'Encounter specialist' Daya Nayak promoted as ACP Mumbai days before retirement

In his policing career of nearly three decades, Nayak has eliminated 80 criminals and was part of the group of officers and personnel who had been credited with breaking the backbone of the Mumbai underworld. Nayak hails from Yennehole village in Karkala taluk of Udupi district of Karnataka.

Mumbai: Senior police officer Daya Nayak, who has earned the sobriquet of ‘encounter specialist’ for neutralising notorious criminals, gangsters, underworld dons and terrorists, was promoted as an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) in Mumbai, on Tuesday, a couple of days before retirement.

Nayak, who heads Unit 9 of the Crime Branch-CID of Mumbai Police, is scheduled to retire on July 31.

In his policing career of nearly three decades, Nayak has eliminated 80 criminals and was part of the group of officers and personnel who had been credited with breaking the backbone of the Mumbai underworld.

They were part of the team which was often referred to as the Dirty Harrys of Mumbai Police.

“With gratitude and pride, I’d like to share that I’ve been promoted to Assistant Commissioner of Police. While I wish I had more time in the role, I’m deeply satisfied knowing I’ve served my state and nation to the best of my ability. Honoured by this milestone and all that led to it,” Nayak posted on X.

Nayak hails from Yennehole village in Karkala taluk of Udupi district of Karnataka.

In 1979, he moved to Mumbai to help out his family, working menial jobs as a plumber and canteen boy. However, he continued studies and completed his graduation and joined the police in 1995 as a Sub-Inspector, after passing out from Maharashtra Police Academy.

He also faced an alleged disproportionate assets case in the 2000s. however, he came out clean.

Nayak has eliminated several gangsters and hitmen linked to the syndicates of Dawood Ibrahim, Arun Gawli, Amar Naik and Chhota Rajan.

His career has inspired films such as Ab Tak Chhappan and Department.

Nayak built a school in his village—Radha Nayak Educational Trust—named after his mother.

Among those who attended his promotion were Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan, renowned artist M F Husain, actor Suniel Shetty and Aftab Shivdasani.