‘Gang Bust 2.0’: Delhi Police Conduct Raids at Over 1,000 Locations, Arrest 482

In one of the largest coordinated crackdowns on organised crime in recent years, the Delhi Police arrested 482 alleged gangsters, shooters, financiers and associates during a 48-hour operation conducted across Delhi and neighbouring states, officials said on Thursday.

The operation, titled “Gang Bust 2.0,” was carried out jointly by district police units and the Special Cell between May 5 and May 7 across Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Police said the drive aimed to dismantle organised crime syndicates and curb alleged terror-linked criminal networks operating in north India.

According to Additional Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Pramod Singh Kushwah , the operation expanded on the earlier “Gang Bust 1.0” initiative, with a sharper focus on alleged links between organised crime groups and anti-national activities.

A key breakthrough came with the arrest of nine alleged operatives linked to Pakistan-based gangster Shahzad Bhatti . Investigators claimed the network recruited foot soldiers through social media and allegedly planned random firing attacks targeting security personnel in Delhi-NCR and other parts of north India. Some suspects were also allegedly involved in arms trafficking.

Police conducted raids at 1,014 locations linked to gangsters, arms suppliers, financiers, SIM card providers, vehicle operators and social media handlers associated with criminal syndicates.

During the crackdown, authorities seized 141 pistols, 212 cartridges, 79 knives, 24 vehicles, Rs 19 lakh in cash, 19 kg narcotic substances, 31 mobile phones and over 1,200 liquor bottles .

The operation also targeted several notorious gangs, including those linked to Kapil Sangwan alias Nandu, Kala Jathedi, Hashim Baba, Neeraj Bawana and Arsh Dala .

Delhi Police said the crackdown was aimed at weakening criminal infrastructure and preventing organised gangs from expanding their networks across the region.