New Delhi, Mar 1 (IANS): The Special Cell of Delhi Police on Tuesday arrested a dreaded gangster of Lawrence Bishnoi-Kala Jathedi syndicate, who was wanted in dozens of criminal cases executed by him with the help of his jailed gangster accomplices.

The accused, identified as Virender Partap (28) alias Kala Rana alias Tiger, a resident of Yamunanagar, Haryana, was carrying a reward of Rs 1,00,000 upon his arrest.

Furnishing the details, DCP Manishi Chandra said that Partap's entry into the world of crime began with his friendship with a person named Monu Rana, who was an active member of SOPU (Student Organisation of Panjab University), and a rival of Bhuppi Rana, belonging to a rival student group in Panjab University, Chandigarh.

In 2014, Partap along with Rana had executed a murder in this ongoing rivalry. While in jail, he became close friends with Sampat Nehra, a close associate of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi.

Partap made the headlines in 2017, when he, along with Nehra and others, opened fire on the brother of former Haryana MLA Dilbag Singh.

In 2019, it was reported that Partap had left India using a fake passport. Next year, a criminal named Raj Kumar alias Raju Basodi was deported from Thailand, who during interrogation disclosed that Partap was also operating from Thailand.

"Of late, Partap had become the most feared name in at least four north Indian states. He was the one who, along with another fugitive gangster Goldy Brar, suspected to be operating from Canada, had got brutal muders executed as part of inter-gang rivalry as well as extortion-related cases," the DCP said.

The officer informed that after the arrest of Kala Jathedi from Saharanpur in July 2021, long-term surveillance was mounted on Partap which led to his apprehension on Tuesday.