Mumbai’s encounter specialist who killed 113 underworld gangsters now posted in Thane

Sharma, who has also been an inspiration for many Bollywood films, was dismissed from service in August 2008

Mumbai’s encounter specialist, Pradeep Sharma, was posted to the Thane police on Wednesday.

Sharma’s ouster followed reports that he was allegedly in touch with the underworld, and after his name cropped up in the 2006 Lakhan Bhaiyya fake encounter case. (HT File)

A police source said Sharma was most likely to be the senior police inspector in the Thane crime branch. On Wednesday, Sharma reported to Thane police commissionerate’s office and met the senior-most police officers there, as part of protocol.

“He spoke to senior officers and also filled a joining form,” said a senior police officer from Thane commissionerate.

In a career spanning 25 years in the city’s police force, Sharma killed 113 underworld gangsters.

Sharma, who has also been an inspiration for many Bollywood films, was dismissed from service in August 2008.

The government had invoked section 311 of the Constitution against him, following several months of departmental action, including departmental inquiries, suspension for prolonged periods, and even a transfer to a remote district in Maharashtra, which Sharma refused to take up citing health grounds.

His ouster followed reports that he was allegedly in touch with the underworld, and after his name cropped up in the 2006 Lakhan Bhaiyya fake encounter case.

Later, in 2010, Sharma was arrested for his involvement in the case, but was acquitted of all charges by a Mumbai court in July 2013.

Since then, Sharma had wanted to be reinstated, said police sources. He was finally reinstated by the Maharashtra government on August 16.