Meerut: Delhi gangster shot dead in encounter

MEERUT: A notorious gangster allegedly involved in Rs 8 crore heist in Delhi’s Lajpat Nagar area in 2014 was on Tuesday afternoon shot dead during an encounter with UP police in a residential area in Meerut’s Kankerkhera area.
Shiv Shakti Naidu, 39, the kingpin of Delhi’s notorious Naidu gang, had jumped the parole granted to him by a Delhi court in July last year. Police in Delhi and UP had announced Rs 1 lakh reward each on any information leading to his arrest. “The gangster’s name cropped up in Meerut circle after a member of his team was killed in the region, allegedly by Naidu himself over a plot to kill a Delhi police officer,” a senior police officer said.
On Tuesday, after a tip-off, a Meerut police team led by additional director general (ADG) Prashant Kumar surrounded the building where Naidu was staying.
Meerut’s senior superintendent of police (SSP) Ajay Sahani said, “An SUV was looted the previous night and local police got information that it was parked in front of an apartment in Kankerkhera area.
“When a police team reached the spot, someone fired at it from the apartment. Soon reinforcement was rushed and the gangster was killed in retaliatory firing. He was later identified as dreaded gangster Shiv Shakti Naidu. Circle officer of Daurala, Jitender Sargam was also hit by a bullet, but is out of danger. We recovered a carbine probably looted from police force, a double-barrel gun and several bullets.”
ADG Kumar who oversaw the encounter confirmed the identity of the gangster. “Naidu identified himself while being taken to hospital. He had jumped parole and was wanted in UP and in Delhi,” the ADG of Meerut zone said.
Naidu was lodged in Tihar jail before he got the parole and went missing. He shot to infamy following Rs 8crore heist in Lajpat Nagar on January 28, 2014. Naidu and his gang had looted the cash when some businessmen were going to deposit it in two separate banks in Karol Bagh.
During his 6-year-long incarceration in Tihar, Naidu strengthened his gang. He allegedly orchestrated the murder of a constable in Karkardooma court in December 2015. On January 31 this year, a member of the Naidu gang was killed and another was shot at due to internal feud in Kankerkhera area, where the Tuesday’s encounter took place.
SSP Sahni said, “The two members had refused to participate in a plan to kill a senior Delhi police officer deployed in special cell. The officer had slapped stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) on Naidu and others. Agitated by insubordination, Naidu shot at them.”
Naidu had eight cases including that of murder and robbery registered against him.
Seven of them are registered in Delhi.