With an orange turban covering his head and the tail end of the same cloth covering his face, gangster Gurpreet Singh Gopi calmly answers questions at a lockup in Ferozepur, a district that borders Pakistan. Gopi says “ji”, a rather polite term for acknowledgement, when asked if he has carried out murders.
“I am part of Jaswant Singh Kala gang. He is also in jail. I am inspired by him,” says Gopi. Arrested on July 12, police say he is connected to the dreaded Babbar Khalsa — a terrorist organisation seeking independent Khalistan, a separate country for Sikhs living in India and Pakistan.
For anyone who remembers the insurgency in Punjab in the late 1970s, when hundreds of youths turned to militancy propagated by Khalistani proponents, the current spate of youngsters picking up guns is an ominous sign.
An equally big problem is the rise of gangsters as social media heroes with fan following running into tens of thousands in some cases. This is making the job of the police tough and a campaign has been launched to counter the propaganda of rogue elements. The Director General of Punjab Police, Suresh Arora, says it’s important to ensure that youngsters don’t fall prey to the propaganda of violent elements.
Outside the world of Internet, posters of identified gangsters have been put up at dhabas and bus stands, seeking help of general public in nabbing the gangsters.
Unlike the Khalistani militants in 1970s, these gangsters are not only indulging in violence in the name of religion and identity, but also working as hired killers for drug mafia, politicians and even businessmen. Joblessness led by agrarian crisis in this border state is pushing many young men to the lure of the gun.
According to sources in Punjab Police, many of these gangsters have political patronage. One such gangster Lakha Sadana is allegedly connected with Akali leader Sikandar Maluka.
Sadana, who lives in a fortress-like house in Malwa area, claims Maluka paid him for several assignments.
When asked, Maluka denies the claims. “When he was a student, he used to meet me. He was later arrested for getting into a brawl and some weapons were also recovered from him. After that, I never got in touch with him,” he said.
The Amarinder Singh government, which came to power four months ago, blamed the previous Akali government for the rise in gangs and said police were cracking down on those who have picked up guns.
Around 245 gangsters are lodged in jails across Punjab, which, sources say, have become safe havens for them.
And it’s not as if four walls of jails are able to contain the dreaded gangsters. Last year, Vicky Gonder escaped from high security Nabha jail. The high profile killing of gangster Rocky in Parwanoo, Himachal Pradesh in April last year was seen as a case of gangs jostling for supremacy.
DGP Arora says 12 gangsters are placed in the ‘A category’, which indicates they are a serious threat:
Lawrence Bishnoi — Abohar Jail
Javed Bishnoi — Faridkot Jail
Harry — Abohar Jail
Kalia — Abohar Jail
Rajeev Raja — Ludhiana Jail
Rana — Faridkot Jail
Gill — Faridkot Jail
Lakha — Faridkot Jail
Kala Pathan — Sangrur Jail
Harry — Sangrur Jail
Kala Pandit — Patiala Jail
Police sources say nine of these gangs are actively in fight against the other gangs. Five of these gangs are operating their networks from jails:
Jaipal Gang, Ferozepur (12 to 20 members)
Vicky Gonder, Muktsar (3 to 4 members)
Sukha Kahlwan, Amritsar (10 to 15 members)
Prem Lahoriya Gang, Jalandhar (8 to 10 members)
Lawrence Bishnoi Gang (15 to 20 members)
High-profile incidents:
April 30, 2016: Gangster Rocky shot dead by Jaipal Gang in Parwanoo, Himachal Pradesh
February 19, 2016: Gangster Ravi Khwajke killed by Davinder Shooter in Ludhiana
January 20, 2015: Sukha Kahlwan shot dead by Gonder Gang in Phagwara
December 26, 2013: Sekhon Karmiti killed by Jaipal Gang in Ferozepur
September 5, 2012: Shera Khubban shot dead in police encounter in Bathinda. Gang members suspect other gangs for tip offs
July 2012: Happy Deora shot dead in Ferozepur by Shera Khubban gang
Former state finance minister Parminder Dhindsa says the increasing presence of gangsters on social media is a worrisome trend. “Gullible youth get taken in by these gangsters on social media. This has to be controlled,” he says.
Easy supply of guns from across the border is making things worse. Agencies need to work in tandem, with close intelligence on Khalistani elements, to ensure that things don’t get out of hands. And government, both in the state and at the Centre, need to work towards creating jobs so that youths don’t fall for propaganda.
(More Sunday Features)
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