3 min readGurgaonUpdated: Jan 27, 2026 06:58 AM IST
Gurgaon Police constable Rohit Balauria was honoured on Republic Day for his role in the encounter of gangster Bhim Bahadur Jora after a Nepal-based undercover operation.(File Photo for representation)
Constable Rohit Balauria of Gurgaon Police’s Sector 43 Crime Branch was felicitated by Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on the occasion of Republic Day on Monday.
He received a commendation certificate for his contribution to the ‘encounter’ of notorious criminal Bhim Bahadur Jora in October last year. Speaking with The Indian Express, Inspector Narendra Kumar Sharma said it was a proud moment for him and that Balauria deserved the commendation.
Constable Balauria said it was a morale booster for not just himself, but the entire force. Speaking about the operation, he said: “…I was in Nepal, undercover, for 10 days in September. In civil dress, I gathered intel on his (Jora’s) last movements. I also figured out how he functioned — he would change phones and addresses every week to avoid detection. We managed to trace his last movements and lure him back to Delhi with some local assistance.”
Jora, a 30-year-old Nepalese national and a gang leader, was wanted in multiple cases and carried a reward of Rs 1 lakh. He had evaded arrest for 17 months after he allegedly got involved in the murder of 63-year-old doctor Yogesh Chandra Paul during a burglary in Delhi’s Jangpura Extension in May 2024. Jora and his accomplices were allegedly provided inputs on valuables by the victim’s domestic help Basanti.
Jora headed a syndicate operating for over a decade across cities like Delhi, Gurgaon, Surat, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, recruiting Nepalese people who possessed fake Aadhaar cards and posed as domestic workers to gather intelligence on targets. They would sedate or restrain residents, steal cash and jewellery before fleeing to Nepal. Jora was previously arrested in connection with a 2014 dacoity in Surat, a 2022 theft in Ghaziabad, and another 2022 burglary in Bengaluru, but obtained bail and resumed operations each time.
The breakthrough for Balauria and the team came after Jora’s accomplice Yubhraj Thapa alias Yuvraj Thapa was arrested at Delhi’s Anand Vihar Railway Station. Thapa told police that Jora was involved in a Rs 20 lakh theft on October 2, 2025, at the residence of BJP leader Mamta Bharadwaj in Gurgaon Sector 49.
The programme, held on Monday at the Tau Devi Lal Stadium, was also attended by District Deputy Commissioner Ajay Kumar and Police Commissioner Vikas Kumar Arora. Others who were handed commendation certificates were Sub-Inspectors Lalit Kumar, Chandrakanta and Arun, and Assistant Sub Inspectors Ravindra and Yashpal.
Abhimanyu Hazarika is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Gurgaon. He covers southern Haryana.
Education
- Post-Graduate Diploma in Print Media, Asian College of Journalism (Class of 2020)
- B.A. (Hons) Liberal Arts with a major in Political Science, Symbiosis School for Liberal Arts (Class of 2019)
Professional Experience
Before joining The Indian Express, he worked with Bar & Bench (legal journalism) and Frontline magazine, where he developed experience in court reporting, legal analysis, and long-form investigative features.
Reporting Interests
His work centres on civic accountability, environmental policy, urban infrastructure and culture, crime and law enforcement, and their intersections with politics and governance in and around Gurgaon.
Recent Coverage (2025)
- Crime: Reported on the recovery of 350 kg of explosives and an AK-47 from a rented house in Faridabad, linked to the 2025 Red Fort car explosion case (November 11, 2025).
- Environmental policy: Covered protests outside a Haryana minister’s residence against a Supreme Court order that environmentalists argue could allow mining and real estate development on large parts of the Aravalli hills (December 21, 2025).
- Pollution control measures: Co-authored coverage of the Rekha Gupta government’s enforcement of vehicle restrictions at Delhi-NCR borders (December 21, 2025).
- Road safety and infrastructure: Examined response lapses in the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway hit-and-run case and ongoing investigations into high-speed road crimes in Gurugram.
- Animal welfare policy: Reported on concerns regarding the low budget allocated for stray dog sterilization by the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (November 30, 2025).
- Urban culture: Featured the social media-driven popularity of a new Magnolia Bakery outlet in Gurugram (December 15, 2025).
Contact
X (Twitter): @AB_Hazardous ... Read More
