Tillu Tajpuriya gang shooter arrested after encounter in Delhi

A member of Tillu Tajpuriya gang has been arrested in Delhi’s Sarojini Nagar area after a brief exchange of fire, an official said on Wednesday.

According to police, Manjeet alias Dada from Haryana was wanted in a murder case registered against him in Alipur in north Delhi. He sustained a gunshot injury to his leg during the shootout and is currently undergoing treatment, police said.

On Tuesday, the accused was arrested for killing Karan Thapa, a known associate of the rival Gogi gang, who was gunned down by unidentified assailants riding motorcycles in the Nehru Enclave area of Alipur on March 28. He was rushed to Harishchandra Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries, a senior police officer said.

“Preliminary investigation pointed to the deep-rooted and violent rivalry between the Tillu Tajpuriya and Gogi gangs as the motive behind the murder. Three persons were identified as the shooters in the case — Manjeet alias Dada, Neeraj alias Bhura of Nangloi and Himanshu alias Monu of Behror in Rajasthan,” he said.

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Himanshu, who had conducted reconnaissance of the area before the attack, was arrested earlier, while the other two remained on the run.

Based on inputs about Manjeet’s movements, police laid a trap in Sarojini Nagar.

“When Manjeet was intercepted, he tried to flee and opened fire at the police team, firing three rounds. In retaliation, police fired a controlled shot, injuring the accused in the leg and leading to his arrest,” the officer added.

A fresh case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Arms Act has been registered at the Police Station Crime Branch, and the investigation is underway.

During interrogation, Manjeet disclosed that he had been acting on the directions of gangster Deepak Pakasma alias Bhola, who assumed command of the Tillu Tajpuriya gang after Tajpuriya was murdered in Tihar Jail in 2023.

“Pakasma is believed to be operating from abroad and coordinating gang activities from there. Manjeet, along with his associates, Neeraj and Himanshu, allegedly shot multiple rounds at Thapa, leading to his death,” he added.

Manjeet, who hails from Humayunpur village in Rohtak, studied up to Class 12 at a government school and had enrolled in ITI Kharkhoda, but dropped out. He later joined the gang and became an active member, participating in several crimes.

Police said he has been previously involved in six criminal cases related to attempt to murder, extortion, and Arms Act violations in Delhi and Haryana. These include cases registered with the Special Cell in Delhi and various police stations in Rohtak, Sampla and Kharkhoda in Haryana, including a 2019 gang rape and POCSO case.

Police said one pistol with three live cartridges, a stolen motorcycle and a mobile phone were recovered from his possession at the time of arrest. Efforts are on to trace his associate Neeraj and unravel further links of the Tillu Tajpuriya gang’s operations.