Gurugram: The Special Task Force (STF) of Haryana Police has identified 67 tracks by Haryanvi singers across streaming platforms, such as YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Music, Gaana, and JioSaavn, with lyrics that allegedly promote violence and organised crime while intimidating the judiciary.
The STF’s cyber and intelligence units flagged the problematic songs—many of them popular in Haryana and neighbouring states—after months of monitoring. Then, notices were sent to the digital intermediaries hosting these songs.
The notices—issued under Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000, and Rule 3(1)(d) of IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021—mandated platforms to remove the tracks or disable access to them. The former provision removes “safe harbour” immunity of platforms if they do not follow a government order to remove unlawful third-party content.
Since then, most platforms have complied. “Some songs have been removed, others have been geo-blocked in India,” said Inspector General (IG) STF Satheesh Balan, speaking to ThePrint Wednesday.
Adding that the action was preventive in nature, Balan said, “This is not censorship. It is about stopping content that poses a threat to public order.”
Songs ‘create aspirational image’
Officers said the songs flagged romanticised firearms, murders, and criminal lifestyles, and some invoked the names of jailed gangsters. Such lyrics held a particular appeal to youth who are impressionable, they found.
For instance, the song, Court Mein Goli, carries the line, “Bhari court mein marenge goli meri jaan, mukha judge ke bhi aayenge paseene dekhiyain”, a reference to shots fired in a packed courtroom and the intimidation of a judge.
Another track, Vakil, openly threatens lawyers fighting cases against criminals with death.
And, Tuition Badmashi Ka brags of murders and fugitives.
“These lyrics are not metaphorical bravado. They directly glorify violence, criminal dominance, and threats to the justice system,” Balan told ThePrint, explaining why the police have intervened.
The move by the STF and the Haryana Police Cyber Unit comes amid growing concerns about digital content’s influence on young audiences, particularly in regions where organised crime and gang rivalries have had a visible footprint.
According to the STF, the songs that have been acted upon repeatedly project gangsters as powerful figures—firearms, money, and political influence within their reach—portraying crime as a shortcut to status and luxury.
“This kind of content normalises criminal behaviour and creates an aspirational image around it,” Balan said.
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Months of monitoring
The police conducted the operation over months, monitoring social media as well as streaming platforms, listening to countless songs.
STF officers said cyber surveillance teams first flagged the songs with recurring violent patterns, such as the glorification of firearms, several threats to rival gangs, the name-dropping of notorious criminals, and the intimidation of the courts and law enforcement.
For instance, the song, Lawrence, explicitly references gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, with the singer claiming proximity to his gang in the lyrics.
Another song, Rohtak Kabza, urges a violent takeover of the territory while threatening “enemies”.
“These are not isolated references. They collectively promote a worldview where crime is heroic, and the rule of law is irrelevant,” Balan said.
The removal of the 67 songs should be seen as the beginning of sustained monitoring rather than a one-time action, according to Balan.
“The digital space shapes mindsets. If we ignore content that glorifies violence, we allow crime to market itself,” Balan added.
Singers under the lens
The list of flagged songs spans several popular regional artists.
According to STF data, the highest number of songs with violent lyrics—19—are by singer Masoom Sharma. Six songs each are by Narender Bhagana and Amit Saini Rohtakiya, and five each are by Raj Mawar and Rahul Puthi.
Other singers whose tracks are under the STF’s lens are P.S. Polist, Amanraj Gill, Gyanender Sardhana, Sumit Parta, Gulzaar Chhaniwala, Dhanda Neoliwala, K.D., Candy Sheoran, Vinod Sorkhi, Gajender Phogat, and A.K. Hooda.
Gajendra Phogat, an additional director in the Haryana Kala Parishad and additional or joint director in the public relations office of the Haryana Information, Public Relations, and Languages Department, was appointed as Officer on Special Duty in the Special Publicity Cell in the Haryana government in January 2021.
Balan said that the STF had also engaged with several singers and lyricists.
“We have spoken to them and advised them against glorifying violence, gangsterism, and weapons. Artists have a large influence, particularly on young people,” he said.
‘Protect youth’—DGP
Haryana Director General of Police (DGP) Ajay Singhal, while reviewing the STF’s work during a meeting Thursday, described the crackdown on songs with violent lyrics as a necessary intervention.
“Our aim is not only to prevent crime, but to protect the youth from being drawn into it,” Singhal said, according to officials present at the meeting.
He noted that songs promoting violence often portray criminals as role models, while hiding the reality of prison, violence, and loss.
“The so-called glamorous life shown in these songs does not reflect the suffering that follows for criminals and their families,” Singhal said.
The DGP reiterated that Haryana Police would not allow platforms to host content that promotes crime culture.
“This action against 67 songs is part of a larger campaign. We will continue to act wherever such content is found,” he said, appealing to content creators to exercise responsibility.
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Monitoring, legal outreach
Superintendent of Police (SP) STF Vikrant Bhushan said that the current action plan involved both enforcement and outreach.
“Our cyber unit is intensifying real-time monitoring of likes, shares and posts linked to gangsters and criminal networks. Social media is often used to build influence and attract recruits,” Bhushan told ThePrint.
He added that the STF was also working with digital platforms for quicker, proactive take-downs and plans to conduct legal awareness workshops for artists and creators.
“Many may not fully understand the legal boundaries under IT laws. We want to make those clear,” Bhushan said.
The STF is also tracking individuals who engage excessively with such content.
“Early intervention can prevent radicalisation into criminal networks,” he added.
Wider security ops
Officials said the digital crackdown complemented the STF’s broader operations against the terror–gangster nexus operating in and from Haryana.
In March 2025, a joint operation by Haryana STF and Gujarat ATS led to the arrest of Abdul Rehman alias Abu Bakar, with two hand grenades recovered from him subsequently. He allegedly planned an attack near Ayodhya’s Ram Temple.
In June, a live grenade seized in Karnal was traced to US-based gangster Bhanu Rana, who has been linked to Khalistan networks.
The STF played a key role in investigations following the grenade attack on the women’s police station in Sirsa in November last year, tracing financial trails and foreign handlers through technical analysis.
Another operation in Karnal led to the arrest of Amar Singh, and the recovery of a Glock pistol, hand grenades, and an improvised explosive device.