Serial killer who targeted cabbies held after 24 years from Delhi

The accused was mainly active in the 1990s, when he targeted cab drivers, killed them outside Delhi, dumped their bodies in hilly areas and sold their cars to a contact in neighbouring Nepal

A 49-year-old man, suspected to be the main accused in at least four cases of robbery and murder, and who has been on the run for over two decades, was arrested by the Delhi Police’s Crime Branch on Saturday, officers aware of the matter said on Sunday. The accused was mainly active in the 1990s, when he targeted cab drivers, killed them outside Delhi, dumped their bodies in hilly areas and sold their cars to a contact in neighbouring Nepal, senior officers said.

The accused, Ajay Lamba alias Bansi, was arrested near India Gate, upon being recognised by a long-time informer. (Representative photo)

Police said the accused, Ajay Lamba alias Bansi, was arrested near India Gate, upon being recognised by a long-time informer. He was visiting Delhi to attend a hearing in a 2021 narcotics case, which he was charged with under a different identity, but was caught by the Crime Branch.

The team, of inspectors Rakesh Kumar and Anuj Kumar, and assistant commissioner of police Umesh Barthwal, found that Lamba had been changing names, identities and locations to mislead police departments from multiple states about his criminal dossier.

Aditya Gautam, deputy commissioner of police (crime), said Lamba is a school dropout and was involved in multiple crimes. “In 1995-96, he was declared a bad character in the Vikaspuri area, and he changed his name. He shifted to Bareilly at that time and worked with two of his friends. They would hire taxis or cabs and later murder the drivers. The cars were taken to Nepal and sold there…”

According to a preliminary investigation by the police, they said Lamba was arrested by the Delhi Police in 2021 in a drugs case and by the Odisha Police in 2024 in a burglary case, but he went under the identity of Ajay and changed his looks to mislead police about his identity and criminal past.

“Although it is suspected that he is involved in more cases, Lamba is wanted in four heinous murder cases. All of these are registered in Delhi, Haldwani and Champawat areas during 1999-2001. The bodies of the four cab drivers revealed that they were last seen with Lamba and/or his aides, who booked a cab to Uttarakhand,” Gautam said.

Police said that before 1995, Lamba was involved in cases of theft and possession of illegal arms.

Police said the gang of robbers repeatedly targeted cab drivers. They would sedate the drivers on the trip, choke them to death and dump their bodies in hilly areas.

DCP Gautam said Lamba was never arrested for any of the murders.

“After he was declared a proclaimed offender, he shifted to Nepal in 2008 and stayed there till 2018. He then shifted to Dehradun with his family,” a senior officer said.

“In 2020, he started supplying ganja (marijuana) from Odisha to other parts of India, including Delhi. The next year, he was caught in an NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) Act case in the Sagarpur area, but the investigators did not know his criminal background. He was let out on bail later. Last year, the Odisha Police caught him for committing a burglary at a jewellery shop. He was later released on bail,” the officer said.