New Delhi: Wanted gangster Himanshu Bhau has been arrested in the United States after Indian agencies found that he was hiding in Las Vegas and informed US law-enforcement authorities. Another fugitive, Neeraj Faridpuria, has also been detained.
An NIA source said an Interpol red notice had been issued against Himanshu and multiple teams of Delhi Police and Haryana Police had been working to trace his location in the US.
“With the help of technical surveillance and on the basis of source-based information, his location in Las Vegas was tracked down and the coordinates were shared with the LEA (law enforcement agencies) in the US, which made the arrest Thursday evening,” the source said.
India had issued the red notice against Bhau in August 2023. Indian agencies are now working with US authorities to bring him back to the country. A team of senior officers may also visit the US to complete the paperwork.
From Rohtak To A Life Of Crime
Bhau, 23, also known as Kunal, is from Ritoli village in Rohtak, Haryana. Police said he started with extortion in Rohtak’s Subzi Mandi area. He allegedly killed a local youth named Sunny and escaped from a juvenile home in Hisar in 2020, as reported by The Indian Express.
After escaping, he allegedly joined local criminals, including jailed gangster Neeraj Bawana, and began threatening businessmen for money. He later formed his own gang. Police said he faces more than 30 cases, including at least 16 for murder and attempt to murder.
Before a lookout circular was issued against him, Bhau allegedly got a passport in Bareilly using fake papers in the name of Kunal Singh in August 2022 and left India. He first went to the UAE and later reached Europe through the “dunki route.” His relative Sahil, 22, also followed him abroad.
From Portugal, Bhau allegedly ran a gang active in Delhi, Haryana and Punjab with Yogesh Kadian alias Bobby, Sahil and Faridpuria. The gang allegedly made extortion calls from abroad and ordered firing outside the homes of people who refused to pay. Police also said the gang used social media to contact young people and involve them in firing incidents.
Rival Gang Network Under Scanner
Faridpuria is linked to Punjab’s Bambiha gang, which is a rival of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. He was arrested after allegedly removing an ankle tracker following his release on bail earlier this year.
The NIA source said Faridpuria met Kaushal Chaudhary and Amit Dagar in jail and later joined the Bambiha group through a member named Dinesh Gandhi.
At a coordination meeting, Haryana Police reportedly said around 80 gangs were active in the state. It named the Himanshu Bhau gang, the Neeraj Faridpuria gang and the Lawrence Bishnoi/Bhanu Partap gang among the major groups involved in extortion and violent crime.
