Delhi Police Capture Two Notorious Criminals in Separate Midnight Operations
For years, their names circulated through police corridors like urban legends—the phantom of high-stakes heists and the predator of residential neighborhoods. Sanjay Sharma, known as Darinda (35), and Lokesh Srivas, called Chooha (32), represented two distinct brands of terror that haunted Delhi's streets. One was a violent storm of bullets and fire, while the other was a silent, surgical thief capable of vanishing with gold worth Rs 25 crore.
The Revolving Door of Justice and Criminal Resilience
The revolving door of the justice system repeatedly proved to be their ally, as both men treated previous arrests not as conclusions but as brief intermissions. Darinda, a career criminal with over 100 cases to his name, earned his moniker through a violent career as the architect of the "burgle-and-burn" gang. This terrifying signature involved torching the homes in south Delhi that he plundered. He barely allowed the ink to dry on his September 2025 release papers before returning to the shadows of RK Puram, allegedly racking up a dozen fresh robberies within months.
Similarly, the "Lone Wolf" Srivas walked out of Bilaspur Jail on January 29, 2026, only to resume his criminal "hobby" within 48 hours, striking three shops in a single night. Both criminals demonstrated remarkable resilience and defiance against the legal system, treating incarceration as temporary setbacks rather than deterrents.
Midnight Showdown in RK Puram
This week, however, the duo's luck finally ran out. In two separate operations involving midnight shootouts and cross-border manhunts, police shattered their streaks of defiance, dragging both masters of crime back into the grip of the law. Officers from RK Puram police station lay in wait at 3 AM to intercept Sanjay Darinda. Their patience paid off when they caught him with an associate, following an exchange of fire during which the suspect was shot in the knee by Inspector Ravinder Tyagi and his team.
In Darinda's backpack, police discovered the cold, hard tools of a trade he had refined since childhood: housebreaking equipment and chilling remains of his latest crime spree. Authorities seized a 7.65mm pistol, cartridges, and empty bullet shells from the scene, providing concrete evidence of his continued criminal activities.
The Capture of the "Lone Wolf" Thief
As one set of handcuffs clicked shut in RK Puram, another high-stakes drama unfolded across the city. The crime branch was closing its net on the "Lone Wolf" Srivas, the man who pulled off the legendary Rs 25 crore heist in Bhogal, disappearing with 30kg of gold as if it were a casual hobby. Srivas represents a rare breed—a criminal from Chhattisgarh who works alone, treating high-stakes burglary not just as a profession but as a genuine passion.
Named in approximately 50 sensational heists across the country, Srivas had been released from jail only in January this year. He could not resist the siren call of the capital city, striking three shops in Raipur within 48 hours of his release and looting Rs 7 lakh in a whirlwind operation before slipping back into Delhi's labyrinthine neighborhoods. He believed he could vanish once again, but the crime branch's sophisticated surveillance and technical "dragnets" proved otherwise. Police intercepted him before he could turn the city's jewelry hubs into his next playground.
Criminal Profiles and Modus Operandi
Sanjay "Darinda" Sharma developed his criminal expertise through years of practice, specializing in violent robberies followed by arson. His "burgle-and-burn" technique created psychological terror among victims and complicated forensic investigations. With more than 100 cases attributed to him, Darinda had become a symbol of persistent criminal enterprise in Delhi's southern sectors.
Lokesh "Chooha" Srivas operated with surgical precision, working alone to execute some of Delhi's most audacious thefts. His ability to disappear with massive quantities of gold without leaving traces made him particularly elusive. The Rs 25 crore Bhogal heist established his reputation as a master thief whose skills approached legendary status in criminal circles.
Police Strategy and Operational Success
The simultaneous capture of these two high-profile criminals demonstrates improved coordination between different police units in Delhi. The RK Puram station's patient surveillance operation contrasted with the crime branch's technical tracking methods, yet both proved effective against hardened criminals who had repeatedly evaded justice.
Inspector Ravinder Tyagi's team showed particular courage in confronting an armed suspect during the midnight operation, while crime branch investigators demonstrated how modern surveillance technology can track even the most elusive criminals across state borders.
These arrests send a clear message that Delhi Police are developing more sophisticated approaches to dealing with recidivist criminals who treat the justice system as a revolving door. The operations also highlight the challenges police face when dealing with offenders who resume criminal activities almost immediately after release from incarceration.
