Bunty, an outlaw criminal who terrorized the streets of New Delhi, was killed by police earlier this week.  The AP reports on the lore of Bunty and the impact of high-profile criminals in India.

From the AP (via IHT):

When someone was shot or robbed in this city of 16 million, where murder is relatively rare, the police pointed to the same suspect: Bunty, the notorious gang leader who terrorized New Delhi from astride a motorcycle.

Bunty’s reign ended Monday when he died in a predawn shootout with the police. The authorities trumpeted the news as a hard-fought victory over the most wanted man in the city, held responsible for stabbings, shootings, robberies and more.

The police classified him as a “BC,” for Bad Character, the highest category of criminal - and he was on a first-name basis with the media. One leading newspaper announced his demise simply: “Bunty shot.”

“It’s almost like he’s a quasi-mythical figure,” said Santosh Desai, a media critic and Times of India columnist. “It’s blurring into lore.”