Mumbai: Encounter Specialist Daya Nayak Retires After 30 Years of Service; Promoted to ACP Just Before Retirement
By vishal.singh | Updated: July 31, 2025 21:07 IST2025-07-31T21:03:31+5:302025-07-31T21:07:53+5:30
One of Mumbai Police’s most celebrated and feared officers, Daya Nayak, retired on Wednesday after three decades of distinguished ...

Mumbai: Encounter Specialist Daya Nayak Retires After 30 Years of Service; Promoted to ACP Just Before Retirement
One of Mumbai Police’s most celebrated and feared officers, Daya Nayak, retired on Wednesday after three decades of distinguished service. Known as the nemesis of the underworld, Nayak was promoted to the post of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) just two days before his retirement, marking a significant milestone at the close of his career.
A 1995-batch officer, Nayak rose to prominence in the late 1990s and early 2000s for his fearless crackdown on Mumbai’s underworld. During his career, he carried out 86 police encounters, many of which involved hardened criminals from gangs led by Dawood Ibrahim and Chhota Rajan. His actions earned him a reputation as one of the most formidable encounter specialists in the force.
Last year, he was promoted to the rank of Senior Police Inspector and posted to Unit 9 of the Mumbai Crime Branch. Despite being eligible for the ACP post 10 months ago, his promotion was delayed due to administrative reasons. It was finally approved on 29 July, just two days before his superannuation.
Beyond the underworld, Nayak also took on terrorists. In one operation, he faced five Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives alone—killing three of them and seizing advanced weapons, including AK-47 rifles. Of the 86 encounters he led, 22 involved members of the Dawood gang, while 20 were from the Rajan faction. He also neutralised several operatives linked to banned outfits like the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
However, Nayak’s career was not without controversy. In 2006, the Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) filed a disproportionate assets case against him, resulting in a suspension that lasted nearly six and a half years. He was later acquitted of all charges and reinstated into the force.
Over the years, Nayak served in various specialised units, including the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS). He was part of the core team that investigated the 2021 Antilia bomb scare case and the murder of Thane-based businessman Mansukh Hiren. He also contributed to investigations into the firing outside actor Salman Khan’s residence, the attack on actor Saif Ali Khan, and the murder conspiracy involving NCP leader Baba Siddique.
With his retirement on 31 July, Daya Nayak becomes the last of Mumbai Police’s original encounter specialists to exit the force. His departure marks the end of an era in the city’s fight against organised crime and terrorism.
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