Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 21 May: Dehradun police have arrested Rajan, alias Jackie, a notorious sharpshooter who hails from Muzaffarnagar, in connection with a murder that took place a year ago in the Rajpur police station area. The Police claim that more than a dozen cases, including charges under gangster and hooliganism laws, are registered against Rajan in several districts of western Uttar Pradesh. A reward of Rs 25,000 had been declared for information leading to his arrest. With the arrest of Rajan, the Doon Police also claimed to have solved the case of murder in Dehradun last year.
The Police investigations have revealed that the murder in Dehradun was carried out on the instructions of the deceased’s stepbrother in a dispute over property and that the accused executed the crime with the assistance of his girlfriend and accomplices. According to the Police Rajan is a well-known criminal in western Uttar Pradesh and faces more than two dozen cases across several districts, including charges of murder, robbery, extortion and offences under the Gangster Act.
It may be recalled that on 26 May 2025, Jatin Kumar, a resident of GMS Road in Dehradun had lodged a complaint at Rajpur police station stating that some unknown persons had murdered his cousin Ajay Bateja at his residence in Krishna Vihar colony, Jakhan. An FIR was registered and the police launched an inquiry. Using surveillance, CCTV footage and information from informants, investigators questioned several suspects and later placed some of them under watch. During this process police received intelligence input that Rajan, alias Jackie, the notorious sharpshooter from western UP, was involved in the crime. Acting on the tip-off, police detained Rajan from Muzaffarnagar and brought him in for questioning.
During interrogation the accused said that Ajay had long-standing differences with his stepbrother Amit Bateja. Ajay was said to be an alcoholic and owned multiple properties in Dehradun and Mussoorie. On 23 May 2025, Amit allegedly took the accused along with Ajay and two women to show Ajay’s carriage in Mussoorie. Amit told the accused that some of Ajay’s property had been purchased with the money belonging to their father and alleged that he had frequently demanded a share of Ajay’s assets, which Ajay had been refusing to give to him. During the conversation with the murder accused Rajan, Amit had accused Ajay of squandering money on indulgence. Not only this, the police claim that Amit had also offered to Rajan half share of a Jakhan property in return for removing Ajay from the scene.
To carry out the murder, police say the accused met Amit in Saharanpur on 25 May 2025, along with his girlfriend Humera, alias Joya and the plan was finalised. The accused then travelled to Dehradun with his girlfriend, Amit and another associate, Neeraj, who was reportedly unaware of the plot, under the pretext of visiting their friend Akshay, who was receiving treatment at Max Hospital for a gunshot injury sustained in Saharanpur. That night the group stayed at Ajay’s house in Jakhan.
As per the plan, the accused left his girlfriend with Ajay and went with others to a liquor shop on Mussoorie Road where they drank in the vehicle. Around 1 a.m. the accused returned alone to Ajay’s house. Amit is said to have persuaded Neeraj to remain outside in the vehicle as part of the ruse. Inside, with the help of the woman left there, the accused deliberately gave Ajay a large quantity of alcohol and, when Ajay became intoxicated and fully drunk, smothered him with a pillow. Ajay was unable to struggle owing to intoxication and died at the spot itself. The accused then attempted to stage the death as a suicide by hanging Ajay from a ceiling fan but, in haste, failed to complete the act. Fearing identification from external CCTV cameras, the accused removed the DVR and took it with him. After the incident the accused and his girlfriend proceeded by auto to the ISBT and then took a bus to Saharanpur.
SSP Pramendra Dobal shared that Rajan, alias Jackie, is a history-sheeter from Saharanpur and is implicated in nearly two dozen serious offences across Shamli, Saharanpur and other areas, including robbery, extortion, attempt to murder and several charges under the Gangster Act and arms laws. He also admitted that other accused Amit Bateja and Humera alias Joya remain at large and police are actively searching for them. The investigative team that uncovered the case was awarded cash prizes by senior police officers. IG Garhwal announced a cash award of Rs 5,000 while the SSP Dehradun announced Rs 2,500 in recognition of the team’s work.
The police team involved in the probe included PD Bhatt, Station House Officer, Rajpur; Pravesh Rawat, Inspector, Rajpur; Anit Kumar; and Vishal Kumar. The SOG team comprised Vipin Kumar, Amit and Ashish Sharma.
