Gurugram police encounter kills four Deepak Nandal gang members
On July 9, the Gurugram police gunned down four criminals linked to Deepak Nandal’s gang in an encounter, bringing the spotlight back on the former Haryanvi music producer turned wanted gangster.
Nandal, once a face of the Haryanvi music industry, is now a notorious criminal operating in India — mostly in Haryana and the Delhi-NCR region — from abroad. Police link him to crimes such as extortion, murder, kidnapping and ransom demands.
How Deepak Nandal recruits and operates from abroad
According to police, Nandal allegedly recruits youths into his gang via social media and manages his entire network from abroad. He has been active in countries such as the UAE, the UK (London) and Canada. The police in the Delhi-NCR region have been on a lookout for him for a long time.
B. Satheesh Balan, IG, Haryana STF, said Nandal managed to flee abroad in 2023, from where he continued to operate his gang. The police are engaged in a legal process to issue a Red Corner Notice against him and to have him deported from his foreign hideout.
Nandal's transition from music producer to gangster
Nandal was once a music producer, rapper and performer. He worked on several popular songs alongside Haryanvi singer Rahul Fazilpuria and rapper Badshah, associated with tracks such as "Haryana Roadways" and "Kar Gayi Chull".
However, he rapidly rose through the ranks of the criminal underworld in Haryana. Initially, he allegedly gained notoriety for smuggling illegal weapons and involvement in local disputes. Soon, he began climbing the list of wanted criminals maintained by the police of Rohtak and Sonepat. Forming an association with other criminals, he allegedly became active in extortion and contract killing, coming on the radar of the Haryana Police's Special Task Force (STF).
Social media as a tool for crime
According to the police, Nandal operates his gang via social media. He remains active on platforms like Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, where he has allegedly cultivated an image as a 'don'. He connects with youths and recruits them in his gang. Police say he issues extortion threats via WhatsApp and Signal. After orchestrating a shooting, he immediately claims responsibility on social media.
High-profile targets in Delhi-NCR
In recent years, Nandal's gang has targeted prominent figures across the Delhi-NCR region, including builders, businessmen, fashion designers and singers. Following the attack on Rahul Fazilpuria in 2025, a post claiming responsibility in the names of Sunil Sardhania, Deepak Nandal and Indrajit Yadav went viral. The post alleged that Fazilpuria had taken Rs 5 crore from Nandal and failed to return it.
In August 2025, Rohit Shaukeen, an associate of Fazilpuria, was shot dead in broad daylight in Gurugram. Nandal claimed responsibility for that murder as well. In May this year, shooters of Nandal's gang also opened fire at the home of Saurabh Yadav, Fazilpuria’s event organiser, in Kanhai village.
