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Thugee bana yogi

Updated on: 28 October,2009 08:03 AM IST  | 
J.Dey |

Released after 10 years in prison, Chhota Rajan's henchman D K Rao surprises police by announcing that he wants to teach yoga in his Dharavi neighbourhood

Thugee bana yogi

Released after 10 years in prison, Chhota Rajan's henchman D K Rao surprises police by announcing that he wants to teach yoga in his Dharavi neighbourhood

Gangster Chhota Rajan's right-hand man Ravi Mallesh Bora, better known as D K Rao in the Mumbai underworld, who was recently released after 10 years in prison, says he wants to focus his energies on teaching yoga to the youth in his Dharavi neighbourhood.

Wary Crime Branch officers suspect Rao could be using yoga as a ploy to attract youth, who could be recruited into the depleted Rajan gang.

Yoga and politics


"I want to teach yoga to young people. I may even decide to join a political party," said the smartly dressed and clean shaven Rao, during his visit to the sessions court last afternoon. Rao had kept a long beard and a ponytail during his imprisonment.




Rao's career in crime began as a chindi operator in the 1990s. Chindis are the riffraff of the underworld, who undertake small-time armed robberies.
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He rose in the ranks of the Rajan gang, where he gradually became a sharp shooter and a recruiter of new talent, and was the first chindi to rise to such heights in any major gang hierarchy.

Chindis came to be respected in the underworld after Jaggu Shetty alias Fakira, Rao and few others were arrested after they looted Rs 66 lakh from a bank in Thane in 1995.

"We're keeping a close watch on Rao. He has never been associated with yoga or any other activities of the sort. His activities are being seen with suspicion," said Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Rakesh Maria.

Who's D K Rao?

Rao survived a police encounter on November 11, 1998. His associates Raja Gore, Bipin Kandpal, Ramesh Pujari and Jayram Shetty were shot dead.

Rao, who sustained two bullet injuries on his shoulders, pretended to be dead till the cops took what they thought was his corpse to KEM Hospital.

Rao surprised the cops by jumping from the stretcher to his feet. "Main zinda hoon, main zinda hoon," he shouted in the crowded hospital.

Rao is an accused in the murder of another Rajan man O P Singh, who had displeased the boss, and had also ordered the murder of police informer Amjad Khan in 2006.

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