Rival gang members kill gangster Tillu Tajpuriya in Delhi’s Tihar Jail

Tajpuriyaan was named the mastermind of the September 2021 shootout at Delhi’s Rohini court that left his friend-turned-rival gangster Jitender Maan dead

Four inmates of rival Gogi gang killed jailed gangster Sunil Maan alias Tillu Tajpuriya, 33, after attacking him with a bar from an iron grill inside a high-risk ward of Delhi’s Tihar Jail on Tuesday morning, police said.

Sunil Maan alias Tillu Tajpuriya. (Sourced)

Tajpuriya was named the mastermind of the September 2021 shootout at Delhi’s Rohini court that left his friend-turned-rival gangster Jitender Maan, alias Gogi, dead. Gunmen dressed as lawyers killed Gogi inside a courtroom before police shot dead the two assailants.

Police said Tajpuriya’s attackers were lodged on the first floor of the high-security ward. They cut the grill and came to the ground floor where Tajpuriya was lodged using bedsheets. Another inmate identified as Rohit suffered injuries in Tuesday’s attack but was said to be out of danger.

Delhi prisons chief Sanjay Baniwal said Deepak alias Titar, 31, Yogesh alias Tunda, 30, Rajesh, 42, and Riyaz Khas, 39, lodged on the first floor of the same high-risk ward attacked Tajpuria around 6.15 am.

Additional deputy police commissioner (west) Akshat Kaushal said they were told that two under-trial prisoners were admitted to DDU Hospital with injuries from Tihar Jail. “One of them, Sunil alias Tilu was brought [to the hospital] in an unconscious state. He was later declared dead. Another inmate, Rohit is undergoing treatment and is out of danger.”

A second jail official said Tajpuriya, who was lodged in jail number 8-9, was attacked when barracks were opened in the morning. “...Tajpuriya was stabbed with the rod,” said the jail official, asking not to be named.

An officer from the Special Cell of Delhi Police, which is involved in operations against gangsters, said Yogesh alias Tunda and Deepak alias Teetar attacked Tillu by breaking the iron grills of the ward that separated them.

A resident of Tajpur village near Delhi’s Alipur, Tajpuriya was arrested in 2016. Tajpuriya and his gang’s rivalry with Gogi’s gang dated back to 2009 when they were friends but supported different candidates in elections in Swami Shraddhanand College in Outer Delhi.

“Differences arose between them during the elections and the friends became enemies. Their rivalry has claimed over 20 lives since 2013. Gogi was shot dead on September 24, 2021...Tajpuriya emerged as the mastermind behind Gogi’s attack. He was arrested and charge-sheeted in the case,” said the special cell officer.