The recent gang wars in Punjab have a peculiar feature. The gangsters announce their kills on social media, and, in the past, have shared pictures from inside jails. The gruesome murder of popular Punjabi singer and Congress leader Sidhu Moose Wala brought focus back on the rise of gangsters in the border state.
The criminals responsible for the murder of the singer-politician belong to Lawrence Bishnoi gang, which has ties with other gangs from Haryana, Delhi and Rajasthan.
In Facebook posts by supporters of Bishnoi and his gang member Goldy Brar, the gangsters claimed that Moose Wala was killed as his name had figured in the murder of Vicky Meddukhera, an Akali Dal youth leader who was connected to them since their students politics days in Chandigarh and Punjab. After Meddukehra’s murder in August, Bishnoi gang had vowed to avenge his death, in social media posts. Moose Wala's manager was named as an accused in the case.
Bishnoi, who was recently shifted to Tihar Jail from Rajasthan has expanded his network exponentially in the last a few years. After his name figured in Moose Wala murder, Delhi police raided his cell in high security Tihar jail.
Bishnoi, who belongs to agriculturist family Abohar, in Punjab, had come to Chandigarh for his graduation. He worked as a Student Organisation of Panjab University (SOPU) activist, and had a few cases registered against him. He was arrested in 2011 when he was 20, and police came to know about his association with other gangsters after his arrest.
Ever since his arrest, he expanded his criminal network across several states, and his gang is said to have active members running into several hundreds. Bishnoi has been running his gang from the jail. Youngsters join his gang for easy money through extortion, drug trade and gang wars.
Bishnoi shot into prominence when a gang member arrested by police revealed that the gangster had tasked him to kill Bollywood actor Salman Khan as the latter had allegedly killed a black buck. Bishnois revere black bucks.
Goldy Brar, another gangster associated with Bishnoi and based in Canada, has claimed responsibility for the murder of the singer-politician.
In the last year alone, the police from Punjab, Haryana, Delhi have arrested dozens of their gang members on charges of murder and extortion.
In April, Punjab police arrested Bishnoi gang members for murdering a rival gangster Harjit Singh Penta, who belonged to Devinder Bambiha gang. Both these gangs have been at war with each other and have been killing each others' members.
Even in Moose Wala’s case, the Bambiha group has levelled allegations against Bishnoi group, and along with another gangster Neeraj Bawana allegedly threatened action.
The gang war is set to escalate in the coming days even as police will be under pressure to eliminate these gangsters who spreads terror in the northern states.
Some of the gangsters have enjoyed political patronage, with police also being silent spectators. The gangsters have had a field day as they are often celebrated in the popular culture, including films. Some of the gangsters give patronage to student unions. Even Bishnoi’s name and picture was being used by a student body with branches in northern states.