The Class of 83: The Punishers of Mumbai Police

by S. Hussain Zaidi

At a time when Mumbai was plagued by underworld gangsters like Dawood Ibrahim, Iqbal Kaskar and Chhota Rajan, the batch of 1983 from the Police Training School (PTC) in Nashik-trained by the legendary Arvind Inamdar-produced a group of prominent encounter specialists who have been credited with bringing back the rule of law in the city.

Famed even within this batch, trigger-happy senior police inspector Pradeep Sharma understood that to save the city from the clutches of the underworld, he would need to dilute rival gangs. The Class of 83 delves deep into the most famous (or infamous) encounters conducted by Sharma and his batch mates. Pradeep Sharma was arrested by the same department he had served for two-and-a-half decades. He faced the ignominy of jail, clubbed in the same cell as the criminals he had arrested. However, he fought for his honour, was acquitted and reinstated into service.

In The Class of 83, S. Hussain Zaidi presents a one-of-a-kind story of a policeman's triumphs, struggles and redemption.

Genres: Crime, Nonfiction, True Crime

237 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 28, 2019

About the author

S. Hussain Zaidi is a prominent Indian author, journalist, and screenwriter celebrated for his invaluable contributions to the world of crime reporting, investigative journalism, and storytelling. Born on February 28, 1962, in Mumbai, India, Zaidi has left an indelible mark on the literary and cinematic landscapes of India, particularly in the realm of crime and the Mumbai underworld.

S. Hussain Zaidi embarked on his career as a crime reporter, where he honed his skills in uncovering hidden truths and delving into the intricacies of organized crime in Mumbai. His early experiences as a journalist provided him with a deep understanding of the criminal world and its dynamics.

Over the years, Zaidi transitioned from journalism to writing and screenwriting, bringing his unparalleled insights and storytelling prowess to a wider audience. His unique ability to humanize the characters in his narratives, whether they are criminals or law enforcement officers, sets his work apart.

"Black Friday: The True Story of the Bombay Bomb Blasts" - Zaidi's book "Black Friday" is a compelling account of the 1993 Bombay bombings. It presents a factual and thorough examination of the events leading up to the blasts and their aftermath.

"Dongri to Dubai: Six Decades of the Mumbai Mafia" - This critically acclaimed book stands as one of Zaidi's most notable works. It meticulously traces the evolution of organized crime in Mumbai over six decades. The book offers a comprehensive and gripping account of the city's criminal history.

"Mafia Queens of Mumbai: Stories of Women from the Ganglands" - In this compelling book, Zaidi sheds light on the powerful and enigmatic women who played significant roles in Mumbai's underworld. He tells their stories with empathy and detail, providing a fresh perspective on the world of crime.

S. Hussain Zaidi's influential literary works have transcended the confines of the written word and made a powerful impact on the silver screen. Some noteworthy adaptations of his books include:

"Black Friday" (2007) - Directed by Anurag Kashyap.
"Shootout at Wadala" (2013) - Directed by Sanjay Gupta.
"Class of '83" (2020) - Directed by Atul Sabharwal.
"Gangubai Kathiawadi" (2022) - Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, among many others.

In addition to his contributions to the film industry, S. Hussain Zaidi has harnessed his creative prowess in the realm of film and web series production. His noteworthy productions encompass projects like "Bard of Blood" and "Scoop" on Netflix, as well as the recent addition "Bambai Meri Jaan," available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

S. Hussain Zaidi has played a pivotal role in nurturing emerging literary talents within the authorship realm. Notably, individuals such as Bilal Siddique, Neeraj Kumar (Commissioner of Delhi Police), Kashif Mashaikh, and many more have found their path to success as authors under his guidance. This mentoring initiative is facilitated through "Blue Salt Media," an imprint in collaboration with Penguin India.

S. Hussain Zaidi's work, both in literature and cinema, continues to captivate audiences with its gritty realism, engaging storytelling, and insights into the complex world of crime and law enforcement in India. His contributions have not only enriched the true crime genre but have also served as a source of inspiration for aspiring writers, journalists, and filmmakers.

Reviews

[Preetam Chatterjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the late 1980s, there was only one target of choice for go-getting, juvenile policemen: Mumbai.

The underworld in Mumbai at the time was prosperous with extortion rackets. Gangsters like Karim Lala, Babu Reshim and Rajan Nair, also known as Bada Rajan, were waging hostilities against each other to institute their superiority over the city.

The Pathan gangs and Dawood Ibrahim were also locked in a violent battle. Blood spilled freely on the Mumbai streets. Contract killings were the order of the day.

The citizens were getting restless, and the police were getting desperate.

Just a year before the batch of 83 graduated from MPA at Nashik, Mumbai had witnessed its first encounter killing.

This is their story. Spine-chilling to the core!!

[Radhika Wazalwar · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is a very gripping and detailed narration of the lives of two careful yet fearless risk-takers Pradeep Sharma and Vijay Salaskar of the Mumbai Police. The duo graduated together from the PTC, Nashik, Maharashtra in 1983, and went on to become the encounter specialists that the thugs and mafia dons dreaded and the police department revered. The book describes their priceless contribution in making Mumbai safer by systematically and meticulously putting away some of the most terrifying criminals, Ibrahim Kaskar and Arun Gawli to name a few.
Apart from the crime scene, the book also frequently stresses upon various other aspects. The author sheds light on the role of media and human rights activists which mold how encounters of both petty and dangerous criminals are viewed and interpreted. For instance, the increased frequency of encounters causes the human rights activists to accuse the police of themselves being the judge, jury, and executioner. The author also lucidly brings about the darker side of the police department including departmental politics, corruption, rivalries, etc.
A thriller fiction never had my heart racing so fast as much as this book, based on true events had. Some encounters and shootouts described in the book are so nerve-racking that you’d at times find it hard to believe that this book is based on real lives lived by real men.
A very well researched jaw-dropping narrative, a must-read for everyone.

[Sourojit Das · Rating 1 out of 5]

The series on Netflix was much, much better than the book. Instead of providing a broad overview of the encounter-specialists of the Class of '83 it keeps largely focusing on Inspector Pradeep Sharma and his relentless rise to the top. Even comparing him to Amitabh Bachchan at the end to draw parallels to his electoral ambitions. Though it makes for a smooth read, the content fails to do justice to the title and ends up being a borderline hagiography of the central character.

[Swetha Amit · Rating 4 out of 5]

The class of 83 chronicles the journey of the 83 batch of the Police training school in Nasik which produced some powerful encounter specialists.

This is set around the time when Mumbai was infested with the deadly underworld gangsters. Senior Police inspector Pradeep Sharma vows to clean up the city from the mafia and bring back law and order. The book further delves into the world of high octane shooting encounters, car chases, drug mafia and informants. It also highlights the unforgettable 26/11 episode.

The class of 83 is a gripping narrative of a renowned officer who along with success also faced his downfall and eventually bounced back to glory. It showcases rivalry, jealousy, fair weathered friendships and how success always comes at a price. Themes of power, fear and revenge are touched upon here.

The class of 83 is informative, well researched and gives an insight into the world of crime. It’s bound to be enjoyed by those who possess a penchant for this particular genre.

[Saurabh Pandey · Rating 3 out of 5]

After watching the trailer of the movie which is going to be released on Netflix based on this book, I thought of reading this book to satisfy my curiosity about the world which has been a matter of discussion among the people and this book will give you insights to the facts which are not generally available in the public domain. In the initial chapters of this book, we get to know about the whole background of the formation of the squad which was responsible for the numerous encounters with the goons who broke the law of the land in Mumbai.
The other half of this book covers one man who has been the backbone of the whole encounter specialist squad and has a huge number of encounters to his name. This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to know about the encounters and events which happened with the Mumbai Police in the 90s and early 2000.

[Abbas Ali Mirza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being a fan I love a the books written by Mr.Zaidi. but this one is special as it's the first time the author has written about a non-mafia. This book is about the 1983 batch of police officers like Pradeep Sharma, Vijay Salaskar and more.

I would recommend this book to all nonfiction readers.

[Dakshesh Thacker · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was August 2008 when as Grade X student I picked up Black Friday at the Kemps Corner Crossword store and was introduced to Hussain Zaidi's world of underworld crime chronicling in the city I grew up in. In the last twelve years I have periodically read each of Zaidi's books as he releases them. Zaidi provides on paper an expansive description of stories leading to an intellectual journey otherwise only seen on reel in movies like Satya, Shool, Compny and Sarkar.
Personally I have had mixed experiences and The Class of 83 seems like a book I have previously read with slightly different characters and new set pieces. Unlike Dongri to Dubai this book doesn't follow a sequential flow of events. Unlike Black Friday which probably had the novelty of being the first of its kind, Class of 83 doesn't have the freshness of a captivating narrative. Also, the title of the book alludes to the story of a cohort of cops/officers. However, the story focuses about 2/3rd of its chapters on just one and the rest on another with a few others getting passing mentions while detailing a few episodes. Hence, my principal beef lies with the title of the book.
However, Zaidi does a masterful job in building a taut unputdownable narrative of events with short, explosive chapters peppered with anecdotes. There are certain blanks in the narrative and at times it does go back and forth but by and large it sucks you in like any good detective novel would. Class of 83 would best suit a reader whose looking for a fast read to be covered in a day or two and is inclined towards crime and crime based fiction. My motivation to pick up Class of 83 was to understand the life of some of the heroes of Mumbai better and I'm not sure if a lot of readers out there have similar inclinations as me. Would recommend it only to a serious crime/ Mumbai mafia stories buff.

[Aditi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well researched , this book spans the career of Pradeep Sharma and Vijay Salaskar to a smaller extent. This is really an ode to Pradeep Sharma.

I found the writing style a bit dramatic which kind of slowed me down at places.

Also , worth noting the synopsis of the the Netflix series reads quite different from the actual book.

[Navdeep Singh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again Mr Zaidi has proved that he is one of the best crime writers of this time. Interesting, thrilling and emotional this book tells one of many tales of real life heros who kept mumbai safe.

Mr zaidi if you are reading this, i have read all of your books waiting for many more to come.

[Girish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very detailed storytelling of Mumbai police and it's war against the underworld, terrorism and the mechanics between ground level cop work but with Indian film elements sprinkled in the story, Must read for a fun time and a good crime novel

[Saurabh Pandey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is based in Mumbai, where protagonist which are multiple in numbers are police officers who deal with crime.
This is a must-read for anyone who wants to know about the situation of Mumbai in the late 80s and early 90s.

[Purva Khandelwal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting read.

[Urvir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stories to mark your faith in police

[Rohit Tandekar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yet another title picked up because of a good book cover and summary and yet another disappointment. It's true when they say - Don't judge a book by its cover.

Pradeep Sharma's story is painted with bollywood-esque strokes by this other famous Hussain (Zaidi, not M.F.). His larger than life character is brought to life by words sprinkled with mass masala, which almost feels like the author was writing for a Milan Zaveri movie. The reader is greeted with this no-nonsense, self-sacrificing, crime-fighting, underworld-hating encounter specialist who doesn't back down. Famous gangsters and how Mr. Sharma brought them to justice (by murdering them) is what the book celebrates.

There's no nuance to the book - It's all black (underworld, crime, society, the system) and white (Mr. Sharma, Mr. Karkare etc.). No cop is capable of doing anything wrong, no law and order exists (even for the fake 'encounters). Therein lies the trouble. The veracity of the facts can't be verified and the author doesn't make it very easy for the reader to believe him either.

The book is small and fast paced, which is its saving grace. It could also be an entertaining (not educational) read for first time readers.

[Deepa Duraisamy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting. Engaging. A well drawn timeline around encounter specialists Pradeep Sharma and late Vijay Salaskar, what made them so, hard backing each other only to go different ways at a critical node. The who's who in the police department of the 80s and 90s when encounters were rampant, the inter relationships, the politics of it all, driving factors, the rise and fall of the underworld and organized crime in Mumbai, the coming to power of Shiv Sena, puppetry or ugliness of it all.

Of how when it comes to power and control, there's no real definition of right or wrong and how the lines get blurred to an extent where their mere existence is questionable. Of plotlines where the ends justify the means. When doing what needs to be done seems more justifiable then toeing the line as per law.

Heads-up: Several colloquial references, a handful Hindi dialogues typed in English though (translated into English meaning as well). A well documented read into the 'Punishers of the Mumbai Police' but not one that may scale internationally.

[Valay · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is indeed a page turner but at the same time, it looks like it is paid write up by Hussain Zaidi who has just gone on to defend the former cop Pradeep Sharma.

The entire book tends to praise and shower accolades on the policing career of Pradeep Sharma and barely found any instance where the author criticised the policeman. Further, while the title talks about the ‘Class of 1983’ and ‘punishers’ of Mumbai, the book talks about just one officer from that Class of 1983.

The stories do provide a lot of insights into how Police functioned in Mumbai during the 1980s-1990s, how the underworld’s presence impacted policing as well as people’s lives and how vested interests can damage the careers of efficient officers.

All in all it is an entertaining book with a hint of trying to wash any and every sin of a particular policeman.

[Girish Kamath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Much better than a crime novel. 5 stars.

The Class of 83 is more about Pradeep Sharma than others from the class. Zaidi makes Pradeep Sharma centre of all the incidents and narrates the events from Sharma's point of view. Zaidi's research is so deep & wide spread that this book is a far better read than any crime novel. Not for single moment can you think of putting this book down. It's fast paced, and at the same time, filled with information about crime & police tactics. I am glad the book ended on a happy note; Sharma deserves all the successes & accolades for cleansing Mumbai of the underworld. Thoroughly enjoyable read. 5 stars.

[Siddharth Singhal · Rating 4 out of 5]

One-sided portrayal of the encounter specialist squad of Mumbai Police, particularly focused on Pradeep Sharma. He is projected as a larger then life hero, a man who does no wrong, a messiah who rids the reeling city from the grasp of dreaded mafias by answering them bullet for bullet without ever getting to sources of his income during extended times he was off duty, his expensive taste in lifestyle and how he financed them.

I'm not someone who's exactly critical of the methods he took to clean up the city nor do I care much about the moralistic side of it but this portrayal seemed way too one dimensional for a character as complex in a timeline so happening.

[Shubhanshu Shrivastava · Rating 4 out of 5]

S. Hussain Zaid can sure tell a story! If you are a fan of his 'Dongri to Dubai' & 'Byculla to Bangkok' then surely you're going to love this one. Instead of gangsters, it tells the story of iconic police men who played a major part in uprooting the organized crime in Mumbai - Vijay Salaskar & Pradeep Sharma. Policemen we have all heard the names of, especially if you've ever lived in Mumbai or nearby.

P.s.: Do not watch the Netflix series with the same name. That is a very poor adaptation and rarely picks the actual story told in the book.

[Kiran Hegde · Rating 5 out of 5]

End to end stuff, never disappointed by Zaidi's writing, he keeps you engrossed from the first page.
The book is about Pradeep Sharma one of the graduates of 1983 Police academy. Pradeep rose to fame as one of the encounter specialist at the time when the city of Mumbai was ridded with extortion and gang war. An encounter specialist journey from his first kill, meticulous planning, networking and informants keeps you enthralled throughout this journey of kill and thrill.

[anurag · Rating 3 out of 5]

A semi biography of Pradeep Sharma

The book says that it covers all the famed encounter specialist from the class of 1983, but it mostly focusses on the journey of Pradeep Sharma. One might find stories of Vijay Salskar, but other encounter cops stories are missing. The book seems to be supremely sympathetic toward Pradeep Sharma and doesn't come out as a critical note on the lives of encounter cops.

Written in lucid manner with good storytelling.

[Riddhi Datta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely a good read. And we already know the depth of research that Hussain Zaidi does and the amount of detailing in each of his stories.
Definitely you will get to know more about the Mumbai underworld. But I have to say that there are better books written by this up. Pick this up if you are really a fan of his work.

[Bodhisattwa Majumder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Never enjoyed a non-fiction so much. Regardless of the authors grasp over the language, the impossible feats achieved by the best of the best of Mumbai Police - Vijay Salaskar and Pradeep Sharma makes such a gripping plot which makes this book impossible to put down. Helped me know a lot about my city and how the Mumbai Police worked towards making it what it is today.

[Chirag Ojha · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a while to finish the book. The story is well written and engaging. Perspective of critique of Mr. Sharma and other officers were not put up as much as I would have wished for.

Definetely not a nutral perspective. More of a prasing one, which is nothing wrong in itself. Bottom line all facts stated are true but opinions.. well it depends on who you ask.

A must read.

[Siddhartha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as gripping as Hussain Zaidi's other books

Interesting subject and thoroughly researched book. Only issue I had was the with continuity of the chapters. They seem like written is sylos than in order.

[Ashwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book by Hussain Zaidi which traces the journey of Bombay boy Vijay Salaskar and the UP boy Pradeep Sharma. There rise from obscurity to the frontline of media, this is a gripping book on crime, metropolis Mumbai and two rebels who tried to beat the system.

[mihir mistry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing intriguing about it

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome read.

[SRS · Rating 4 out of 5]

It really gives an insight into the so called cutthroat world that is the Mumbai Police.

[Vijay Gala · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awspiring Police Stories of Pradeep Sharma and Vijay Salaskar.