Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi: From student politics to extortion, murder

New Delhi, May 30

Thirty-year-old Lawrence Bishnoi, ringleader of the 700-member gang of criminals, has yet again come under the police radar with Canada-based gangster Goldy Brar claiming responsibility for singer Sidhu Moosewala’s murder yesterday.

Brar, a close aide of Bishnoi who is currently lodged in Tihar jail here, claimed responsibility for the murder via Facebook to avenge the killing of Youth Akali Dal leader Vicky Middukhera last year.

Born on February 12, 1993, Bishnoi, referred to as “Don” by gang members, is a graduate and a resident of Dhattaranwali village near Abohar. Bishnoi’s father joined the Haryana Police as a constable in 1992, but left job after five years and started farming.

Bishnoi completed his LLB from Panjab University (PU) and got involved in illegal activities. Some of the early cases against him were lodged during his student union politics days. Bishnoi and his gang operate from Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi and Himachal Pradesh, and they have an international network too. His partner Sandeep was recently arrested by the Delhi Police. In 2009, Bishnoi joined the student union of PU and then met president Brar. After getting into university politics, he started committing crimes.

The Bishnoi gang extorts money from the liquor mafia, Punjabi singers, and other influential people.