Following the arrest of gangsters Himanshu Bhau and Neeraj Faridpuria by US immigration authorities in the Las Vegas, the prospects of bringing both wanted criminals back to India have increased. From abroad, the two had been orchestrating various criminal activities, including extortion.Himanshu Bhau, a notorious gangster from Haryana who allegedly orchestrated a shooting outside the Gurugram residence of social media influencer Elvish Yadav, has been arrested in the United States.Himanshu’s tryst with crime began in schoolHe began his life of crime at the age of just 17. Until 2019, Bhau was an ordinary student. However, while still pursuing his studies, he allegedly opened fire in a vegetable market in Rohtak as part of an extortion attempt, leading to his arrest by the police.Related news: Wanted gangsters Himanshu Bhau, Neeraj Faridpuria held by US ICE in Las VegasAs he was a minor, he was sent to a juvenile detention centre in Hisar, from where he escaped along with 20 other inmates. He was never apprehended by the police thereafter. His first major conflict arose in 2020 with Ankit, alias ‘Baba’, a childhood friend from his village.The enmity between Ankit, alias ‘Baba’, and Himanshu Bhau began in 2019, when Hansraj, alias Hanse, a fellow villager and member of Ankit’s gang, purchased a private bus.In a bid to establish dominance in the village, members of the Ankit gang allegedly murdered Himanshu’s cousin, Rohit, alias Bajrang. Seeking revenge for his cousin’s killing, members of the Himanshu gang boarded a bus parked at the bus stand and murdered Hanse just five days later.As the rivalry escalated into a series of murders, Himanshu relocated first to Jhajjar and subsequently to Delhi. It was there that he crossed paths with gangster Neeraj Bawana. He began threatening businessmen to extort money and, before long, formed his own gang. Subsequently, a series of criminal cases were registered against him in Rohtak, Jhajjar and Delhi, earning him the notoriety associated with the name ‘Gangster Bhau’.In 2022, Himanshu managed to flee India using a forged passport. He first travelled to Portugal and subsequently reached the United States. From the U.S., he began recruiting new shooters into his gang and orchestrating criminal activities.He remained in constant contact with his associates through social media and other digital channels. Himanshu Bhau is said to have close ties with the Neeraj Bawana and Bambiha gangs, while harbouring a bitter enmity towards the Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar gangs. In 2023, Interpol issued a Red Notice against him.The 23-year-old Bhau, whose real name is Himanshu Ritauliya, hails from Ritauli village in Haryana’s Rohtak district. He faces around 30 criminal cases registered across Delhi and Haryana, with charges ranging from murder, attempted murder and extortion to criminal intimidation, the illegal use of firearms and forgery.His network allegedly terrorised local businesses, carrying out multi-million-rupee extortion schemes targeting builders, traders and real estate developers across the Delhi-NCR region.Among his most notorious alleged crimes was the public killing of a rival, Aman Joon, inside a Burger King outlet in Rajouri Garden, West Delhi, in June 2024. His syndicate also allegedly carried out the revenge killing of a rival’s uncle in June 2025, stemming from a feud that dated back to 2022.The Himanshu Bhau gang also claimed responsibility for the 2025 shooting outside YouTuber Elvish Yadav’s residence in Gurugram. The gang’s name has surfaced in connection with other serious incidents, including a murder at a Burger King outlet in Rajouri Garden, Delhi, and a shooting at a car showroom.About a month ago, gym trainer Vijay Kumar was shot dead in Aya Nagar, Delhi. Following the incident, the Himanshu Bhau gang claimed responsibility for the murder on social media. The Haryana Police has announced a reward of Rs 2.5 lakh for information leading to Bhau’s arrest, while the Delhi Police has announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh.Who is Neeraj FaridpuriaAnother wanted criminal, Neeraj Faridpuria, who was also arrested in the United States, faces more than 25 criminal cases across various districts, including Faridabad and Palwal. The cases involve serious offences such as murder, attempted murder, robbery, dacoity, possession of illegal weapons and extortion.Gangster Neeraj Faridpuria, who is wanted in connection with the murder of Vikas Chaudhary, a former state spokesperson for the Congress party in Haryana, hails from Faridpur village in Faridabad district. He initially carried out criminal activities at the local level and later came into contact with other gangsters while in jail.Subsequently, his name became associated with the Bambiha gang. In November 2023, reports emerged that he had been entrusted with the gang’s leadership. Later, he attracted attention amid allegations that he was operating the gang’s network from abroad.According to the police, Neeraj entered the world of crime in 2013–14. Initially, he was involved in criminal activities in Faridabad and Palwal. Over time, his name began to surface in cases involving murder, attempted murder, robbery, dacoity, illegal weapons and extortion.He was arrested in 2012 in connection with a murder case. In 2015, a court sentenced him to life imprisonment in that case. He was subsequently released on bail by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.On June 26, 2019, Vikas Chaudhary, then the state spokesperson for the Congress party, was shot dead outside a gym in Faridabad. During the investigation, the names of Neeraj Faridpuria and Kaushal Chaudhary emerged.After being released on bail, Neeraj travelled to Canada via Dubai. Subsequently, allegations emerged that he was orchestrating criminal activities in Haryana and the Delhi-NCR region while based abroad. In November 2023, reports claimed that he had been handed control of the Bambiha gang.Before this, the gang’s operations had been managed by Lucky Patial, who is based in Armenia. While living abroad, Neeraj allegedly focused on expanding his gang’s network and recruiting young people into the world of crime.