Lawrence Bishnoi gang ‘providing funds’ to cow vigilantes

Tribune News Service

Sumedha Sharma

Gurugram, September 21

After losing ground in Haryana and Rajasthan, notorious gangster Lawrence Bishnoi was planning to stage a comeback through a network of cow vigilantes. An investigation of social media chats and a few recorded calls of arrested cow vigilante Monu Manesar has brought to the fore the fact that not only Manesar, but at least five other vigilantes, who are also accused in the Nasir-Junaid murder case, were in touch with Bishnoi.

Manesar link

• Gangster’s donations to ‘gaushalas’ diverted to fund vigilante groups, say police
• Bishnoi wanted to use vigilantes’ network for his work, the police suspect
• Manesar was in touch with Bishnoi, but insisted it was regarding a cow shelter project

According to a senior investigator of the Rajasthan Police, it seemed many cow vigilantes, including Manesar, wanted to join the Bishnoi gang.

“Bishnoi once ruled the extortion business in the area, but a police crackdown wiped out his gang. Sharing a common interest of cow welfare, he was in touch with ‘gau rakshak’ groups. Vigilantes like Manesar caught his fancy after the Nasir-Junaid murder case and Nuh clashes. He wanted to use their network for his work. From group chats, we have got names of five more men who were in touch with Bishnoi, but we can’t reveal their names,” said the investigator.

According to the Rajasthan Police, Manesar had admitted to being in touch with Bishnoi, but insisted that it was for a ‘gaushala’ (cow shelter) project.

“He is a Hindu and wanted to work for welfare of cows and that’s why we were talking. The conversation is being used out of context,” Manesar reportedly told the police. However, cops suspect that Bishnoi’s donations for a ‘gaushala’ were being used for funding vigilante groups.

Meanwhile, seeking bail in a Kaman court in the Nasir-Junaid case, advocate Kulbhushan Bhardwaj claimed Manesar was innocent.

“The DGP said Manesar was not a murder accused and they had no evidence of his direct role in the conspiracy. Till now they have no corroborative evidence and are trying to frame him for links with gangsters whom he spoke to just for welfare for cows. We are seeking legal remedies,” said Bhardwaj.

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