Tuesday, 15 October 2024
Tuesday, 15 October 2024
If you put a search term in Facebook, the social networking site asks you a question back: “Are you sure you want to continue? The term that you searched for is sometimes associated with activities of dangerous individuals and organisations, which isn’t allowed on Facebook.”
The search term in question is Lawrence Bishnoi, the name of a gangster from Punjab whose footprints – rather, bullets – have allegedly reached up to Canada while he has been held in Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati jail for over a year.
On September 12, 2023, a special NIA (National Investigation Agency) court in its order, on a plea by the agency, observed: “Considering the grounds stated in the application, the order dated 30/08/2023, issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt of India wherein it has been noted that accused Lawrence Bishnoi easily runs his terror syndicate and nefarious activities even while his confinement in Punjab jail, the ministry of home affairs has ordered that Lawrence Bishnoi should not be moved from Sabarmati jail, Ahmedabad and also considering the threat and security reasons, the presence of the accused Lawrence Bishnoi be secured through video conference.”
A year before the NIA order, a case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act was registered in Bhuj’s Naliya. Twice in five months in 2023, Lawrence was produced in Naliya court, once from Tihar jail and later from Bathinda jail.
Before the NIA court’s order, Bishnoi while in Tihar jail – as claimed by his long-time associate Goldy Brar – had planned the assassination of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala on April 2022 and in April this year fired outside Galaxy apartments in Mumbai, the most famous resident of which is Bollywood star Salman Khan.
After Moosewala’s murder, Bishnoi had filed a plea with the Delhi high court claiming he – one of the most dreaded gangsters in the country today – feared for his life under the Punjab police.
On October 12, Baba Siddique, influential MLA of the NCP and friend to many a Mumbai politician cutting across party lines and members of the film fraternity known for his lavish Iftar parties, was shot dead outside his Mumbai office.
The Bishnoi gang has purportedly claimed responsibility for Siddque’s murder.
Son of a former Haryana police constable, Lawrence Bishnoi alias Satwinder Singh became friends with Brar – his closest aide, suspected to have fled abroad – during his days in a Chandigarh college.
Bishnoi completed his LLB from Punjab University, while continuing with his gang-related activities along with Brar, behind the façade of student politics. These included killing of political rivals in other parts of Punjab, like Muktsar and Ludhiana.
In 2014, Bishnoi was arrested following a gunbattle with Rajasthan police and apprehended. During his days in Bharatpur jail, he is believed to have befriended other gangsters and started expanding his network, mostly via Voice Over IP calls and other messaging services, using codes.
The social media site that has now enforced a shadow ban or a complete ban on members related to gangs in Punjab was once a happy hunting ground for the gangster.
His activities like firing outside bars in Chandigarh and threatening owners and bouncers during his early days in crime were shared on social media and turned him into a gun-toting hero for many a misguided young mind.
One among many such youths whom Bishnoi has turned into his followers was a Shubham Lonkar, from a nondescript village in Maharashtra’s Vidarbha region. Lonkar has gone into hiding since Sididique’s murder.
The Mumbai police’s crime branch has arrested two of Lonkar’s brothers in connection with Siddique’s murder. Lonkar is still absconding.
According to a senior Rajasthan police officer, Bishnoi during his days spent in the jails in Punjab and Rajasthan had procured two mobile phone numbers, one from Malaysia and another from Thailand.
“These numbers were floated via social media in schools, colleges and bars,” the officer said.
These two numbers were the first stepping stone that led to a 700-strong army of shooters that Bishnoi is believed to have recruited over the years from small towns and villages in Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi, western Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
“Many youths connected with Bishnoi via social media. His men would send them a firearm with six or seven bullets, to be used just for fun,” said the Rajasthan police officer, who spoke under cover of anonymity because he is not authorised to speak to the media.
“When the youths would ask for more bullets, they would be assigned the task of firing outside someone’s house and the firing would be announced on social media. This established Bishnoi’s name as a dreaded gangster who could operate from within any jail in the country,” the officer said.
“His men would also keep an eye for any new criminal who did not have any gang affiliation yet. If they found him suitable for their purpose he would be recruited. Being new, they would operate undetected by the cops.”
Bishnoi’s brother Anmol, Sampat Nakera, Tinu Karyana, Ashish Bishnoi, Dinesh Bishnoi and Amit Bawana are believed to be some of the other key members of Bishnoi’s gang. Though in his absence, Brar is the one running the daily operations, while Bishnoi issues his instructions from inside Gujarat’s Sabarmati jail.
