Wrestler-turned-gangster Manjeet held at Singhu Border

The Delhi Police have arrested fugitive gangster and former national-level wrestler Manjeet Dalal from the Singhu Border area here, an official said on Sunday.

The accused, a sharpshooter associated with the Neeraj Bawana-Amit Bhura gang, had been absconding and was wanted in multiple cases, including firing on police teams, attempted murder and mafia extortion, an official statement said.

“Dalal, a native of Bahadurgarh, Haryana, had once been a wrestler, securing a silver medal at the national level in 2007 in the 86 kg category,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Aditya Gautam said in the statement.

However, his life took a turn after his mother died of cancer in 2010 and his father left home, following which he joined notorious gangster Neeraj Bawana’s gang, the officer said. The police were informed that the accused had stopped attending court hearings and abandoned his native residence, Gautam said.

After a month-long operation, police received a tip-off regarding his movements near the Singhu Border. A trap was laid and Dalal was arrested without any gunfire, he added. There are at least 10 major cases registered against him.