Mumbai/ New Delhi: At 9.28 pm on 12 October, 2024, a chilling message crackled through the Bandra East wireless.
“Three shots have been fired.. Over and out..”
“Baba Siddique has been shot…He has been rushed to the hospital, bullets hit his chest”, an on duty police officer informed.
Not only did the alert provoke alarm throughout the control room, it unleashed a sudden wave of nostalgia among the policemen in the area, recalling the chaotic 1990s—a time when Mumbai was a hotbed of violence, where assassinations, contract killings, and rampant extortion were part of the city’s daily routine.
The last time such a frantic PCR call was made from the same locality was three decades ago. In 1994, Ramdas Nayak, then head of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Mumbai unit, was shot mercilessly with an AK-47 just 700 meters from Baba Siddique’s residence as he was getting into his Ambassador car. That assassination was later linked to Chhota Shakeel and his gang.
This time, as gunfire echoed through Bandra and three bullets struck Baba Siddique’s chest, a chilling question arose: Could this signal the return of the underworld?
However, it quickly became clear that this incident bore little connection to the traditional Mumbai underworld and signalled the arrival of a new kind of criminal gang. It had the hallmarks of an increasingly notorious outsider who is now seen as attempting to fill the void left by the city’s once powerful organised crime syndicates, aiming to expand his network of more than 700 operatives: Lawrence Bishnoi.
The void in the Mumbai underworld has existed for about two decades since its earlier rulers were wiped out with a combination of tough laws, tough cops, mass arrests and prolific encounters. Long before Uttar Pradesh, it was the Bombay (as it was called then) Police who gave India the thok-do culture.
Lawrence Bishnoi—a name he adopted in school—began his criminal journey through student politics at Panjab University, Chandigarh. For years, his influence was limited to circles in Punjab before spreading to Rajasthan and Haryana. Over the past two years, however, his profile has grown exponentially, particularly after his alleged involvement in the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala in 2022.
The name went global when Canada accused the Indian government of using his gang for covert operations, and today, Bishnoi’s operations, which he has allegedly been running from inside Sabarmati jail in Gujarat, have sent ripples of fear through Mumbai’s influential elite—from politicians and real estate tycoons to Bollywood.
The anxiety surrounding his activities started to build eight months ago, on 14 April, when warning shots were fired outside Salman Khan’s home, with bullets striking the actor’s balcony. The assassination of Siddique, allegedly by Bishnoi’s gang, further consolidated these fears.
While sources within the Mumbai Police suggest that Bishnoi’s influence in the city is still at a nascent stage and not yet a significant threat, they acknowledge that these acts were orchestrated to instil fear among the people and potentially establish dominance over Bollywood, just as the gang has sought to control the Punjabi music industry.
Fuelling this ambition is Bishnoi’s desire to become the “number one name in the crime world”, a goal he had expressed to a Delhi Police investigator during his interrogation.
“If a person like Bishnoi targets a star who has a following of crores, like he did with Salman, all his fanbase would know who Bishnoi is. That is what he wants. He wants that fame, that name, the rise in the syndicate’s USP and the money. That is why he chose Mumbai,” a source said.
“It is too early to say he is a threat or draw a parallel with the underworld,” the source added. “No one, however, can afford to ignore what has happened. It could be a start to something. We need to nip this in the bud before it gains momentum and takes Mumbai back into the dark days when the underworld ruled the city.”
It may just be the beginning—but today, a gangster’s influence can grow much faster than that of the old underworld. They harness the power of technology and digital media, and thrive on the instant fame it brings them.
Speaking to ThePrint, former Mumbai police commissioner D. Sivanandan said the media had played a significant role in glorifying the underworld at its peak, and thus strengthening it.
Today, it’s like instant coffee. People become popular overnight, and gangsters are no exception. In this digital age, everything spreads much faster.
D. Sivanandan, former Mumbai police commissioner
He also highlighted how the underworld’s dominance started subtly and took decades to reach its peak.
“Wherever there is money, organised crime flows like water to the sea. Mumbai, with its 92 billionaires, naturally attracted the mafia. It all began in a benign way and took 40 years to build to a crescendo. What we’re seeing now could be the beginning of something similar, which is why this needs to be stopped immediately,” he said.
According to sources, organised crime in Mumbai had historically followed a set pattern, involving over 1,000 individuals and multiple gangs with operatives from across the country. What Bishnoi is attempting now resembles a Chhota Shakeel-style recruitment model, where he hires individuals like tailors and scrap dealers from economically disadvantaged families for contract killings. His growing popularity is facilitating this strategy, making it a development that cannot be overlooked.
“With the fall of the underworld, there was a vacuum created. By killing Baba, there were reactions, panic in the film industry. This could be an attempt to control Mumbai by threats since Mumbai is the financial capital,” a source said.
Another senior officer, however, said this was not an attempt to fill any vacuum in the underworld but rather a “publicity stunt.”
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‘A wake-up call, indicators’
It was through a Facebook post that the Bishnoi gang claimed responsibility for Baba Siddique’s killing, alleging that Siddique was close to Dawood Ibrahim and Salman Khan. They said the attack was also to avenge the death of their associate, Anuj Thapan—a gang member and one of the shooters arrested for the firing outside Salman Khan’s house, who died allegedly by suicide while in police custody.
The post, which started with “Om Jai Sri Ram, Jai Bharat” said, “Salman Khan, we did not want this fight, but you harmed our brother (Anuj Thapan). Today, those who are praising Baba Siddique should remember that he was once involved with Dawood and was booked under the MCOCA Act [Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, 1999]. The reason for this death was Anuj Thapan and to expose the connection between Dawood, Bollywood, politics, and property dealings. We have no enmity with anyone, but whoever helps Salman Khan and the Dawood gang should beware. If anyone harms any of our brothers, we will surely retaliate. We have never struck first. Jai Shri Ram, Jai Bharat. Salute to the martyrs.”
This post brought a new dimension to the investigation. According to police sources, it marked the first time in years that such an assassination had shaken Mumbai. However, this time, it wasn’t the usual players of the underworld but a new gang attempting to assert their dominance over the city.
What was alarming in the two high-profile incidents—the firing outside Salman Khan’s residence and the murder of Baba Siddique—is that the police had no prior intelligence and were left in the dark about who might have orchestrated the attacks.
While the key accused in Baba Siddique murder case, Shubham Lonkar, is from Pune, Maharashtra, Mohammed Zeeshan Akhtar is from Nakodar, Punjab. A total of 26 people have been arrested in connection with the case, including the suspected main shooter, Shiv Kumar Gautam, who is from UP but was working at a scrap shop in Pune.
Similarly, of those arrested in the Salman Khan case, two—Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal—are from Majharia, a village in Bihar’s West Champaran district, and both are believed to have been first-time shooters. Thapan, who later allegedly killed himself in prison, was from Punjab.
“The entire operation was planned outside Mumbai and executed by individuals who are not from the city. There were no local links to the crime, no intelligence on what was being planned, even though the shooters stayed in Mumbai for over 20 days and carried out recces. This is certainly a wake-up call for Mumbai,” a senior Mumbai Police officer said.
The police are now concerned that the Bishnoi gang might exploit the remnants of D-Company’s old network for their expansion. While much of that network has disbanded, some members are active in the construction business, while others are involved in drug trafficking, sources told ThePrint.
To tackle this threat, the Mumbai Police are closely monitoring these elements and are also collaborating with police forces in Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana and especially Delhi, as most of Bishnoi’s overground operatives are from these regions, sources said.
A close watch is being kept on the possibility of fresh recruitments to the gang, particularly individuals who might be working with smaller gangs operating in Mumbai, aspiring to “make it big in the crime world”, as a source put it. This makes them a lucrative target for recruitment by Bishnoi’s gang.
Sources say this is particularly important because to control Mumbai, you need a local base.
“To hold Mumbai, you need an insider. Like how Chembur was with Chhota Rajan, and in south Bombay, it was Dawood and the Pathans. Even when outsiders were recruited, there were people inside Mumbai handling them. So, if Bishnoi wants to establish a base in Mumbai, he will need local operatives,” a source explained. “And that is why he picked Shubham Lonkar, the key accused in Baba’s case, since he is a Marathi,” the source added.
However, there is currently no indication of such recruitments, the source clarified.
“At this stage, no recruitments have been reported on the ground. Bishnoi’s model typically targets individuals from poor backgrounds, people who are in need of money and are newcomers to the world of crime. For these young men, a sense of power and a little cash are often enough to get them hooked,” the source added.
A second source said that Bishnoi may be trying to gain a foothold, but he lacks the infrastructure to operate in Mumbai. He said that the underworld took years to establish the kind of base and influence it had in Mumbai, to which Bishnoi is “nowhere close”.
“It wasn’t easy to build a base here. These underworld dons would donate money to pandals, establish connections within the system, and secure favours for politicians and policemen. That’s how they built their clout. The extortions came later. For an outsider like Bishnoi, with no resources here, the aim of filling the vacuum left by the underworld seems far-fetched,” he said.
Another sign of the potential expansion of Bishnoi in Mumbai, sources said, could be an increase in extortion calls following the Salman Khan incident and the Baba Siddique murder case.
“After these high-profile incidents, we expected the gang to quickly capitalise on the situation with a surge in extortion calls. But this hasn’t happened yet. We are keeping a close watch,” the source said.
However, the source was quick to add: “This doesn’t mean it can’t be the beginning of something. We are not in denial. There are still shadows of activity and we are monitoring them.”
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Fear, extortion, exploiting vulnerabilities
“Do you smoke? When you fire shots at Salman’s house, light a cigarette, hold it in one hand and shoot with the other.. with full confidence and style—not like a coward with your face covered in a helmet. This is history in the making, the moment to prove your worth. Newspapers will be filled with your name the next morning…Lord Ram has blessed us and Krishna is with us,” Anmol Bishnoi, Lawrence’s brother, told the two shooters in a nine-minute speech just hours before they opened fire outside actor Salman Khan’s house on 19 April, according to Mumbai Police sources.
This, the sources said, shows how the gang operates with such brazenness, instilling fear in the film industry—especially among those who witnessed the underworld’s dominance during the 1990s and were direct targets. What’s made it worse is a spate of ‘extortion’ calls that the police have identified as hoaxes—but which have nonetheless caused panic and served to enhance the Bishnoi gang’s aura.
Months after the firing outside Salman Khan’s house, a threatening message was sent to the Mumbai Traffic Police’s WhatsApp number in October. The sender demanded Rs 5 crore from Salman Khan, saying that if he wanted to “stay alive and end the enmity with Lawrence Bishnoi, he must pay up”.
The message added that failure to pay would result in a fate worse than Baba Siddique’s. However, the Mumbai Police Crime Branch concluded that the threat was a hoax.
Similarly, in November, Shah Rukh Khan received a threat demanding Rs 50 lakh via a call made to the Bandra police station. The call, traced to Raipur, led to the questioning of Faizan Khan, a lawyer who had previously filed a complaint against Shah Rukh over a line in the 1994 film Anjaam referring to deer hunting—a sensitive issue for the Bishnoi community.
These calls aren’t as organised as past underworld extortions, and a senior officer emphasised that “these incidents are more of a nuisance than an actual threat”.
However, a Bollywood filmmaker who faced underworld threats in the 1990s said, “Hoax or not, these incidents have certainly caused panic. Those who have experienced such threats know the gravity of the situation. We just hope the police are prepared.”
The filmmaker recounted how the 1990s saw an overwhelming number of extortion calls, just like a “virus”. He said that while times have changed, big stars are no longer as easily accessible, and most people do understand that gangs don’t function like this anymore, the lingering fear persists because public personalities are always vulnerable.
Another industry professional echoed these fears, “Even if these are prank calls, fear can compel people to pay up, as happened in the past,” he said.
Mumbai Police sources acknowledged the possibility that some individuals might have paid extortion money without informing the authorities, though no such cases have been officially reported. A source remarked, “In a city with so many millionaires, it’s possible that fear prompted some to pay up quietly. While unlikely, it can’t be ruled out entirely. This is a menace that requires careful handling.”
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‘Hindutva-aligned’ gangster with ‘star image’
According to sources in the National Investigation Agency, the number of people joining Bishnoi’s gang has been steadily increasing, reminiscent of the growth of Dawood Ibrahim’s gang in the 1980s. The Bishnoi gang is already estimated to be 700 strong, with its popularity growing, especially among young people, who are often seen wearing T-shirts with Bishnoi’s photo and even getting his name tattooed on their arms.
The sources said that out of the 700 operatives, more than 300 are from Punjab, Bishnoi’s home state, and around 200 From Haryana, where he collaborates with Naresh Sethi and Raju Basodi. About 100 are from Rajasthan, where he operates with Sampat Nehra and Rohit Godara; and the rest from Delhi, in association with Hashim Baba. In Bihar, he has worked in association with Aman Sahu and in MP, with the remnants of the Mahakal gang.
What seems to motivate these young men, sources said, is Bishnoi’s “star image”. His method of using Hindu religious teachings to brainwash them is also a key factor. He often quotes from the Hindu scriptures to present himself as“godsent”, encouraging followers to feel they are part of a greater cause. Dawood Ibrahim operated on a similar model, sources said. But he was “extremely professional” and “secular” in his approach. “He would give work to people who he thought were loyal, professional and skilled,” said a source.
However, the Bishnoi gang is the first to be perceived as “Hindutva-aligned”, as opposed to the underworld, which was traditionally Muslim-dominated. While Hindu dons such as Chhota Rajan, Arun Gawli and Ravi Pujari grew as a counter to the Muslim gangsters, they were not driven by any particular ideology.
The Bishnoi gang members are influenced using teachings from the Bhagavad Gita, focusing on the teachings of Krishna that emphasise the justification of battle for a righteous cause. This blend of religious symbolism and criminal activity, sources said, has helped create a unique identity for the gang, drawing a loyal following.
All of his gang members and followers are devotees of Bajrangbali. They claim to follow chastity, are brahmachari, and greet each other with ‘jai balkari’.
A Delhi Police source
What makes the gang a significant challenge is the impunity with which it operates and how Bishnoi allegedly runs its entire operation from inside Sabarmati jail, keeping in touch with his network using mobile phones and VPN connections.
A source also suggested that he is being “facilitated” within the prison.
The source said that Bishnoi not only has access to the internet, which he uses to make untraceable calls routed through illegal exchanges, but also other forms of “support from jail staff”.
“He has access to phones, and the internet using which he is in touch with his operatives even on video calls,” a source said.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs in August had extended the period of restrictions imposed on Bishnoi’s movement till August 2025. This means that he is to be questioned only within the prison premises.
The source added, “He remains in constant contact with his operatives across different states, guiding criminal activities from prison. He doesn’t need to be outside to commit crimes or gain popularity—his network ensures that.”
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Mumbai’s evolving crime landscape
“In the 1990s, we would sit in the office, and if by lunchtime there hadn’t been any shooting, we would breathe a sigh of relief, thinking, ‘Thank God, there was no shootout today,’” recalled a now-retired ACP of the Mumbai Police.
He added: “Every evening, we would provide our joint commissioner with an update on the extortion calls (from international numbers), and if there were none, it was considered a good day.”
“But things changed drastically as the underworld was dismantled and now we have this new gang leader in the market—Mr Bishnoi, trying something in Mumbai,” he laughed.
Speaking about the trends in Mumbai’s crime history, he said that in the 1960s , only small gangs like the Cobra Gang and the Golden Gang existed, engaging in activities such as bootlegging and gambling. These gangs often operated with a ‘Robin Hood’ persona, with figures like Babya Khopade and Manya Surve gaining notoriety. Later, from the 1960s to the early 1980s, criminals such as Haji Mastan, Yusuf Patel and Karim Lala transitioned into smuggling gold, electronics and fabrics like terrycot and terylene, which became highly lucrative trades.
“They eventually required protection, leading to the emergence of hitmen. This was also the period when Dawood Ibrahim entered the scene, initially assisting with the transportation of smuggled goods. The rivalry escalated when the Pathan Gang murdered Dawood’s brother, Shabir Ibrahim Kaskar, at a Prabhadevi petrol pump to assert dominance over the underworld. This killing marked the beginning of intense gang rivalries in Mumbai. In response, D-Company rose to power, consolidating its influence and effectively dismantling the Pathan Gang,” the retired ACP explained.
He further said that it was only after 1993 that Bollywood began to face threats; these continued till as late as 2016. In 2014, Ravi Pujari, who earlier worked under Chhota Rajan but later split, threatened Red Chillies as they were shooting for the film Happy New Year.
“While the shootings and killings stopped, the extortion calls, although very few in number, went on till as late as 2016. Ravi and Hemant Pujari were operating in this space,” he said, adding, “but since then, very few to no such calls have been reported”.
He added that although extortion calls from local gangsters operating in pockets to small-time businessmen and shop owners continue, calls from Dubai or international numbers—which had become a menace in Mumbai—are reported no longer.
According to Mumbai Police data, in 2015, the number of extortion calls stood at 253, which decreased to 195 in 2017 and 182 in 2024. Since 2017 onwards, there have been no extortion calls from international numbers, the source said.
“Those calls have stopped. We have no single call reported by the underworld. Whatever data shows is from small-time criminals in different pockets in Mumbai,” the source said.
Similarly, contract killing cases have dropped drastically, and instances of dacoity have also significantly decreased. In 2015, there were 46 cases of dacoity, which came down to 16 in 2021 and 15 in 2024.
Apart from petty pickpocketing, major crimes now revolve around construction contracts and Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) projects, along with drug cartels operating out of Mumbai.
A senior officer said that much of the crime has now shifted behind computer screens, where the risk of getting caught is significantly lower and requires fewer resources.
“People have moved to cyber fraud, which is easier and much safer for generating money. While crimes like murder and robbery are at an all-time low, economic and cyber crimes are at an all-time high,” the officer said.
With schemes like ‘Press 9 to make money’, why would anyone invest resources in traditional crimes? Criminals are now faceless. 2024 is a very different world compared to 1990.
A senior Mumbai police officer
The crimes, whether extortion or pressuring builders or contractors to leave a project, often revolve around SRA projects. These aim to redevelop slums and provide affordable housing, often in prime real estate areas—making them highly attractive to builders, real estate developers, politicians and crime syndicates, given the significant profits involved.
“Under this scheme, the builder redeveloping slums and constructing homes on this land gets to build and sell the surplus units at market rates. They make huge profits as the land is very prime. This is the reason there are rivalries between builders and developers over securing these projects,” a third Mumbai police source explained.
“We have come across cases of such rivalries where builders are threatened to leave such projects,” the source added.
This, in fact, was suspected to be one of the motives behind Baba Siddique’s killing. According to the source, the police also considered the possibility of a “contract killing”, as Siddique had been vocal against certain SRA projects in Bandra and was involved in real estate.
“It was suspected to be a contract killing, possibly carried out by a real estate developer in the area involved in these projects. But later, links to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang cropped up,” the source said, without divulging further details.
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‘Overkill it and eliminate the issue’
Weakening and finally dismantling the underworld—an edifice built over decades with the collusion of politicians, police and government officials—was a massive project requiring tremendous effort. Now, with Bishnoi attempting to fill the void left by the underworld, retired senior police officers emphasise that the issue needs to be addressed early on.
Sivanandan, the former Mumbai police commissioner, said, “Gangsters are gangsters, always hunting for potential opportunities. The police force must nip the problem in the bud at the first sign of trouble. Overkill it and eliminate the issue before it grows,” he said.
He added: “For over 50 years, gangsters ruled. Bishnoi has shown his head, and he must be crushed. Do not give them publicity; they thrive on it. That’s how the underworld became glamorous in the first place.”
Sivanandan detailed the efforts it took to dismantle the underworld, including implementing tough laws, seizing weapons and conducting mass detentions.
“Interceptions played a key role. We hacked their emails, disrupted their communications, gathered leads and acted on them. A tough law like MCOCA was crucial, along with over 16,000 detentions and the confiscation of 26,000 illegal weapons. These measures made the operations uneconomical and ultimately led to their downfall,” he said.
While one officer credited police encounters—there were more than 650 in Mumbai between 1980 and 1990—with contributing to the underworld’s demise, others had differing views.
“Encounters often received excessive publicity, turning policemen into heroes. At times, police would kill random individuals, branding them as gangsters for accolades. This not only created false heroes but also helped make gangsters popular. It worked for both sides,” another officer said.
Although opinions differ on whether Bishnoi’s influence is significant enough to establish supremacy in Mumbai, there is undeniable concern about stopping the issue before it escalates, especially given the publicity surrounding him.
As one senior officer put it, “This is like a relapse of cancer—only the patient knows what it feels like. It needs to be detected and eradicated before it spreads.”
(Edited by Rohan Manoj)