Anti-dacoit squad reactivated to catch lover in Gwalior:Pregnant girlfriend abducted in filmy style and threatens her parents; evades police for 22 days

After years of relative calm in the Chambal ravines, the region has once again witnessed the rise of a dreaded outlaw. A self-styled dacoit named Yogi Gurjar, known for his obsession with a woman he claims as his lover, has forced Madhya Pradesh Police to revive its Anti-Dacoit Squad (ADS) — a special force that hadn’t been mobilized for nearly a decade. The dramatic events unfolded when the armed dacoit, in a scene straight out of a Bollywood film, abducted his pregnant girlfriend from her in-laws’ house in Gwalior district. The incident, marked by gunfire and panic, has reignited memories of the dreaded dacoit era in Chambal, once home to infamous bandits like Phoolan Devi and Malkhan Singh. A film-style abduction in Gwalior On October 8, Yogi Gurjar stormed into Gurja village in the Tighra region of Gwalior, accompanied by around a dozen armed men. According to witnesses, the gang fired multiple rounds before Yogi barged into his lover’s in-laws’ house, where she was living after marriage. He assaulted whoever came in his way, beating family members with gun butts, and then forcibly abducted his pregnant girlfriend, identified as Anju Gurjar. Villagers described the scene as chaotic — “It looked like a movie shoot, except it was real,” one eyewitness told police. The gang then disappeared into the dense jungles near Lanka Pahadi, leaving behind a terrified village and a massive manhunt for the fugitive dacoit. Police resurrects anti-dacoit squad after years For the first time in nearly a decade, Madhya Pradesh Police has reactivated its Anti-Dacoit Squad (ADS), an elite unit trained for jungle warfare and tracking armed outlaws. The squad, led by two IPS officers — ASP Anu Beniwal and SP Vinita Dagar — has launched extensive search operations across the Gwalior, Morena, and Dholpur regions. The ADS is equipped with modern weapons, night-vision devices, and communication gear. These officers are specially chosen for their experience in terrain mapping and their deep network in dacoit-affected zones. Despite 22 days of relentless search operations, Yogi continues to evade capture. He reportedly moves between Gwalior, Morena, and the border jungles of Rajasthan’s Dholpur, threatening the families of his lover from both her in-laws’ and parental homes. Pregnant lover found, gives birth three days later Within 24 hours of the abduction, police recovered Anju Gurjar from the Lanka Pahadi forest area. She was found exhausted but alive — and heavily pregnant. Sources say Yogi abandoned her in the jungle fearing police action. Three days later, on October 11, Anju gave birth to a baby. Both mother and child are reported to be healthy and safe under police protection. Two gang members arrested Police sources confirmed that two members of Yogi’s gang have been arrested in the last few days. Authorities say both arrests could help trace Yogi’s hideout, though the gang is believed to still have at least 16 armed members equipped with pistols, rifles, and Mausers. Dacoit’s rage rekindles Chambal’s fear Once a symbol of rebellion and lawlessness, Chambal’s ravines had long been declared “dacoit-free.” But Yogi’s violent emergence has revived old fears. Police intelligence reports suggest his gang is reorganizing in the Morena-Gwalior-Dholpur belt, operating deep within forested terrain and moving frequently to avoid encounters. Local villagers say they now live in fear again. “We hadn’t heard gunfire in years,” said a farmer from Morena. “Now, people are scared to go out after dark.” Love turned into crime: The backstory Yogi Gurjar, originally from Tiloda village in Morena, was once associated with the Guddha Gurjar gang — a notorious dacoit outfit. After the gang’s downfall, Yogi formed his own group. His infatuation with Anju, a bright student from Sesai Pura village in Sheopur, turned violent after her family refused their relationship. Anju reportedly met Yogi while preparing for her B.Ed exams in Tiloda. The two fell in love, and Yogi proposed marriage. However, when Anju’s family discovered his criminal background, they opposed the match. They later married her off to Girraj Gurjar of Gurja village, Gwalior, in February 2024 under police protection. Two dacoits caught, trapped while coming to threaten
Police have done a lot in the last 22 days. The anti-dacoit squad is continuously conducting a joint searching operation with Morena, Gwalior, and Dholpur police in search of dacoit Yogi. Police recently arrested two henchmen of dacoit Yogi’s gang. Dacoit Tahseela Gurjar, who had a reward of 20 thousand rupees (ten-ten thousand from Gwalior and Dholpur police), was arrested by Dholpur Rajasthan police. Meanwhile, dacoit Anke Gurjar, a resident of Morena, has also been apprehended. He also had a reward of ten thousand rupees. Anke Gurjar had come to Gurja village to threaten the in-laws of dacoit Yogi’s girlfriend. When security was increased at the in-laws’ house, he started threatening at the parental home
After dacoit Yogi publicly abducted his girlfriend, the police had increased security at the girlfriend’s in-laws’ house. Even after this, reports came that Yogi had left after threatening amidst police security. Following this, the police tightened security further, and now dacoit Yogi is threatening the girlfriend’s parental home in Sheopur. Just a day earlier, the girlfriend’s father had appealed to the Sheopur SP for security. But Yogi refused to give up. He repeatedly threatened both families, vowing revenge. His threats turned real when he abducted Anju months later. Yogi Gurjar’s criminal record According to police records, Yogi Gurjar faces over 15 criminal cases, including murder, loot, and attempted murder. A ₹15,000 bounty has been announced for his capture, with proposals underway to increase the reward amount. Sources claim Yogi still commands loyalty from several former dacoits of the Morena-Dholpur region, and his gang uses illicit arms procured from Rajasthan. Threats to victim’s families continue Even after the abduction incident, Yogi has continued issuing threats to both Anju’s in-laws in Gwalior and her parents in Sheopur.
Police increased security around both residences, but reports surfaced that Yogi managed to slip into Gwalior despite the police cordon. After that, he began threatening Anju’s family in Sheopur, forcing them to approach the district SP for protection. Police vows to nab the outlaw ASP Anu Beniwal said the search operations are being carried out round-the-clock. “We are scanning every possible hideout and monitoring anyone suspected of providing him shelter. The operation will continue until Yogi is caught,” she said. The Anti-Dacoit Squad has mapped the border terrain between Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, anticipating that Yogi might attempt to cross over to Dholpur, where he has local contacts. Police say this time, there will be no room for another legend to be born. “This is not the Chambal of the 1970s,” a senior officer remarked. “We’ll end this rebellion before it spreads.”