Gangster Munna Bajrangi’s alleged murderer Sunil Rathi, a dreaded name in west UP and Uttarakhand
According to the residents of Sunil’s native village Tikri in Doghat area, he completed his intermediate from Meerut and got involved in criminal activities in Uttarakhand, especially in Roorkee and Haridwar.
Gangster Sunil Rathi, accused of shooting gangster Munna Bajrangi inside Baghpat district jail on Monday, is a dreaded name in west Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Rathi stepped into the world of crime after the murder of his father Naresh Rathi, the then chairman of Tikri Nagar panchayat, and brother (his identity could not be ascertained) in 1998 allegedly by their political rival Sompal Rathi of the same village
Since then, over a dozen people have been killed from both the sides.
After Naresh’s murder, his wife Rajbala became the chairperson of Tikri Nagar panchayat and Sunil Rathi, who was just 18 then, set out to avenge his father’s murder.
According to the residents of Sunil’s native village Tikri in Doghat area, he completed his intermediate from Meerut and got involved in criminal activities in Uttarakhand, especially in Roorkee and Haridwar.
He formed a gang and started targeting doctors and businessman for extortion.
A police officer at Doghat police station said only one case of murder was registered against Sunil in Doghat and he was mostly active in Uttarakhand.
He expanded his gang in the last few years and his men were active in west UP, Delhi, Haryana and Uttarakhand.
About two years ago, he was arrested on charges of demanding extortion from some doctors and businessmen in Haridwar and was lodged at Roorkee jail.
According to police, his name was such a terror that a doctor in Roorkee had purchased bullet proof jackets for his family after receiving an extortion call.
A police officer said Sunil also demanded extortion from some doctors in Dehradun and asked them to hand over the money to his mother. Sunil’s mother Rajbala was arrested and is lodged in Dehradun jail for the last six months.
Sunil was shifted to Baghpat jail a year ago. Sources said he had developed good contacts in various political parties.
A senior politician, who did not wish to be named, said he managed to get a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) ticket for his mother who contested from Chhaprauli seat in 2017 assembly elections.
She lost to RLD candidate Sahendra Ramala.
Sunil married to a lawyer from Meerut.
OP Sharma, a senior criminal lawyer in Meerut, said Sunil’s wife might be a non-practising law graduate as lawyers had no information of her whereabouts.
