KATHMANDU: It was around 3:45 PM in Mumbai. He was absorbed in editing news at his office near the Light Cinema Hall. The routine afternoon silence shattered when the phone on his desk rang. The instant he lifted the receiver, the chilling news came through: K. T. Thapa had been murdered.

He, of course, is Vivek Agrawal, a celebrated crime reporter in India, who has written 10 books on crime in Mumbai. When he first heard the news of K. T. Thapa’s murder, he couldn’t believe it. He called a police officer from the Mumbai Crime Branch of Mumbai Police from his Hindi daily ‘Hamara Mahanagar’ office. It was then confirmed: K. T. Thapa, a Shiv Sena contractor and a Mumbai Municipal Corporation corporator, was shot dead by an unidentified group around 3:30 PM in front of the Mangatram Petrol Pump near Bhandup.

This incident took place on April 23, 1992. This was before the serial bomb blasts incident had occurred in Mumbai. Two dreaded Indian dons, Dawood Ibrahim and Chhota Rajan, were affiliated with the same gang and were advancing the world of crime.

A Nepali was also part of this group, who had made a unique identity for himself in Mumbai. He was moving forward on a journey to firmly establish himself in Shiv Sena and Mumbai’s politics. But suddenly, he was murdered in broad daylight. After this, the story of Mumbai’s sole ‘Nepali Don,’ Khim Bahadur, a.k.a. K. T. Thapa, came to an end. He still lives among lakhs of Nepali and Marathi people, carrying the image of a ‘Robin Hood’ in this area.

He had the potential to become the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Even now, low-income individuals in Bhandup worship him like a god. His birth anniversary is celebrated every year. Local residents remember him by organizing a special program on the day of his murder.

T. Thapa, a don of the 80s decade and a highly trusted associate of Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray, who once had the power to shake Maharashtra single-handedly, was described by former Nepali Prime Minister Sushil Koirala as “a very brave man.” In 1973, after the Nepali Congress hijacked a plane from Biratnagar and landed it in Forbesganj, the Indian government searched for the hijackers at the request of the Nepali government. Nepali Congress workers were active in that hijacking.

Nepali Congress leader B. P. Koirala had to send his workers to Mumbai to hide the hijackers. It was Thapa who was deployed to find houses and provide security for those workers who reached Mumbai after first going from Forbesganj to Banaras and then from Banaras to Mumbai.

Thapa also had a good relationship with Indian Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar. In 1989, after winning the Mumbai Municipal Corporation election with the highest number of votes, Thapa invited Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar to attend a program he organized. Chandra Shekhar had promised to come. However, that opportunity never came about. Chandra Shekhar could not attend Thapa’s program due to intense political upheaval in Delhi. In 1991, the government itself collapsed.

When Thapa was young, his family migrated from Syangja to Mumbai in search of employment. He received his initial education from Guru Nanak School near his home in Sarvodaya Nagar in Bhandup. He was an avid Kabaddi player. Thapa, short in stature but solidly built, looking like a wrestler, was praised for his game all over Mumbai. One day, Balasaheb, the Shiv Sena chief, who was the chief guest at a Kabaddi tournament, was so captivated by Thapa’s swift play that he invited Thapa to join Shiv Sena immediately after the award ceremony. At that time, Thapa was working as a watchman in a local factory to earn a living. Balasaheb’s offer proved to be a boon for Thapa. This is where Thapa’s story began, from becoming a don to a corporator.

The 70s and K. T. Thapa

Mumbai in the 70s decade was not as polluted as it is now. At that time, only two individuals dominated the world of gangsterism and crime: Karim Lala, from a Pashtun family who arrived in Mumbai from Afghanistan in the 30s decade, and Haji Mastan, who came to Mumbai from Tamil Nadu. Later, Varadarajan Mudaliar also entered from Tamil Nadu. They primarily engaged in gold smuggling, theft of electronic goods arriving from abroad, and the local liquor trade. The three of them had divided their respective territories. No one entered the other’s jurisdiction. They also had a good relationship with the Shiv Sena chief.

However, by the time the 80s decade began, the influence of small-time dons in Mumbai increased significantly. Large-scale drug trafficking spread. The Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi in 1976 and the issue of bank nationalization jeopardized large and small industries. The influence of ‘union gangsterism’ in the industries was such that industrialists began to hire goons for their own protection.

Yes, it was at this time that Dawood Ibrahim, Arun Gawli, Barkya Bhai, Rama Bhai, Sharad Shetty, Bada Rajan, and subsequently Chhota Rajan rose to prominence. Amidst all these dons, K. T. Thapa carved out his own distinct identity. Initially, he had no animosity with anyone. He was very friendly. He was already a trusted associate of Balasaheb, and Dawood Ibrahim also liked him very much. Earlier, Chhota Rajan also worked for Dawood.

“Many people were affiliated with Shiv Sena. But seeing his capability, in 1985, Balasaheb decided to field him in the municipal corporation elections for the first time. He won with a huge margin of votes,” says Vivek Agrawal in conversation with Nepal News.

Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Narayan Rane and K. T. Thapa entered politics from Shiv Sena on the same day. Rane was appointed Chief Minister of Maharashtra in 1999.

“In 1985, both K. T. Thapa and Narayan Rane contested the municipal council elections from different areas. His murder was unexpected. He was very simple and dedicated to the organization,” says Sam Sawant, a friend of former Mumbai Chief Minister Rane and currently a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

In that election, Thapa’s name was at the forefront among the Shiv Sena candidates who received the highest votes. After winning the municipal corporation election, Thapa initiated the work of connecting the poor settlements with the urban areas of Mumbai. He introduced two government municipal buses, 605 and 606, to enter the city from Bhandup. This provided great relief to the locals.

“He did not earn much money. The money he earned was also spent on the welfare of the poor. His house was like a court. He never sent anyone away empty-handed. He was equally interested in the career development of the Marathi people, not just the Nepali community,” says Vivek. “That is why his image became like Robin Hood. He got jobs for the children of the poor in factories. He extended government facilities in the slum areas.”

Appreciating his work, local residents are currently demanding that the name of Jagal Mangal Road be changed to K. T. Thapa Road.

The surname of most Nepalis found in Mumbai is Thapa. The main reason for this is K. T. Thapa. K. T. Thapa used to say, “Nepalis were famous all over the world for their bravery during the British era. Many Thapas, like Bhimsen Thapa, Amar Singh Thapa, and Bhakti Thapa, who were recruited into the British army, earned fame. This is our identity.” Master Thapa, who was associated with K. T. Thapa in the late 1980s, had the original surname Lamsal. But he recounts that it was K. T. who inspired him to change his surname. Master says, “What can I say about K.T.! He is responsible for many Nepalis having the surname Thapa in Mumbai.” He adds, “My surname in Nepal is Lamsal. But he gave me a separate identity as Thapa in Mumbai.”

1. T. Thapa’s influence in Mumbai in the 80s decade was such that whenever locals met a Nepali, they would say, “Thapa ka aadmi hai” (He is Thapa’s man).

If any Nepali was arrested for a minor dispute, the police themselves would say the same words—Thapa ka aadmi hai, chhodo (He is Thapa’s man, release him). In a way, the surname Thapa had begun to become a ‘brand’ in Mumbai since the 80s decade.

“There is a big identity crisis abroad. There was no one as popular as him in Mumbai at that time. So, if you put the surname Thapa after your name, you were safe. No tension from goons or the police,” Master recalls. He says, “He used to tell me—’Look, boy, we earned so much fame in British India. We must say we are Thapa.'”

Even Manohar Joshi, Mumbai’s first non-Congress chief minister, was taken aback by K. T. Thapa’s aura. Joshi took the oath as the first Shiv Sainik Chief Minister in 1995 with the support of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). “His stature grew significantly after he was elected municipal corporator twice in 1985 and 1989 with an overwhelming majority. He was equally popular among Marathi people, not just Nepalis,” adds Champa Thapa, who served Balasaheb for 27 years.

After K. T., if any other Thapa was famous in Balasaheb’s house, it was Champa and Master. It was K. T. who arranged the environment for both of them to enter the Shiv Sena chief’s house. “I was about 16 years old when Thapa brought me to Matoshree Bungalow (Balasaheb’s house). This is all due to Thapa’s kindness,” says Champa, who served Balasaheb extensively after K. T.’s murder. Champa worked at the Matoshree Bungalow until Balasaheb’s death in 2012.

Similarly, after Balasaheb’s death, Master came to Nepal from Mumbai to immerse the ashes in the Bagmati River near the Pashupatinath Temple. “He was the messiah of the poor. Both Dawood and Chhota Rajan were afraid of him,” Master recalls. When Thapa was alive, Bollywood stalwarts from Govinda to other actors would gather at a single phone call from him. Because of him, many Nepalis got jobs not only in Bollywood but also in big industries like Reliance. He was active in breaking the union of CEAT Tyre, Anand Mahindra, and Reliance, all famous Indian companies. Therefore, he provided employment to many poor families in these companies.

Why Thapa was killed

T. Thapa, who had good relations with Indian Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar and Mumbai’s ‘King’ Balasaheb Thackeray, was murdered at the young age of 37. Author and journalist Agrawal states that the Chhota Rajan gang was involved in his murder. The Mumbai Crime Investigation Branch also filed a case against 16 members of Chhota Rajan’s group, alleging their involvement in Thapa’s murder. However, in 1996, all 16 of the accused were acquitted due to a lack of concrete evidence.

At this time, Rajan was hiding in Indonesia outside India. Therefore, he was declared a fugitive. But in 2015, he was arrested in Bali. 17 cases were filed against him, including Thapa’s murder. However, Agrawal is surprised that in 2020, it was decided not to prosecute the case related to Thapa’s murder. “The main reason for arresting Chhota Rajan was also considered to be K. T. Thapa’s murder. But now, that has been put into a closure report,” he says.

Before the murder, Thapa had a very good relationship with Dawood. He had also advised him not to enter politics. But being close to Balasaheb, he could not say no. He jumped into politics. “When Mama (uncle) was murdered, Dawood and Rajan were in the same gang. So, I couldn’t believe it,” says K. N. Singh, his nephew.

This incident, which happened eleven months before the 1993 ‘Mumbai Bomb Blast,’ caused the first major rift between Dawood and Rajan. After the Mumbai Bomb Blast, the two became even more ‘thirsting for each other’s blood.’

Analysts claim that the Gawli-Nayak ‘gang’ was also involved in Thapa’s murder. Thapa was accused of helping the person who shot Lalu Bhai, a member of the Gawli-Nayak gang, at the Sun-N-Sand Hotel in 1989 to enter Mumbai from the harbor.

“There is no doubt that Thapa’s murder was not due to the self-interest of just one person. For this, a plan had been in the making for a long time,” says Master. “I believe his growing steps in politics and the love of the local people also became major reasons.”

The first time K. T. Thapa was accused of murder was in 1986. At this time, his elder brother Ram Bahadur and Bharat Pawar shot at the police who had come to arrest him. Thapa surrendered at the mediation of Manohar Joshi and Pramod Nawalkar. After entering politics, his influence began to spread everywhere. Furthermore, after Dawood entrusted him with the responsibility of money collection, Chhota Rajan and other gangs were also dissatisfied with him. “His influence was spreading from Bhandup to Chembur and other places. In such a situation, neither Chhota Rajan nor members of other gangs were going to be happy,” he says.

When he was murdered, the famous magazine Indian Express, published from India, wrote: “K. T. Thapa, a Shiv Sena contractor, died on the spot after being hit by eight bullets in a blind firing by five people who arrived in a white Fiat car at a restaurant in front of the Mangatram Petrol Pump.” Doctors stated that he had already died before reaching the nearby Rajawadi Hospital. His associate, P. M. Abuwakar, was hit by three bullets but survived.

What was the incident?

T. Thapa usually walked with 60-70 of his associates. But on the day of the murder, he was accompanied by only two people and had gone to a restaurant recently built by a friend near the Mangatram Petrol Pump for a meal. As he was leaving after eating, five people who came in a white Fiat car opened fire indiscriminately. He ran behind the restaurant to save his life. But he was chased and shot. Master Thapa says that his driver, Abdut Borde, provided all the information in this incident. “He was very quick. He also had a Mauser with him. But the field had already been set. He was hit by the first bullet in the hand,” says Master.

Three members of the Chhota Rajan gang, Diwakar Churi, Sanjay Raggad, and Amar Jocker, were involved in his murder. Author Agrawal says that upon learning this, K. T. Thapa’s close friend Subhash Singh Thakur was furious and promised the family members to avenge the murder. As promised, Thakur killed these three people in Nepal’s western border area and threw them into the Seti River. Their bodies have not been found yet.

“Subhash Singh had been living in Nepal for a long time to escape the police. These three people seemed to have bad luck. They also came to Nepal for an operation. After receiving that information, Subhash killed them in Nepal and threw them into the river,” he says. Abdut Borde, the driver who betrayed and killed Thapa, was also murdered seven years later. He says that Subhash fulfilled his revenge by killing all five people involved in this incident. “He kept his word,” says Agrawal.

After K. T. Thapa’s death, the local people elected his wife, Ramila, as the municipal corporator. Both of their sons are now established in Mumbai.

Master Thapa still gets excited about a conversation he had with former Nepali Prime Minister Sushil Koirala regarding Thapa. In 2015, he came to Nepal for work. At that time, he met Koirala at the Prime Minister’s residence in Baluwatar.

After briefly introducing himself, when Master told Koirala, “I am from Mumbai,” Prime Minister Koirala interrupted before he could finish, asking, “Do you know K. T. Thapa?”

Hearing this, Master bowed his head and told the Prime Minister, “He is my guru. He gave me my identity in Mumbai.”

Hearing this, Koirala hugged him tightly and said in a subdued voice, “A very good man. Killed too soon.”