Gangster couple Kala Jathedi & Anuradha to tie the knot under watchful eye of 200 cops — and as many guests

According to police sources, however, an estimated 150-200 personnel from several units would be deployed in and around the venue on March 12. These, sources said, would include personnel from units including SWAT, the 3rd Battalion, Special Cell and district police.

Haryana Police personnel, sources added, will take over Jathedi’s security after he enters the state’s jurisdiction for the Grah Prawesh ceremony to be held at his house in Sonepat before he is scheduled to go back to Mandoli Jail, where he is serving time.

A senior Delhi Prisons official said the jail administration had conveyed the court order to the Delhi Police, whose 3rd Battalion would escort and secure Jathedi during his parole period for the ceremonies.

According to Jathedi’s legal team, around 150-200 people will be attending the wedding. From Anuradha’s side, her sister and brother will be in attendance. The guest list is still being decided by Jathedi’s family, which will be shared with DCP Dwarka on Monday once finalised, they said.

Arrangements at the venue, police sources said, included hydraulic platforms which would raise the couple above the ground for the jaimala (exchange of garlands) and a “golden theme” for decorations at the banquet hall.

Duo met 4 years ago

Jathedi alias Sandeep Jhanjhariya was born into an agricultural family. As a youngster, he liked to wrestle and dreamt of joining the Armed forces. However, he became involved in petty crimes from a young age and was jailed for the first time in 2004. His crimes eventually escalated to murder and extortion, according to police sources, citing his interrogation report.

Jathedi, sources said, landed in jail again in 2012 after attacking a police vehicle and killing three men, and stealing rifles. In January 2020, while lodged in Bhondsi jail, he was introduced to gangsters Lawrence Bishnoi and Sampat Nehra through his childhood friend, Raju Basodi. They planned his escape from prison — the following month, Jathedi escaped custody in Faridabad after a shootout, said sources.

It was later that year, in November 2020, that Jathedi was introduced to Anuradha — aka Madam Don — in Indore, where she arrived while on the run. Love blossomed and after an informal temple wedding, the two continued to give Delhi Police the slip before being arrested by the Special Cell in UP’s Saharanpur in 2021.

Anuradha had been involved in several kidnapping and extortion cases in the past, which she had carried out at Rajasthan gangster Anand Pal’s behest, as per police sources. She had alleged, as per sources, that she ran Pal’s gang for a short time while he was on the run between 2015 and 2017, but later recanted the statement saying his daughter and brother, Vicky Singh (who introduced her to Jathedi) had run it in his stead. She was also reportedly in a relationship with Pal until he died in a police encounter in 2017. Pal and Vicky also had links to the Bishnoi gang.

According to police sources, it was Bishnoi and gangster Goldy Brar who had instructed Anuradha to teach Jathedi how to hide his tracks digitally while the two remained on the run. A BTech graduate in Computer Science who also holds an MBA degree, she readily took up the task.

As per police sources, the two lived as husband and wife in Indore for four months before shifting base to Bihar’s Purnia in March 2021. Till their arrest, the couple went to Lucknow, Mumbai, Tirupati, Mathura, and Agra before settling at Haridwar. Anuradha managed to get bail post her arrest; Jathedi is in Mandoli jail.

Surprisingly, the two managed to keep in touch despite their circumstances. “For Jathedi, marriage will be a valid reason to seek frequent paroles while Anuradha can have a place to stay with her in-laws,” said a senior police officer.