Top Delhi gangster Neetu Dabodia killed in encounter

The Special Cell of the Delhi Police said Friday that they had killed one of the capital city's top gangsters, Neetu Dabodia, in an encounter near a hotel in South Delhi's Vasant Kunj area late on Thursday night.

Special Commissioner of the Delhi Police's Special Cell, S.N. Srivasatava, said the encounter took place after police received a tip-off of Dabodia being in the Vasant Kunj area.

Srivastava said Dabodia's car was intercepted near Hotel Grand Hyatt at around 10:30 p.m. on Thursday.

"When police intercepted them and asked them to surrender, they allegedly rammed their car into the police vehicle and opened fire at them. In retaliatory fire, Dabodia and his two accomplices were grievously injured and taken to the AIIMS Trauma Centre where they were declared brought dead," Srivasatava told media here.

While one associate was identified as Alok Gupta, the identity of the third person is yet to established, Srivasatava said.

Dabodia was involved in over 50 cases of murder, extortion, contract killing and kidnapping and carried a reward of Rs. seven lakh. Dabodia had escaped from Haryana Police's custody in August last year, while being brought to the Saket court from the Bhondsi Jail in Gurgaon.

He was also involved in the killing of head constable in Delhi in December last year, and was injured in an encounter with the Special Cell of the Delhi Police and Punjab Police in February this year.