Delhi Police declare war on 'Faizals' and 'Sardars' of Gangs of Delhi, seize ₹50 lakh, 1.25 kg gold & weapons in raid

In one of the largest anti-gang operations in recent months, the Delhi Police launched a coordinated crackdown on organised crime across the National Capital Region (NCR) on Thursday night. The massive operation, aimed at dismantling notorious gangs and curbing rising gang violence, involved simultaneous raids at 58 locations spread across Delhi, Sonipat, Sampla, Jhajjar, Rohtak, and Bahadurgarh.

According to an official statement, more than 40 teams from the Outer North District Police were deployed for this operation. The raids targeted hideouts and associates of some of the most feared gangs in the region, including those led by Kala Jathedi, Jitender alias Gogi, Neeraj Bawana, Rajesh Bawana, Tillu Tajpuriya, Kapil Sangwan alias Nandu, and Nettu Dabodha.

The police initially detained 36 individuals during the operation, with six of them formally arrested and booked under relevant sections of the Arms Act. Among those arrested are Shaktiman (34) of Khera Khurd, Vedpal (55) of Tikri Khurd, Prem Singh Sehrawat (67) of Bawana, Naveen (30) of Karala, Ankit alias Vishal (25) of Karala, and Hariom alias Ankit alias Akki (25) of Karala.


A significant cache of weapons and valuables was recovered, including around ₹50 lakh in cash, 1.25 kilograms of gold, four pistols, several live cartridges, and a bulletproof Scorpio SUV. Outer North Police, which led a large part of the operation, raided approximately 39 locations and even arrested the father of gangster Neeraj Bawana under the Arms Act.

Officials stated that the crackdown is part of a continuing effort to dismantle criminal syndicates operating in Delhi-NCR. Seven FIRs have been registered so far, and further investigation is underway. More arrests are expected as police continue to follow leads and interrogate those detained.

Gangs of Delhi

Delhi is grappling with a complex underworld, home to 95 notorious gangs. These gangs, evolving from older groups like Kishan Pehalwan and Anoop-Balraj to newer entities such as the Bishnoi and Sangwan gangs, engage in illicit activities, leading to turf wars, extortion, and murders, with some operations controlled remotely from foreign countries, posing a significant challenge to law enforcement and requiring a comprehensive approach addressing both direct action and underlying socio-economic issues.

Delhi's gang landscape has transformed over the years. The capital now has a complex underbelly characterised by the presence of various notorious gangs.

These gangs are engaged in a range of illicit activities that put them at odds with law enforcement and with each other. The city often witnesses turf wars, extortion rackets and murders.

Investigators attribute the large number of gangs to Delhi's topography, proximity to states like Haryana and UP, and a large migrant population in Jhuggi-Jhopri clusters.

Many gangs initially formed to settle personal scores or gain an edge in college elections. The situation quickly escalated, with both sides resorting to violence and eventually engaging in full-fledged criminal activities to sustain their rivalry.

Lawrence Bishnoi's foray into crime was also triggered by the rivalry between student organisations in Punjab. Many Delhi gangsters' journey began with petty crimes, was nurtured during stints in jail, and ultimately found success driven by the aspiration to live a luxurious lifestyle.

Gangster Kala Jathedi was first arrested for snatching a mobile phone in 2004. A trip to jail prompted him to form his own gang.

Most gangsters in Delhi want to name their gangs after their own names. Cops often inadvertently fuel their reputation by labelling small groups of 3-4 collaborators as a gang, effectively legitimizing their existence in police files.

Each of the gangs have their own distinct identity and sphere of influence. The big names operate across Delhi, targeting businessmen, bookies, property dealers and builders for extortion. The smaller groups engage in activities like robbery, snatching and land grabbing.

A significant number of gangs in Delhi, like the Badhwar gang, are engaged in smuggling and selling illicit liquor in the city and neighbouring states. There are also these "Thak Thak gangs" who originally got their name from police for their modus operandi of knocking on car windows before striking.

The big gangs have 50 to 150 members and have an average six to seven cases against each member. The smaller ones have 5-30 members each.

The gangs have access to the best of weapons in Delhi, including copies of foreign-made pistols like Zigana, Taurus, Beretta and Star. They also use the usual 7.65mm pistols manufactured in hubs like Khargone in Madhya Pradesh, Meerut in UP and Munger in Bihar.

The existence of such a large number of gangs is a significant challenge for the authorities. They are tasked with maintaining law and order in a city that is both a political hub and a densely populated urban centre.