New Delhi, Oct 7: A wanted Nepali gangster, Bhim Mahabahadur Jora, was shot dead in a police encounter at Astha Kunj Park near New Delhi's Nehru Place, officials said on Tuesday.

The joint operation was carried out by the Gurugram Crime Branch (Sector 43) and the Delhi Police's Special Staff late on Monday night.

The 30-year-old criminal, carrying a cash reward of Rs one lakh, was wanted in multiple heinous crimes, including murder, dacoity, and a recent Rs 20 lakh burglary in Gurugram, Haryana, at the residence of a BJP functionary, according to the police.

One sophisticated automatic pistol, one live round, empty cartridges and a bag containing housebreaking tools have been recovered by the police.

The officials also mentioned that the operation was led by Inspector Narendra Sharma of the Sector 43 Crime Branch.

Acting on a specific tip-off received late Monday night about Jora's presence in Astha Kunj Park along with an associate, joint teams from both forces surrounded the area.

Upon spotting the police, Jora opened indiscriminate fire in an attempt to flee. Inspector Sharma, whose bulletproof jacket was hit by a bullet during the gunfire, narrowly escaped unhurt.

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Despite repeated warnings to surrender, Jora continued firing at the police. In retaliatory fire, he sustained severe injuries and was rushed to AIIMS Trauma Centre, where he succumbed during treatment. His associate managed to escape under the cover of darkness.

Police said Jora, originally from Nepal, was the alleged kingpin of a transnational Nepali dacoity and theft syndicate. He had been absconding for nearly 17 months for his role in the brutal murder of 63-year-old Dr Yogesh Chandra Paul in Jangpura, New Delhi, during a robbery attempt in May 2024.

Jora, along with five accomplices, had killed the doctor during the break-in. While he managed to evade arrest, four of his co-accused were captured in connection with the case, police said.

Investigations have revealed that Jora operated a well-structured gang that infiltrated various Indian cities using fake Aadhaar cards. Male and female members of the group, mostly from Nepal, posed as domestic help in high-profile homes in Delhi, Gurugram, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Surat.

After gaining the trust of employers, they would execute planned robberies -- often by drugging family members or holding them hostage -- before fleeing with cash, gold, and valuables back to Nepal, the officials mentioned.

Jora had multiple criminal cases pending in Delhi and Gurugram, and his use of fake identities made it extremely difficult for law enforcement to track him.

Officials said his neutralisation was the result of strong coordination and intelligence-sharing between the Delhi and Gurgaon police forces.

(IANS)

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