Gangster Tillu Tajpuriya killed in Tihar jail by rival gang members

New Delhi: In another shocking incident, dreaded Delhi-based gangster Sunil Mann aka Tillu Tajpuria was killed on Tuesday early morning inside the high-risk ward of Delhi’s Tihar jail, city police confirmed. He was allegedly killed in an attack by rival Gogi gang members, whom Tillu’s gang members killed in a shoot-out at Delhi’s Rohini court complex in September 2021.

Meanwhile, jail officials confirmed that deceased gangster Tillu Tajpuria was thrashed with sharp-edged weapons allegedly by gangster Yogesh Tunda and his aides in the high-security prison. He was taken to Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital where he was declared dead. The preliminary autopsy report said the body had 92 wound marks.

Gangster Tillu Tajpuria had been accused in over 14 cases of murder, robbery, dacoity, extortion, attack on public servants and violations of the Arms Acts, police officials informed. Jail officials also confirmed that Yogesh Tunda, Deepak Teetar, Riyaj Khan and Rajesh — four members of the rival Gogi gang used bedsheets to climb down to the ground floor, breaking the iron grills of their ward on the first floor of the prison. They attacked Tillu, who had been kept in a ground floor ward with his other gang members, with the same rods.

Tajpuriya had practised wrestling and participated in many tournaments. He had been in jail since 2016, where he allegedly continued to run his criminal operations. Allegedly, the spine-chilling murder of Gogi was planned by Tillu Tajpuria from inside Tihar in 2021.

Delhi police official confirmed, “He (Tillu Tajpuria) had also been booked for violation of the Arms Act and under the MCOC (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime) Act.” Delhi Police officials also added that often the deceased gangster indulged in violence in public places. Most of the heinous killings in which he was accused were done in broad daylight and public places and in all these cases he and his associates used illegal firearms.

This is the second case of violence and gang rivalry in Tihar jail in a month. In the last month, Prince Tewatia, a close aide of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, was killed in Tihar jail by rival gang members. Meanwhile, the killing of Tajpuria has once again exposed the infamous operation of gangs in Delhi and the neighbouring northern states — Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

Jail officials also confirmed that Tajpuriya was convicted in two cases of murder and violation of the Arms Act, for which he was sentenced to life imprisonment. While the case was quashed by the Delhi High Court on grounds of “concession” and he was acquitted in another after the witness turned hostile. Nine other cases registered against him are pending adjudication.

Meanwhile, officials claimed they were carrying out intensive searches in wards for improvised weapons and other illegal items, such as mobile phones, after the Tewatia incident. They were also maintaining a “strict vigil” through CCTV cameras.

Asked how an incident like this has happened again, a jail official said the attack was completed within one-and-a-half minutes and the assailants exploited “dark spots”, where no cameras could see, to enter Tajpuriya’s cell.

“They (attackers) did not enter the barrack directly, or else they would have been caught,” he said.

“When Tillu saw the attackers, he ran towards another inmate’s cell. The inmate (named Rohit) also tried to save him... Everything happened within a span of one-and-a-half-minutes,” he added.

Asked why cameras were not installed to cover the dark spots, the official said cameras are not installed in some areas, such as washrooms, to ensure privacy of the prisoners.

An inquiry has been ordered into the incident to find out the lapses, officials said.