Himanshu Roy, former chief of the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad, shot himself dead at his residence in Mumbai with his service revolver on Friday, 11 May. Roy had been battling cancer for long, and had reportedly gone on a long leave in 2016, citing medical grounds.
During his two-and-a-half-decade-long service to the country's police force, Roy led the investigation into several high-profile cases, including the Babri Masjid demolition riot case, the Mumbai 26/11 attacks, and the IPL spot fixing scandal.
Here’s a list of important cases handled by the top cop.
Babri Masjid Demolition Riots
In his first posting in Malegaon in 1991, Himanshu Roy handled a communally-charged environment post the Babri Masjid demolition. During this period, the state of Maharashtra saw riots in many towns, including Bombay where over 900 lives were lost.
Roy was reportedly credited for his “meticulous” handling of the riots in Malegaon.
26/11 Mumbai Attacks
Himanshu Roy played an important role during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks by Pakistani gunmen. Over 160 people were killed in the four-day attack that rocked the country in 2008.
The top cop was a part of the team that planned and executed the counter-attack, and was lauded for keeping the “damage to a minimum” during the terrorist attack.
Notably, Roy also oversaw the hanging of 26/11 attack convict Ajmal Kasab.
IPL Spot Fixing Scandal
In 2013, the country’s top sporting league – the Indian Premier League – was clouded with spot-fixing allegations. Roy, as the joint-commissioner of police, was responsible for the arrest of Chennai Super Kings’ Gurunath Meiyappan and actor Vindu Dara Singh for their alleged involvement in the fixing scandal.
Khairlanji Massacre Case
Years after his first posting, Himanshu Roy returned to Nashik in 2005 as the Commissioner of Police. A year later, he handled the Khairlanji massacre case in which a Dalit family was allegedly lynched to death.
According to India Today, it was reportedly a case of “revenge killing” following clashes that erupted between two caste groups. Roy’s team reportedly ensured that six of the eight accused were handed maximum punishment by a special trial court.
7/11 Suburban Railways Attack
As the Chief of Anti-Terrorism Squad, he handled the 7/11 Mumbai terror attack case in 2006. The attack that took place on properties of the city’s suburban railway, killed 209 people and injured over 700 commuters.
(With inputs from PTI, IndiaToday and Finance Express.)
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