Hours after Nationalist Congress Party leader Baba Siddiqui, 66, was shot dead by three men in Mumbai's Nirmal Nagar area on October 12, shubuu Lonkar alias Shubham Lonkar claimed responsibility on Facebook. Sources claimed Lonkar was a close associate of lawyer turned gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who is currently lodge in Sabarmati central jail. Investigations revealed that Instagram and snapchat were used for communication. Multiple reconnaissance were conducted in cars and bikes to track Siddique's movements in Bandra. The operation was led by Mohammad Zeeshan Akhtar, who directed the team - a typical where handlers issue orders while Bishnoi manages the operations.
Exactly two-and-a-half years ago, popular punjabi singer and Congress leader Sidhu Moosewala was killed by the Bishnoi gang. At least 24 shots were pumpled into his body in Mansa district of Punjab. He was closely being watched by Goldy Brar, one of Bishnoi's oldest friends and associates who operates from Canada. This crime syndicate built by Bishnoi runs deep in India and beyond. In Fazilka, Bishnoi's village, he's remembered as a "well behaved boy who never picked fights". He was enrolled in Assuption Conbent School, a Christian boarding school in Abohar, where he studied till class X. His parent the enrolled him at DAV School in Chandigarh, where he stayed in a hostel and developed an interest in athletics, particularly the 1500 meter race.
It was in 2008 when Robin Brar, one of Bishnoi's friends stood for student council elections, and to threaten the rival canidate, Bishnoi fired at him, using a friend's revolver. He was sent to jail for attempted murder, which launched his career into the crime world. In 2012, after graduating from college, he had both friends and enemies, and a gang.
Satinderjit Singh, alias Satwinder or Goldy Brar, left India to run a syndicate and seek sophisticated weapons. He was linked to Harvinder Singh Sandhu, alias Rinda, through Lakhbir Singh, alias Landa both connected to Babbar Khalsa International, a banned Khalistani militant organisation.
NIA sources claim the Bishnoi syndicate subsequently got associated with pro-khalistani elements due to their wide base across States, availability of shootwe, and an easy availability of funds.
FOOT SOLDIERS
The NIA draws parallels between the Bishnoi gang and Dawood Ibrahim, the kingpin of D-Company. Dawood started with petty crimes like fraud and robbery in the 1980s and became notorious for terrorism, extortion, targeted killings, and trafficking. Bishnoi, too, in connivance with Brar, built a syndicate in north India. Later, Sachin Thapan, Anmol Bishnoi, Vikramjit Singh, Kala Jatheri, and Kala Rana created a network of 700 associated and members in 10 years.
While being active in Delhi, M.P., Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Bihar, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Rajasthan and U.P., on ground, yound men with a weak socio-econimic background, hit by unemployment or drug addiction, usually in the age group of 18 to 25, are lured by the handlers for easy money. They are lured with a ticket to Canada or the U.S. or to live a lavish lifestyle like a gangster.
Facebook, Instagram and YouTube are exclusively used to promote the ciminal activities. "From the photos taken from court visits while he's in custody, to the social media posts, there;s an entire wave of Bishnoi's followers, who chant slogans such as "Jai Balkari Ji" and upload videos and regularly engage with his content.
Currently ledged inside the Sabarmati Central Jail, located in Ahmedabad, Cishnoi, who has more than 80 criminal cases in his dossier, continues to remain active.
He is adept at operating from inside the jail. He has not even applied for bail in any case for many years. Even Moosewala's murder was planned in different jails - Bishnoi and Jaggu Bhagwanpuria in Tihar jail, Manpreet in Ferozpur jail, Saraj Singh in Special jail in Bhatinda and Manmohan Singh in Mansa jail. All were in touch with Goldy Brar. Police say Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calls, which the gangsters are believed to have used for communication, are hard to trace.
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