Reports say a long-running dispute over property may have led to the killing. Police say a property dealer has been arrested in connection with the murder.

Mr Singh headed the special operation crime team of Compensation for escalator death ...
India border state in $2bn boost ... Delhi police.

He came to be known as an "encounter specialist" for his successful handling of several cases related to anti-terrorism operations.

Mohinder Lal, a police official in the Delhi suburb of Gurgaon, said Mr Singh was shot at point blank range with his own gun when he visited the office of a property dealer late on Monday evening.

Police say the shooting followed a heated argument between Mr Singh and the property dealer.

"The accused has surrendered and confessed to the crime. It appears that the dispute was over the profit both of them got in a property deal," Mohinder Lal was quoted as saying.

Rajbir Singh, 48, was involved in more than 50 shoot-outs with criminals and militants.

Glories and controversies

He was given tight security by the government because of a number of threats he faced from terrorist groups.

But police say he only had one guard with him at the time of his killing.

Rajbir Singh joined Delhi police in 1982. Throughout his career, he had his share of glories and controversies.

He played an important part in solving several high-profile cases such as the attacks in Delhi on the parliament and the Red Fort.

But he was transferred out of the special team following allegations of corruption - only to be reinstated later after being cleared.

Questions have also been raised over his reported role in the killing of two alleged Pakistani militants in a shootout at a shopping mall in Delhi. Police claimed they were planning to attack the mall.

(BBC)

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