New Delhi: Two gangsters wanted in India for several serious crimes, including murder, have been arrested in the United States. Himanshu Bhau and Neeraj Faridpuria were arrested together in Las Vegas on October 22 following information shared by Haryana Police’s Special Task Force (STF).
The arrests were carried out with help from US immigration authorities, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Haryana Police is now working with US authorities and Indian central agencies to bring the two men back to India.
Who Are Himanshu Bhau and Neeraj Faridpuria?
Himanshu Bhau, whose real name is Himanshu Ritoliya, is a wanted gangster and a rival of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. Police said he obtained a passport under the name Himanshu Sigroha.
Bhau is wanted by Haryana and Delhi Police in several cases involving murder, kidnapping, extortion and organised crime. Cases linked to him and his associates have been reported across Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. Interpol had also issued a notice against him.
Reports have linked Bhau to criminal networks operating abroad, including Portugal. He has also been linked to gangs associated with Neeraj Bawana and Naveen Bali.
Neeraj Faridpuria, who comes from Haryana’s Palwal district, was also living in the US when he was arrested. More than 25 criminal cases have been registered against him.
Police arrested Faridpuria after an encounter in 2012. In 2015, a court sentenced him to life imprisonment in a murder case. However, the Punjab and Haryana High Court granted him bail in 2019.
His name later came up during the investigation into the June 2019 murder of Congress spokesperson Vikas Chaudhary in Faridabad. He allegedly fled to Canada through Dubai and was reportedly given responsibility for the Bambiha gang’s activities there. The gang is known as a rival of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.
Faridpuria later moved to the US and was allegedly working with Bhau’s gang. He also reportedly claimed responsibility for a firing incident outside YouTuber Elvish Yadav’s home.
Police Investigate Shootings in Delhi-NCR
The arrest comes as police continue investigating several shootings and murders in the Delhi-NCR region where the Himanshu Bhau gang has been mentioned.
One case involves Vijay Kumar, a gym trainer who was shot dead in south Delhi’s Aya Nagar in September. According to police, some men allegedly called Kumar outside a gym before two attackers on a motorcycle opened fire near Hansa Chowk. Around 15 rounds were reportedly fired.
Kumar suffered several gunshot wounds and later died. Police initially suspected personal enmity as the reason behind the murder. A social media post believed to be linked to Bhau later claimed responsibility, but investigators were checking its authenticity.
Earlier this year, dairy businessman Ratan Lohia, 55, was also shot dead near his home in Aya Nagar. Police sources said the attackers fired more than 60 rounds. His family alleged that the murder was connected to an ongoing family rivalry.
Investigators also suspected Faridpuria’s possible involvement in Lohia’s killing. Four alleged members of the Himanshu Bhau gang were arrested in connection with the case, according to police sources.
The arrests of Bhau and Faridpuria could help Indian agencies investigate these criminal networks and other cases. However, their return to India depends on the ongoing process with US authorities.
