Movie-like gunfight in Gurugram's upscale Sushant Lok kills 4, puts spotlight again on rapper-gangster Deepak Nandal

ALate-night gun combat in Gurugram's upscale Sushant Lok dependency, in which thomas more than 60 rounds were fired and iv alleged gangsters were killed, has erstwhile again turned the spotlight on Deepak Nandal, a former Haryanvi music producer and performer who police say now runs an international extortion syndicate targeting businessmen and other high-profile individuals from overseas.Hostage crisis, then a shoooutThe encounter unfolded around Thursday night in A Block of Sushant Lok after five alleged members of the Nandal gang entered the residence of property dealer Vishal Beri, son of the founder of SGT University, and allegedly held him hostage, police said.Crime Branch teams rushed to the spot after receiving information about armed men inside the house, police told news agency PTI.When officers asked the suspects to surrender, they allegedly opened fire, triggering a fierce exchange in which four alleged shooters were killed and one was injured. Three policemen also sustained bullet injuries, while Beri was rescued safely.The encounter, in one of Gurugram's most affluent residential neighbourhoods, resembled a scene from an action film, with residents reporting sustained bursts of gunfire before police secured the area. From music videos to the underworldLong before he became one of Haryana Police's most wanted gangsters, Nandal, who spent his early years in Rohtak, was associated with the Haryanvi music industry.According to reports from 2020, Nandal was then an old associate of singer Rahul Fazilpuria and rapper Badshah. He was a producer of the original Haryanvi version of ‘Kar Gayi Chull’, besides songs such as ‘2 Many Girls’ and ‘Haryana Roadways’, and also appeared in the music videos with the artistes. In an interview published then, Nandal had described Badshah and Fazilpuria as “like my brothers”.In fact one of Nandal's early brushes with infamy was also linked to this friendship, when in 2019, he assaulted social media influencer Deepak Kalal over alleged derogatory comments made against Fazilpuria.Police now allege that the man once associated with chartbusters went on to build an organised criminal syndicate. Nandal first came under the scanner in local disputes and illegal arms smuggling before graduating to extortion and contract killing.Police believe he fled India in 2023 and has since operated from abroad, possibly the UK, allegedly directing crimes in Haryana and Delhi-NCR through local recruits from these areas and neighbouring states like Punjab, while using encrypted messaging platforms and social media.Police have not officially disclosed the country from which he currently operates, though investigators have previously indicated he is believed to have been active in the UAE, the UK and Canada. The legal process to secure a Red Corner Notice against him is reported to be underway.Fallout with FazilpuriaThe latest encounter comes after a series of attacks that investigators have linked to the Nandal gang.In July 2025, Haryanvi singer Rahul Fazilpuria escaped unhurt after gunmen opened fire at his SUV on the Southern Peripheral Road in Gurugram.After the attack, social media posts purportedly issued in the names of Nandal, Sunil Sardhania and Indrajit Yadav claimed responsibility, alleging that Fazilpuria had failed to return ₹5 crore borrowed from Nandal.The alleged rift was followed by another attack in August 2025, when Rohit Shaukeen, an associate of Fazilpuria, was shot dead in Gurugram. Nandal claimed responsibility for the killing.More recently, in May this year, gunmen allegedly linked to the Nandal gang opened fire at the residence of Fazilpuria's event manager, Saurabh Yadav, in Kanhai village. Constable Kulbir, who had been deployed for Yadav's security, suffered bullet injuries in the attack.Days later, Gurugram Police arrested alleged shooters Gursher Singh alias Shera and Jaspal alias Babal from Punjab. During interrogation, the two allegedly revealed that they had come to kill Yadav, while other accused had identified the target house and arranged vehicles, weapons and logistical support, police told PTI. Four alleged facilitators had been arrested earlier in the case.An overseas syndicateHaryana Police allege that Nandal now runs an international extortion racket, recruiting young men through Facebook, Instagram and YouTube while using WhatsApp and Signal to coordinate operations.Police say builders, businessmen, fashion designers and singers across Delhi-NCR have figured among his alleged targets in recent years.Investigators also say the gang routinely claims responsibility for shootings on social media to reinforce extortion threats.Thursday night's operation, police say, followed the same pattern. Investigators suspect the armed men had reached Beri's residence as part of an extortion bid before the hostage situation triggered a police response.