Haryana gangster Himanshu Bhau, one of India’s most-wanted fugitives, has reportedly been arrested in the United States by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), according to information available to India Today. Bhau is wanted in multiple criminal cases, including murder, attempted murder and extortion, registered in Delhi and Haryana.
Bhau, whose real name is Himanshu Ritoliya, hails from Ritoli village in Haryana’s Rohtak district. He is alleged to have built a criminal network operating across Delhi-NCR, Haryana and Punjab while remaining abroad.
An Interpol Red Notice was issued against him in August 2023 at the request of Indian law enforcement agencies. He has been on the wanted lists of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Delhi Police and Haryana Police
WHO IS HIMANSHU BHAU?
Born in 2002, Bhau is among the youngest gangsters to emerge from Haryana’s organised crime network. He allegedly entered the world of crime as a teenager and escaped from a juvenile correctional facility in 2020 along with other inmates.
Police have linked him to several cases involving murder, attempted murder, extortion, illegal weapons and criminal conspiracy. His alleged operations have extended across multiple states, with investigators accusing him of running his network from abroad and coordinating with associates in India.
Bhau is reportedly associated with the Neeraj Bawana gang and has been involved in a violent rivalry with the Lawrence Bishnoi-Goldy Brar network, according to reports on the gang’s activities.
LINKED TO SEVERAL HIGH-PROFILE SHOOTINGS
Bhau and members of his alleged gang have been linked by investigators to several high-profile shootings and murder cases in Delhi and Haryana.
These include the killing at a Burger King outlet in Delhi, firing outside YouTuber Elvish Yadav’s residence and other targeted attacks. The gang has also been accused of using shootings and threats to intimidate businesspersons and demand extortion money.
In 2022, Bhau came under the police spotlight after three murders were reported in Haryana within 24 hours. Investigators have alleged that his network used armed associates to carry out attacks on targets.
More recently, members of the alleged Bhau gang were investigated in connection with the killing of a property dealer in outer Delhi. Delhi Police arrested two alleged shooters after an encounter in September 2026 and detained a juvenile accomplice in the case.
INTERPOL NOTICE AND POLICE ACTION
Interpol issued a Red Notice against Bhau in August 2023 after he was declared wanted in multiple criminal cases. At the time, police said he was wanted in 18 cases involving murder, attempted murder, extortion, criminal intimidation and forgery.
The Red Notice seeks the location and provisional arrest of a wanted person pending extradition or similar legal proceedings; it is not, by itself, an international arrest warrant.
The reported arrest in the United States could be a significant development in efforts by Indian agencies to bring the fugitive back to face the cases registered against him. Any transfer to India would depend on the applicable legal and extradition process.
Source: India Today