Ex-wrestler with Bawana gang links arrested

New Delhi: A former wrestler associated with the Neeraj Bawana-Amit Bhura gang was arrested by Delhi Police crime branch after a month-long manhunt.
Manjeet Dalal, also known as Mangal, a silver medallist at the national level, turned to a life of crime after financial losses.
The 31-year-old fugitive was wanted in multiple cases across Delhi, including a 2018 firing incident at a restaurant in Lajpat Nagar, and was declared a proclaimed offender in an Arms Act case from 2016. He was involved in numerous criminal activities, including firing at police teams, extortion, robbery, and attempted murder.
DCP (crime) Aditya Gautam said, "Dalal was a key associate of top gangsters, including Neeraj Bawana, Naveen Bali, and Amit Bhura, making him a high-priority target for our teams."
According to police, Dalal hails from a zamindar family in Jhajjar, Haryana, and began his wrestling career at a young age, even securing a silver medal at the national level in the 86 kg category in 2007.
"His life took a drastic turn in 2010 when his mother died of cancer and his father abandoned the family," a senior police officer said. "During this vulnerable period, notorious gangster Neeraj Bawana, who frequently visited his village, saw an opportunity and lured him into joining his criminal network."
Crime Branch formed a team which, after receiving intelligence about Dalal's movements and using surveillance, successfully apprehended him near the Singhu Border area.
Probe revealed that Dalal was implicated in at least 10 serious cases, including multiple instances of firing at police teams.