The Cost of Order: Inside Mumbai’s Deadly War Between 'Encounter Cops' and the Underworld
In the 1990s, Mumbai wasn't just India's financial capital—it was a city under siege. Extortion, daylight shootouts, and car bombings were the currency of a vast criminal empire controlled by the infamous D-Company and its elusive kingpin, Dawood Ibrahim. The Cost of Order: Inside Mumbai’s Deadly War
The 2023 documentary —available to stream on Netflix —takes viewers directly into the heart of this violent era. It explores the terrifying rise of the mafia and the equally controversial response by law enforcement: the birth of the "encounter specialist". The Shadow Over the City It explores the terrifying rise of the mafia
By the mid-90s, the Mumbai mafia's grip was suffocating. No industry was safe. Gangsters demanded protection money from local merchants and famously extorted Bollywood producers and movie stars. Bloodshed reached a boiling point after the tragic 1993 Bombay bombings, a coordinated attack that forever altered the landscape of the city and its policing. Fighting Fire with Fire Gangsters demanded protection money from local merchants and
Pushed to the brink and operating in a state of chaos, the Mumbai police force authorized a specialized, elite unit. Their mission was simple: eliminate the gangsters by any means necessary.
The following feature article captures the tension, history, and moral ambiguity explored in the film.