Dawood Ibrahim, one of India’s most notorious criminals, is infamous for his role in the 1993 Bombay bombings and his subsequent designation as a global terrorist with a $25 million bounty on his head. Yet, even this powerful figure faced a formidable opponent: Sapna Didi. Her story, largely forgotten today, is recounted in Hussain Zaidi’s book, *Mafia Queens of Mumbai*, offering a glimpse into the life of a woman who dedicated herself to bringing down the feared gangster. Zaidi describes her as a “femme fatale,” an “avenging angel,” possessing strikingly attractive features.
Born Ashraf into a conservative Muslim family in Mumbai, Sapna Didi’s life took a dramatic turn following the tragic death of her husband, Mehmood Khan. Initially unaware of her husband’s connections to the criminal underworld, Ashraf learned after his murder at Mumbai airport that Dawood Ibrahim had ordered the hit because Mehmood refused to comply with his instructions. This devastating event ignited a fierce desire for revenge within her.
Adopting the alias Sapna Didi, Ashraf embarked on a mission to dismantle Dawood’s empire. Seeking guidance from rival gangster Hussain Ustara, she learned to use weapons and began systematically disrupting Dawood’s operations. She intercepted arms shipments, targeted illegal businesses, and played a crucial role in closing down numerous gambling dens and dance bars across Mumbai. As Zaidi writes, “She knew the Mumbai underworld like the back of her hand and was creating unprecedented fear in the minds of Dawood’s many henchmen.”
One of Sapna Didi’s most audacious plans involved assassinating Dawood during an India-Pakistan cricket match in Sharjah in the early 1990s. Knowing Dawood frequented the VIP section, she devised a strategy involving her men using improvised weapons like umbrellas and broken bottles to attack him amidst the chaos of the game. However, before she could execute her plan, Sapna Didi was discovered.
In 1994, Dawood’s men tracked her down to her Mumbai home and brutally murdered her, inflicting 22 stab wounds. Terrorized by Dawood’s power, no one dared intervene, leaving her to die before reaching the hospital.
Today, Sapna Didi’s story remains largely obscure, with no known photographs existing to preserve her image. Her courageous defiance of one of India’s most powerful criminals, however, stands as a testament to her unwavering resolve and serves as a stark reminder of the brutal realities of the Mumbai underworld.