Next, Gujjar may get Mulayam ‘shelter’

Mulayam had used his weight to ensure Phoolan Devi’s release and later turned her into a Samajwadi Party MP to cash in on the Mallah (boatmen) community votes. Gujjar, wanted for the past 25 years, is also reported to be close to Mulayam. He had openly canvassed for the Samajwadi Party during the Lok Sabha elections and had even issued threats to villagers to vote for Mulayam.

It is believed that a senior officer of the Uttar Pradesh DGP’s office is in constant touch with Gujjar to effect the surrender. Gujjar had released his set of demands for the surrender some days ago, saying he and his family members should be pardoned of all crimes.

Ironically, the surrender of Gujjar’s wife Nirmala Gupta and his adopted son Shyam Jatav comes in Etawah, Mulayam’s home district. Gujjar had recently married Nirmala — almost 40 years his junior and a dreaded member of his gang. Nirmala and Jatav deserted Gujjar around 20 days ago and fled with jewellery and Rs 8 lakh in cash.

Alarmed by the split in his gang, Gujjar had then announced a reward of Rs 21 lakh on their heads. The fugitives caught everyone by surprise today when they produced themselves before Special Judge Naresh Singh, unarmed.

Senior police and administration officials rushed to the court when the news of their surrender spread. The judge has sent the duo to police custody for three days. The matter will now come up for hearing on August 3.

Gujjar’s 100-member gang is said to be the most active along the UP-MP border, striking terror in Etawah, Jalaun and Kanpur region since 1981. The gang is wanted by the UP and MP police in as many as 149 cases, including that of murder and abduction. The gang is said to have extorted at least Rs 3 crore by kidnapping over 200 persons over the past decade.

Gujjar’s gang was the prime target for UP police after DGP V.K.B. Nair launched ‘‘Operation Mayur’’ on July 19 for catching members of the state’s 38 most dreaded gangs.