Tillu Tajpuriya gang member arrested after shootout in city

A key member of the Tillu Tajpuriya gang was arrested in Delhi’s Sarojini Nagar following a brief exchange of gunfire, officials said on Wednesday.

The accused, identified as Manjeet, alias Dada, a resident of Haryana, was wanted in connection with a murder case lodged in Alipur, North Delhi.

The police said Manjeet sustained a bullet injury in his leg during the encounter and is currently undergoing treatment.

The arrest is linked to the killing of Karan Thapa, an associate of the rival Gogi gang, who was shot dead by motorcycle-borne assailants in Alipur’s Nehru Enclave on March 28.

Initial investigations suggest that the murder was fueled by the ongoing violent rivalry between Tillu Tajpuriya and Gogi gangs.

Three individuals were identified as suspects in the case — Manjeet, alias Dada, Neeraj, alias Bhura of Nangloi, and Himanshu, alias Monu, of Behror, Rajasthan. While Himanshu, who carried out a recce of the area before the attack, had already been arrested, Manjeet and Neeraj remained absconding.

Acting on a tip-off about Manjeet’s movements, the police laid a trap in Sarojini Nagar.

According to a senior officer, when confronted, Manjeet attempted to escape and fired three rounds at the police team. In response, the police fired a gun shot that struck him in the leg, enable his capture.

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

During interrogation, Manjeet confessed to acting on the instructions of Deepak Pakasma, alias Bhola, who took over the gang’s leadership after the murder of Tillu Tajpuriya inside Tihar Jail in 2023.

Pakasma is reportedly directing the gang’s activities from outside the country.

Manjeet also revealed that he, Neeraj and Himanshu fired multiple shots at Thapa, resulting in his death.

Originally from Humayunpur village in Rohtak, Manjeet studied up to Class 12 at a government school and enrolled at ITI-Kharkhoda, but later dropped out. He subsequently joined the Tillu gang and became actively involved in its operations.

He has a history of criminal involvement with at least six cases registered against him in Delhi and Haryana, including charges of attempted murder, extortion and violations under the Arms Act. Notably, he is also linked to a 2019 gang rape and POCSO case.

At the time of the arrest, the police recovered a pistol with three live rounds, a stolen motorcycle and a mobile phone from Manjeet.