours, branded clothes and feast dabbas for prison inmates

Diwali is a time when most of Mumbai's gangsters want to renew their bonds with the shooters and buy their loyalties. Money is distributed to gang members so that their families can celebrate a lavish Diwali. This year, 'dry fruit' has sent only a small mithai-ka-dabba to their tiklis, thanks to the global slowdown and heat turned on by Mumbai police. 'Dry fruit' refers to the don and mithai-ka-dabba is the bonus sent to members of the gang on the eve of Diwali and tiklis are the shooters.



"Gangsters holed up overseas usually try to call their relatives and speak to them during the festival season. In some cases, they arrange for their family members to slip away to secret destinations abroad to meet them. Normally, they gamble and drink,'' says Rakesh Maria, Joint Commissioner of Police, crime.

Lock up festivities
"Diwali is a time when dons don't want to disappoint. Gangsters usually get nostalgic and emotional during festivals. A lapse would be taken very seriously,'' informs a former prison inmate and gang member. Chhota Rajan allegedly ensures that his men in prisons are given a lavish treatment. A grand spread is arranged with biryani topping the menu list. Almost all the members are also provided with new clothes especially jeans, informs a source.

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