128 Days After ‘Fake Encounter’, Gangster’s Body Still in Mortuary

Sandeep Gadoli’s family refused to accept his body until the police officials involved in the encounter are punished

Mugshot of Sandeep Gadoli. (Photo Courtesy: Twitter/@globalissuesweb)

The body of gangster Sandeep Gadoli has been in Mumbai’s JJ Hospital’s mortuary for over four months as his family refuses to accept the body until the Gurgaon Police officials involved in his encounter are arrested.

Five members of a Gurgaon Police Crime Branch team led by Pradyuman Yadav, which allegedly shot dead most-wanted gangster Sandeep Gadoli on 7 February in Mumbai, were suspended on 30 May.

The family wants to bring back his body to their village, Gadoli Khurd in Gurgaon for cremation, but insists he was killed in a “fake encounter”.

Available evidence revealed it was a point-blank shooting and not an encounter.

Sandeep Gadoli’s family members

Gadoli’s family claimed that he did not have a weapon at the time when he was shot and also wants the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Mumbai police to include sections of “killing in custody.”

The involvement of few Gurgaon Police Crime Branch officials in the alleged staged gunfight was indicated by the Mumbai Police for the first time in their status report in the Supreme Court on 27 May. The police team involved in the operation has been kept under suspension, a senior Gurgaon police officer said.

Gadoli was carrying a cash reward of Rs 1.2 lakh on his head.

Infamous as Gurgaon’s “most-wanted”, Gadoli was on the run. He was accused in more than 30 cases, including the killing of the driver of rival gangster-turned-municipal councillor, Binder Gujjar.

The two rival gangs had been fighting for over four years for control over extortion, land grabbing, gambling and alcohol smuggling.