The dirty harrys of Indian police

Status: Sharma along with five other policemen were transferred out of Mumbai when they were being probed for the alleged custody death of 2002 Ghatkopar bomb blast accused Khwaja Yunus. Sharma was then exonerated by the state CID, and has now been posted at the main control room at the Mumbai Police headquarters.

Vijay Salaskar Rank: Police Inspector Encounter killings 70

Profile: Also a 1983 batch police officer, Salaskar is credited with having broken the backbone of the Arun Gawli and Amar Naik gangs. He shot to fame in 1997 when he killed Naik in an encounter. Some of his other well known victims are Gawli aides Sada Pawle and Vijay Tandel, Sadhu Shetty, Jaggu Shetty, Kundan Singh Rawat and Zahoor Makhanda. Salaskar was posted as head of the Anti-Robbery Squad of the Crime Branch, and was shifted to the Anti Terrorist Squad in the wake of the 7/11 serial blasts.

Status: He is currently posted as the head of the Anti-Extortion Cell of the Mumbai Police.

Daya Nayak Rank: Police Sub Inspector Encounter killings 84

Profile: Hailing from Yennehole village in the Udipi district of Karnataka, Nayak moved to Mumbai to earn a living in 1979. He worked for some time at an Udipi restaurant and was encouraged to complete his education by its owner. Nayak joined the police force in 1995 at Juhu police station, and while posted at the Crime Intelligence Unit soon shot to fame as a crackshot. Nayak, known for his intelligence network, was popular in Bollywood circles. The film Ab Tak Chhappan is based on his life. Actor Amitabh Bacchan was present at the inauguration of a school set up by Nayak at his native village.

Status: In 2003, former journalist Ketan Tirodkar submitted a private complaint at the special MCOCA court alleging that he, along with Nayak, had acted at the behest of the mafia. However, while the police later filed a chargesheet against Tirodkar under MCOCA, Nayak was cleared for lack of evidence. In January 2006, the Anti Corruption Bureau raided Nayak’s residence and booked him for having assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. After a non-bailable warrant was issued against him, Nayak surrendered and was taken into custody. He was immediately suspended from his post at Charkop police station. Nayak is still under suspension, but the ACB is yet to file a chargesheet against him.

Ravindra Angre Rank: Police Inspector Encounter killings 60

Profile: Also a 1983 batch officer, Angre’s most famous scalp is gangster Suresh Manckekar, who had over 30 cases of murder and extortion against him. Angre gunned down Manchekar in an encounter in Thane in 2003. Angre was posted at the Thane Anti Extortion Cell at the time. While in the Mumbai Police Crime Branch, he eliminated some members of the Ashwin Naik gang, and was involved in a major seizure of assault rifles and grenades.

Status: Angre was arrested in February this year, in a case of extortion and assault filed against him by Ganesh Wagh, a Thane-based builder. In his complaint Wagh alleged that Angre, along with three others, barged into his office and assaulted him. Angre allegedly wanted Wagh to make his wife a partner in his business, and also allegedly forced Wagh to sign a blank paper, besides taking away a Scorpio and Santro belonging to the builder. Angre, who was posted at Pune at the time, is presently in jail and under suspension.

Praful Bhonsle Rank: Police Inspector Encounter killings 75

Profile: Another 1983 officer, Bhonsle is credited with having slain Chhota Shakeel aides Arif Kalia and Anwar Badshah as well as Chhota Rajan sharpshooter Arun Mahajan. In 1987, he killed three alleged Khalistani militants in an operation at Vikhroli, for which he was awarded the police gallantry medal. In 2000, he was awared the best investigating officer award.

Status: Bhonsle is currently under a cloud of suspicion in the Khwaja Yunus custody death case after he was named by the state CID in its probe into the case. He is currently under suspension.

Rajbir Singh Rank: Assistant Commisioner of Police Encounter killings 45

Profile: A 1982 batch officer, he was promoted as inspector in 1992. He was made ACP three years later following a string of encounters, especially those of gangsters Ranpal Gurjar, Rajbir Ramala and Kanu Jat.

Status: Murdered on Monday night. He was shunted out of the Delhi Police Special Cell in 2005 after his “links with the drug mafia” were exposed in a tapped conversation by Narcotics Cell. Though a vigilance inquiry was conducted, he was given a clean chit due to lack of evidence. He had come under the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) scanner after he allegedly killed two ‘terrorists’ in the basement of the Ansal Plaza shopping mall in south Delhi in 2002. The Delhi High Court also issued notices to him and other officers on charges that he and his colleagues manhandled some people in West Delhi’s Kirti Nagar in connection with a property dispute. In 2007, he was made in-charge of the Crime Branch Special Operation Squad.

Mohan Chand Sharma Post: Inspector Encounter killings 107

Joined Delhi Police in the early 80s and made his name as Rajbir Singh’s right hand man. Won several gallantry awards. Sharma was also closely involved in operations in J&K where he worked closely with ACP Sanjiv Yadav.

Status: Posted as inspector at the Special Cell, New Delhi Range

Sanjiv Yadav Rank: Assistant Commisioner of Police Encounter killings 50

Profile: Became famous after gunning down over 20 gangsters and militants after joining the Special Cell, New Delhi Range in 2005. Having eliminated dreaded gangsters such as Deepak Jat, Hemant Sonu and Jaswant Jai Prakash, his name instilled a fear amongst the most hardened terrorists and criminals. Was also part of the team which gunned down Lashkar-e-Toiba chief Abu Huzefa and HuJI’s Ghulam Yazdani in 2006.

L N Rao Rank: Assistant Commisioner of Police Encounters: NA

Profile: Started the trend of encounter killings in the early 1990s . After after killing Brijmohan Tyagi in an encounter in West Delhi, he was promoted as ACP and made in-charge of the operation cell, West District. It was perhaps under his tutelage that ACP Rajbir Singh and Mohan Chand learnt the tricks of the trade, although it is rumored that he and Rajbir never saw eye-to-eye.

Status: Posted as ACP, Special Cell (southern range) in 2007.

S S Rathi Rank: Assistant Commisioner of Police Encounters: Not available

Profile: The police officer, who terrorised Delhi’s gangsters in the 1990s, received several gallantry awards for his services. Shot to fame in 1997, when he shot dead UP gangster Satbir Gujjar. Was made in-charge of the Inter-State Cell (ISC).

Status: In October 2007, Rathi and nine other policemen were awarded life term in the infamous Connaught Place shootout in which two businessmen were killed. He was suspended after the encounter.