- Brijmohan Tyagi's 1994 police encounter marked the start of Delhi-NCR shootouts era
- Rajbir Ramala and Ranpal Gurjar were killed in police encounters, disrupting gangs
- Batla House encounter in 2008 targeted Indian Mujahideen terrorists
It was a pleasant afternoon in Delhi on September 15, 1994, when a notorious criminal, Brijmohan Tyagi of Uttar Pradesh's Meerut, was killed by the police in an encounter, heralding the era of shootouts in the national capital and its neighbouring areas. Since then, the Delhi-NCR (national capital region) has witnessed multiple encounters that have sent shockwaves across the country, with the latest one taking place in Gurugram last night, where the police killed four shooters linked to fugitive gangster Deepak Nandal.
Brijmohan Tyagi's Encounter
At around 2:15 pm on September 15, 1994, the Delhi Police gunned down gangster Brijmohan Tyagi, who was behind multiple extortion calls to businessmen in the national capital. He was cornered by the police when he was reportedly on his way to kill a businessman.
At the time, extortion, contract killings, and gang wars were at their peak in the city, and the operation was considered the beginning of the "encounter era" for the Delhi Police.
End Of Rajbir Ramala, Ranpal Gurjar
Following Tyagi's encounter, Rajbir Singh -- then an inspector with the Delhi Police -- rapidly rose to prominence. He led several major operations and killed gangster Rajbir Ramala, who was wanted in over 40 cases.
During the same period, Ranpal Gurjar - a gangster with a bounty of Rs 2 lakh on his head - was also killed in a police encounter in Faridabad, Haryana. These operations crippled several gangs active along the Delhi-Haryana border.
The Biggest Blunder
An encounter in Delhi's Connaught Place remains one of the most controversial chapters in the history of the police force.
On March 31, 1997, the Delhi Police were searching for members of the Mohammad Yaseen gang. Acting on a tip-off, the police surrounded a Maruti Esteem car and opened fire. However, the car was not carrying gangsters. Two innocent businessmen - Pradeep Goyal and Jagjit Singh - died on the spot.
The court later ruled it a staged encounter and sentenced several police personnel, including the then Assistant Commissioner of Police, SS Rathi, to life imprisonment.
This case is still considered a crucial lesson in police training today.
Shriprakash Shukla's Encounter
On September 22, 1998, the Uttar Pradesh police killed Shriprakash Shukla, who was considered one of the country's most dangerous gangsters, in Ghaziabad.
Shukla was accused of accepting a contract to assassinate the then chief minister, Kalyan Singh. A special task force (STF) was formed to arrest him.
Using new technologies like mobile surveillance, the police tracked him down and killed him in an encounter. This operation is counted among the most successful in the history of Indian policing.
2000-2006: Major Battle Against Terrorism
While frequent encounters against gangsters took place in Delhi-NCR during the 1990s, the focus shifted to counter-terrorism in the 2000s.
In 2000, the Delhi Police killed Abu Shamal, a Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist behind the attack on the Red Fort that left three people dead.
This was followed by an encounter in 2002, in which the Delhi Police's Special Cell gunned down two suspected Lashkar terrorists in the basement of a shopping mall, Ansal Plaza.
Initially, the questions were raised about the encounter, but a court later upheld the police's action.
The Mohammad Yaseen gang were again targeted in 2004.
Members of the Ayub-Aslam gang were also killed in police encounters in 2005 and 2006.
Batla House Encounter
On September 19, 2008, six days after the serial blasts left 26 people dead in Delhi, the special cell conducted raids at Batla House in Jamia Nagar. Two terrorists of the Indian Mujahideen, Atif Amin and Chhota Sajid, were shot dead, and an inspector, Mohan Chand Sharma, was killed in action.
The Batla House encounter remains one of the country's most high-profile and hotly debated police operations. Later, the courts upheld the police's action.
Neetu Dabodia Gunned Down
On October 24, 2013, the police cornered one of Delhi's most wanted gangsters, Surendra Singh, alias Neetu Dabodia, in Vasant Kunj.
A fierce exchange of fire ensued, and Dabodia was killed along with two of his associates.
The police claimed that this operation dismantled a major extortion network operating in Delhi.
Sandeep Gadoli's Encounter
On February 7, 2016, Sandeep Gadoli, a gangster from Gurugram, was killed in a police encounter at a hotel in Mumbai.
However, subsequent investigations revealed it to be a staged encounter. Allegations surfaced that Gadoli's location had been obtained through a honey trap orchestrated in collusion between the police and a rival gang. Several police officers were later arrested in connection with the case.
Two Major Ops In 2018
In 2018, the Delhi Police Special Cell gunned down Rajesh Bharti, the leader of the Kranti gang, and three of his associates. More than 100 rounds were fired during the encounter, and several police personnel were injured.
In the same year, in Noida, Balraj Bhati, a sharpshooter of the Sundar Bhati gang, was killed by the joint police teams of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.
Anil Dujana's Encounter
On May 4, 2023, the Uttar Pradesh police shot dead the notorious gangster Anil Dujana in Meerut. A resident of the Dujana village in Greater Noida, he was wanted in over 60 cases involving murder, extortion, and gang wars.
Police said that he opened fire on the team and was killed in the ensuing retaliatory action.
Himanshu Bhau Gang Members Killed
In July 2024, a major encounter took place in Haryana's Sonipat between the Himanshu Bhau gang members and a joint team of the Haryana Police and Delhi Police Crime Branch. The encounter ended with the deaths of three of the gang's henchmen.
The three shooters were involved in firing incidents at a sweet shop in Gohana and a car showroom in Hisar, as well as the murder of a businessman in Murthal.
Action Against Shooters Who Fired At Disha Patani's House
On September 17, 2025, the Uttar Pradesh STF and the Delhi Police Special Cell killed two shooters in an encounter in the Loni area of Ghaziabad.
They had fired shots at the home of actor Disha Patani.
Shift In Strategy In Recent Years?
After 2017, the police in Uttar Pradesh have adopted strategies like 'Operation Langda', where numerous criminals were arrested after being shot in the leg during encounters.
The Delhi Police Special Cell and Haryana STF have also limited most operations to arrests or brief exchanges of fire.
