Brief
The shocking assassination of prominent politician Baba Siddique has thrust the infamous Lawrence Bishnoi back into the limelight, revealing the dangerous nexus between politics and organized crime. Siddique was mercilessly gunned down by three attackers in the bustling area of Bandra East, Mumbai, on Saturday evening.
In a startling revelation, a member of the Bishnoi gang, known as Shubbu or Shubham Lonkar, claimed responsibility for masterminding this heinous act. His motive? Siddique’s close ties with Bollywood megastar Salman Khan, a connection that has ignited tensions in the criminal underworld. While Mumbai Police have acknowledged the gang’s involvement, they are diligently piecing together the motive and events leading up to this brazen execution.
Insight
How did Lawrence Bishnoi plunge into the criminal underbelly?
Lawrence Bishnoi, a notorious figure with a staggering tally of over thirty criminal cases, currently resides behind bars in Sabarmati Central Jail. Yet, it is believed he orchestrates his gang’s activities from within the confines of his prison cell. His foray into organized crime can be traced back to 2013, but it was a high-profile threat to Salman Khan in 2018 that ultimately catapulted him into the public eye. This threat stemmed from Khan’s legal entanglements regarding the killing of a blackbuck, an animal revered by the Bishnoi community.
Before he became a feared gangster, Bishnoi dabbled in student politics. Hailing from a tranquil village in Fazilka, he relocated to Chandigarh in 2010 for higher education. It was during this transformative year that his descent into crime began, marked by an attempted murder charge when he was merely 19. His inaugural encounters with law enforcement—though linked initially to his political aspirations—served as a precursor to his metamorphosis into one of India’s most notorious criminals.
In 2011, he ascended to the presidency of the Students Organisation of Panjab University (SOPU), buoyed by the backing of the late Youth Akali Dal leader Vicky Middukhera. The gang’s fury erupted following Middukhera’s murder in 2021, culminating in the assassination of beloved singer Sidhu Moose Wala in 2022—a crime that forged Bishnoi’s prominence in the underworld.
How vast is the empire of Lawrence Bishnoi?
Born to a farming family in Punjab’s Ferozepur district, Lawrence began his nefarious activities primarily in the border regions of Rajasthan, Punjab, and Haryana. Today, however, his criminal enterprise boasts a daunting reach, purportedly comprising around 700 operatives scattered across India. The gang has become notorious for its involvement in extortion schemes and calculated contract killings.
Recently, the Bishnoi gang has intensified its threats against Salman Khan, creating a palpable atmosphere of fear. Allegations emerged in April of gunfire erupting outside Khan’s residence in Mumbai. While the longstanding blackbuck case ignites hostility, officials suspect that targeting the superstar is merely a tactic employed by Bishnoi to amplify his notoriety and assert dominance in the underworld. This intricate tapestry of crime and celebrity intertwines, reflecting a perilous reality where the lines between fate and fear blur dangerously.
