Gangs of Punjab

The shocking murder of singer-politician Sidhu Moosewala underscores the impunity with which gangsters have been operating in Punjab in recent years. Some of them have killed their rivals or have been gunned down by cops, but others have sprung up to follow in their footsteps, serving up the deadly cocktail of murders, extortion, arms smuggling and drug trafficking. The Punjab Police have prima facie attributed the Mansa killing to a rivalry between the gangs led by Lawrence Bishnoi and Lucky Patial, claiming that it was in retaliation for the 2021 murder of Youth Akali Dal leader Vicky Middukhera. The alleged role of Bishnoi, who is behind bars, in the Moosewala case needs to be investigated thoroughly as he could merely be a front for inimical forces based in India or abroad that are out to create disturbances in the state.

The ruling AAP is under fire for having pruned Moosewala’s security despite a tangible threat perception, even as there is no denying that successive state governments have failed to gauge the enormity of the challenge posed by gangsters. Weeks after taking charge as CM, Bhagwant Mann had ordered the formation of a dedicated police unit for the purpose. The Anti-Gangster Task Force faces an uphill task as 70 gangs with over 500 members are reportedly active in the state, with 300 of them lodged in various jails. The activities of incarcerated gangsters lay bare the laxity of the prison authorities in Punjab and other states.

Law enforcement agencies have their hands full in view of the rampant use of social media by criminals, who glorify gun culture to lure recruits. Rising above party lines, close coordination between the police forces of various states is a must to curb the gangster menace. The presence of Punjabi gangsters in other countries puts the onus on the Centre to press for their extradition. The political blame game can only prove counter-productive; it is imperative to build consensus on ensuring peace and stability in Punjab and preventing a regression to the blood-soaked era of terrorism.

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