 "700 gunmen, global connections & more: How gangster Lawrence Bishnoi operates from behind bars")
Baba Siddique’s brutal murder and death threats to Salman Khan have put the spotlight on Lawrence Bishnoi and his gang once again.
Bishnoi, currently lodged in Gujarat’s Sabarmati Central Jail, operates an intricate network of gang members from inside the jail.
Given Bishnoi’s suspected role in Siddique’s murder, there is now concern that he may bring back three decades of gang wars and criminal activities from 1970s Mumbai, connected to infamous figures like Abu Salem, Chhota Rajan, and Dawood Ibrahim.
But how is he running his gang from behind bars? Let’s take a look.
Bishnoi’s operations from jail
The Bishnoi gang is no small-time syndicate, with operations spanning countries.
Through his criminal network, Lawrence Bishnoi maintains considerable influence despite being imprisoned, frequently employing extortion and threats to further his objectives.
The NIA claims that Bishnoi is operating from prison by using his powerful ties and alliances, including pro-Khalistan organisations.
He deliberately stays away from bail applications and communicates with his aides via “Dabba Calling” and VoIP, as per News18.
Criminals, such as the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, employ a technique known as “dabba calling” to make calls that are impossible to track by directing them through illegal exchanges, evading law enforcement tracking and standard mobile networks.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsBishnoi communicates with his colleagues in India and overseas from the jail via applications like Signal and Telegram, reported NDTV.
A videotape that went viral on social media earlier this year allegedly captured Lawrence Bishnoi’s conversation with gangster Shahzad Bhatti, who is based in Pakistan.
His gang members
Bishnoi’s close aide was gangster-turned-politician Jaswinder Singh, alias Rocky.
Hailing from Punjab’s Fazilka, he helped Bishnoi expand his operations in cities like Sri Ganganagar located on the Rajasthan-Punjab border, as well as Bharatpur, under the garb of student politics.
He was assassinated in May 2020 in Himachal Pradesh by rival gangster Jaipal Bhullar.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) claims that the Bishnoi gang has over 700 gunmen operating in five states and has connections abroad.
At least 300 of the shooters hail from Punjab.
Through social media, the gang recruits young people, frequently offering them the chance to immigrate to Western nations like Canada.
Partnerships with outside parties, such as Khalistani terrorists like Harvinder Singh Rinda, who allegedly use Bishnoi’s shooters for targeted murders in Punjab, supplement the gang’s outreach initiatives.
Dawood Ibrahim’s D-Company is thought to have served as an inspiration for the Bishnoi gang’s operations, which are very similar to those of a corporate business, as per NDTV.
Apart from their extensive collection of firearms, the Bishnoi gang has several departments and staff to manage collecting information, legal issues, and logistics.
Bishnoi has been associated with gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria and was friends with Sampat Nehra and Haryana gangster Kala Jathedi. Among his close partners are brother Anmol Bishnoi , who was engaged in the murder of Sidhu Moosewala, and Goldy Brar, who oversees ground-level operations and communications with gunmen.
Rise to prominence
In 2018, Bishnoi became famous after one of his colleagues, Sampath Nehra, conducted a reconnaissance of actor Salman Khan’s home in Mumbai’s Bandra neighbourhood. Nehra claimed that he was tasked to kill Khan because the actor had been involved in the 1998 poaching case, in which he was accused of killing two blackbucks , an animal revered by the Bishnoi people.
Bishnoi’s name reappeared in 2022 when Sidhu Moosewala, a Punjabi singer, was shot dead in Punjab’s Mansa. Operating from overseas, Goldy Brar took responsibility for the murder, claiming that it was committed in cooperation with Bishnoi. He was subsequently arrested at Tihar jail.
Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi , a right-wing leader, was shot and killed in his Jaipur residence in December 2023. The video shows armed men chatting with Gogamedi over tea before opening fire. On social media, Bishnoi gang member Rohit Godara claimed responsibility for the murder.
In a 2018 court appearance, he made alarming statements regarding Salman Khan , where he threatened, “We will kill Salman Khan in Jodhpur. Everyone will know once we take action. I have not done anything as of now, they are accusing me of crimes for no reason."
In 2022, Salim Khan, Khan’s father, found a threatening letter while out for a morning stroll close to their Bandra residence. The note said, “Tumhara Moose Wala kar denge (you will end up like Moose Wala).”
In March 2023, a threatening email mentioning an interview in which Bishnoi restated his intentions towards Khan was sent to the actor’s manager. Bishnoi claimed that Khan has degraded his community and that his intention was not money but rather an apology.
Last year in November, Bishnoi posted a message on Facebook addressing Punjabi singer Gippy Grewal , which read, “You consider Salman Khan a brother, but now it’s time for your ‘brother’ to come and save you. This message is also for Salman Khan – don’t be in the illusion that Dawood will save you; no one can save you.”
In April this year, multiple rounds of bullets were fired outside Khan’s residence in Mumbai, prompting increased security around the actor. Two suspects later confessed to their link to the Bishnoi gang.
Siddique , a three-time MLA and former Maharashtra minister, was shot dead near his son’s office, MLA Zeeshan Siddique, in Bandra East on Saturday night (October 12). The incident was confirmed on Sunday after a post on Facebook by one Shubuu Lonkar, believed to be Bishnoi gang associate Shubham Rameshwar Lonkar, claiming responsibility.
Bishnoi’s background
Lawrence Bishnoi, alias Balkaran Barar, is a 31-year-old gangster from Punjab’s Ferozepur district.
He comes from a well-off family of agriculturalists.
After his schooling up to Class 12, Bishnoi moved to Chandigarh and enrolled in Panjab University’s DAV College.
Involved in student politics, he became the president of the Student Organisation of Panjab University (SOPU) in 2011–22.
However, his path would soon diverge into crime. His first criminal charges were reported in April 2010, involving an attempt to murder, followed by another FIR for trespass in the same month. In February 2011, a case of assault and robbery of a cell phone was registered against him. All three cases were related to student politics.
Bishnoi was jailed for the first time in Bathinda in 2012 and then shifted to Tihar Jail after being charged with the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).
He killed a rival candidate in the 2013 Ludhiana Municipal Corporation elections as well as the victor of the Government College elections in Muktsar.
More than two dozen criminal proceedings have been filed against Bishnoi, including extortion and the killings of political figures.
Along with trading in liquor and arms smuggling, his group frequently shielded murderers. The Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) of Gujarat brought Bishnoi to the state in relation to a cross-border smuggling case.
With inputs from agencies
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