Special Correspondent
Mumbai : In a significant development just days before his retirement, the Maharashtra Home Department has promoted four senior police inspectors — Jeevan Kharat, Deepak Dalvi, Pandurang Pawar, and the renowned encounter specialist Daya Nayak — to the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP). The promotion of Nayak, a name that evokes fear in the underworld, comes merely two days before his retirement on July 31, 2025.
A Legendary Career Comes Full Circle
Daya Nayak is perhaps one of the most iconic figures in the history of Mumbai Police. With 87 confirmed encounters, Nayak is credited with eliminating 22 gangsters from Dawood Ibrahim’s syndicate and 20 from Chhota Rajan’s gang. His operations also extended to members of terror outfits like Lashkar-e-Taiba and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
Nayak had been eligible for promotion to ACP for the past 10 months, but the official confirmation came now, adding a fitting end to a formidable career spanning over 30 years.
The Early Struggles of a Fearless Cop
Born in Udupi, Karnataka, Nayak had humble beginnings. He studied in Kannada-medium schools till class 7 before moving to Mumbai in 1979 in search of work. While working in a hotel to support himself, he completed his higher secondary education at a BMC school in Goregaon and later graduated from Valia College, Andheri, under the Cosmopolitan Education Society. At one point, he even worked as a plumber apprentice.
It was during this period that he came in contact with officers from the Anti-Narcotics Cell, which sparked his interest in policing. Inspired by their courage and camaraderie, he joined the police force and became a Sub-Inspector in 1995 after completing formal training. His first posting was at Juhu Police Station, where in just his first year, he conducted two deadly encounters, killing two gangsters from Chhota Rajan’s gang — earning him the title of “Encounter Specialist.”
Encounter Era and Rise to Fame
The 1990s were the peak of underworld violence in Mumbai, and Nayak quickly rose through the ranks as a fearless cop willing to take on the city’s most dangerous criminals. His daring and precise operations made him a household name, feared by criminals and celebrated by law-abiding citizens.
However, his meteoric rise wasn’t without controversy.
Controversies and Suspensions
In 2004, Nayak was accused of amassing assets disproportionate to his known income. The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), acting on orders from a MCOCA court, raided his properties in Mumbai and Karnataka. The raids revealed luxury buses and other assets in his name. He was later arrested and suspended.
He made a comeback in 2012 when he was posted to the ACP (West) Control Room, but was again suspended in 2014. In 2016, he was finally reinstated to the force after being cleared of major charges.
Khandahar Hijack Case: The Untold Valor
One of the most critical moments in his career was his role during the 1999 Kandahar Hijack incident. While five terrorists hijacked an Indian Airlines plane to Kandahar, Nayak and his team tracked down the remaining five operatives in Mumbai. In an intense encounter, they eliminated three Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists and recovered heavy weaponry including AK-47 rifles and rocket launchers.
The Final Salute
Daya Nayak served as the in-charge of Unit 9 of the Mumbai Crime Branch in his final posting. His promotion to ACP is being viewed as both symbolic and deserved — a final salute to a cop who redefined urban warfare against crime and terror in Mumbai.
Despite brushes with controversy, his legacy remains firmly entrenched in Mumbai’s policing history. His journey — from a hotel worker to one of India’s most feared and respected encounter specialists — is a story of grit, ambition, and fearlessness.
