Anti-terror unit to probe murder in Delhi’s Tihar jail, bust conspiracy

A Special Cell officers who asked not to be named said the crime was not spontaneous but meticulously planned.

The investigation into the brutal murder of gangster Sunil Baliyan alias Tillu Tajpuriya inside a Tihar jail cell was transferred to the Special Cell, Delhi Police’s anti-terror unit, from the west district police, senior officers aware of the matter said.

Rohini Court shootout case accused Tillu Tajpuriya was killed allegedly by rival gang members inside the Tihar jail, in New Delhi on Tuesday. (ANI)

The Special Cell will probe the larger conspiracy behind the crime apart from the Tuesday’s incident as well as the alleged connivance of the jail staff, the officers added. HT had accessed the CCTV footage from inside ward number 5 at Tihar jail number 8&9 and reported on Thursday that the brutal assault on the slain gangster continued in the presence of the jail staff when he was being taken to the jail hospital on a stretcher.

A portion of the video was shared on social media and WhatsApp groups later on Thursday showing the brazen attack. The 2.49-minute clip shows the four attackers -- Deepak Dabas alias Titar, Rajesh Bawania alias Karambir, Yogesh alias Tunda and Riyaz Khan – climbing down from their cells on the first floor into the courtyard of the ground floor even as Tillu rushes inside his cell as soon as he spots the first killer.

As Tillu tries to lock himself inside the cell by holding on to the iron gate three more attackers slide down bed sheets tied to the iron grill on the first floor and launch the murderous attack on Tillu, forcing him to open the gate. Then, they drag him out and stab him incessantly, shows the video.

A Special Cell officer who asked not to be named said the crime was not spontaneous but meticulously planned. They added that the Special Cell probe will check the involvement of others in the case, how the attackers procured improvised knives, and the larger conspiracy.

“The recovery of at least five such weapons and the fact that no security personnel tried to stop the attack has given us reason to probe the alleged connivance of jail staffers with the attackers. Since some messages were posed on the social media in the name of some of Tillu’s rivals, including fugitive gangster Goldy Brar, celebrating Tillu’s killing, we will probe their role in the crime as well,” the officer added.

On Thursday, Tihar Jail administration held a meeting with superintendents and deputy superintendents of all three jails in Delhi. “In the meeting, we decided to prepare a fresh standard operating procedure (SOP) regarding the handling of high-risk prisoners and allotment of their accommodations, keeping in mind their rival inmates,” said Director General (Prisons) Sanjay Baniwal.

Jail officials said that the internal inquiry initiated to identify the lapses and fix the responsibility of jail staffers was on and the report is likely to be submitted to the jail administration by Monday.