Criminal who gave police the slip on I-Day lands in net

Five days after a cache of arms and ammunition were recovered from his rented home in east Delhi, 41-year-old Anwar Thakur was arrested in south Delhi’s Lodhi Colony on Tuesday.

Police were on the heels of Thakur, a murder convict who was out on parole, after his wife called police on Independence Day morning to inform that he had thrashed her before fleeing.

Delhi Police Special Cell had on Tuesday said Thakur was associated in the past with Firoz alias Fauzi, an alleged gangster shot down by police that morning.

Thakur allegedly ran a 50-member strong gang even from Tihar Jail. He would allegedly hire contract killers from the jail or during parole and launch attacks on rival gangs.

He had joined hands with most of the infamous Delhi criminals in the 90s and committed a series of murders and dacoity here, police said.

“He was also associated with Fazl-ul-Rehman, believed to be a close accomplice of Dawood Ibrahim,” a police officer said.

Thakur’s first indulgence in bloody crime began in 1990.

He was arrested by Meerut police for a theft at a house. He allegedly killed the house owner and his two sons to seek revenge.

Before shifting to Delhi with his sister, he was alleged to be involved in at least 15 murders and dacoity.

Thakur had been sentenced to life in 1992 for a murder. “In 1992, Thakur and his accomplices were on their way to commit a robbery in Ahata Kedara area when police learnt about the plan.

But before he could be arrested, he shot dead the man who informed police of his designs,” the officer said.

He was released on a month-long parole in May. It was repeatedly extended and he was to surrender on August 22. However, his wife called police on Independence Day to inform that he had beaten her up.

Before police could arrive and rescue her from the locked house, Thakur had escaped. But she had led police to the presence of eight pistols and over 100 cartridges inside the house.

“He was losing ground in the crime world and had purchased arms and ammunition to eliminate some members of rival gangs in the Trans-Yamuna area,” said the officer.

The Special Task Force of south Delhi police set up temporary barricades on Barapulla Road in Lodhi Colony on Tuesday evening after learning that Thakur would be passing through the area from Meerut.

“He tried to pass through the barricades in an Alto at 7.30 pm despite police signaling him to stop. He was overpowered before he could open fire on the police team or escape,” said an STF officer. An automatic pistol was seized from him.