A real criminal mastermind or a convenient scapegoat? — The Indian Panorama

In recent years, the name Lawrence Bishnoi has become synonymous with some of India’s most notorious criminal activities, including a series of high-profile assassinations, extortion plots and alleged links to terrorism. Bishnoi has been in the media spotlight with reports of his gang’s extensive network, which is said to cover 21 Indian states and even overseas. From killing famous personalities like Sidhu Moose Wala to killing Khalist separatists, Bishnoi’s gang has been blamed for numerous acts of violence. However, a closer look at some of the crimes attributed to Bishnoi, along with his alleged hit list, which includes Bollywood superstar Salman Khan and political figures like Baba Siddique, raises critical questions: Is Lawrence Bishnoi really behind these murders, or is he? he one? Pawn in a much larger game, manipulated by forces seeking to control the narrative?

The Salman Khan Incident: A Sacred Beast or a Convenient Excuse?

Salman Khan has been in the crosshairs of Lawrence Bishnoi’s gang for years, with Bishnoi himself reportedly making threats against the actor. The reason for this hostility, as is often reported, lies in the infamous blackbuck poaching case, in which Khan was accused of hunting an animal considered sacred by the Bishnoi community. In 1998, while filming a film in Rajasthan, Khan allegedly killed a blackbuck, a species of antelope revered by the Bishnois for its religious significance. Bishnoi’s gang vowed to take revenge on the actor, with Lawrence reportedly stating that he would kill Khan for disrespecting their faith.

However, the circumstances of this revenge raise several doubts. The Salman Khan case has been raging through the Indian legal system for decades. His involvement in the Blackbock killing is widely known, but the question remains: Why would Lawrence Bishnoi, a gangster more interested in extortion, violence and control over criminal enterprises, care so much about an incident in 1998? which involved a Bollywood actor? Is this personal vendetta the real motive or is the Blackbuck case just a convenient narrative to disguise a deeper agenda?

Many have speculated that the focus on Salman Khan’s involvement in the poaching case serves as a distraction, allowing Bishnoi to be portrayed as a ruthless criminal without examining the broader context of his activities. The question then arises: Why would Bishnoi target someone like Salman Khan, a prominent and influential figure, if there were no other interests at play? Is the vendetta against Khan based solely on the actor’s actions or is it part of a larger strategy involving larger forces?

The Strange Case of Baba Siddique: Another Target, Another Mystery

The inclusion of Baba Siddique, a well-known politician from Maharashtra, on Lawrence Bishnoi’s alleged hit list has only deepened the mystery surrounding the gangster’s true motives. Siddique, a former MP and close confidant of several influential politicians, was reportedly targeted for reasons that remain unclear. While the murder of Sidhu Moose Wala and other political figures had more obvious connections – whether through rivalries or ideological differences – the inclusion of Siddique in this list raises serious questions.

What possible motive could Bishnoi’s gang have for targeting Siddique, a person with no clear links to criminal or separatist activities? Was Siddique’s inclusion in the hit list part of a larger political game where Bishnoi is being used as a pawn by more powerful entities, or does the gang actually harbor animosity towards the politician? The lack of clear answers has led many to speculate that Bishnoi is being manipulated and his name is being used as a cover for politically motivated killings that serve other goals.

The possibility that Siddique, like Salman Khan, was targeted to serve a hidden political purpose cannot be ruled out. In India’s complex political landscape, where crime, politics and ideology often intersect, it is not uncommon for criminals to be used by political forces to settle scores or eliminate rivals. Could Bishnoi’s gang, known for their brutal efficiency and extensive network, be acting on behalf of other interests?

The Contradictory Narrative of Pro-Khalistan Connections

One of the most puzzling aspects of the Lawrence Bishnoi saga is the alleged contradiction between his gang’s actions and his alleged links to Khalistani separatist groups. In March 2023, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a charge sheet alleging that Bishnoi and his gang had links with Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), a banned pro-Khalist terrorist group, as well as other similar organizations. The indictment painted a picture of a gang deeply involved in the nexus between terror and crime, working with these separatist groups to carry out criminal activities across the country.

But in a striking contradiction, many of the people reportedly killed by Bishnoi’s gang were either Khalistani sympathizers or directly associated with the pro-Khalistan movement. Sidhu Moose Wala, the young Punjabi singer who was shot dead in May 2022, was considered by Indian intelligence agencies to be a sympathizer of Khalistani ideology. Sukhdool Singh Gill, alias Sukha Duneke, a Canada-based Khalistani separatist, was another high-profile target eliminated by Bishnoi’s gang. This leads to a perplexing question: Why should a gangster with alleged ties to pro-Khalistan groups be responsible for the murder of their sympathizers?

This contradiction suggests that there may be more to the story than meets the eye. If Bishnoi was indeed working with or for pro-Khalistan groups, why would his gang target people ideologically aligned with those very groups? One explanation could be that the Khalistani connections are a smokescreen created by law enforcement agencies to paint Bishnoi in a certain light. By linking him to banned terror groups, authorities were able to justify a crackdown on his gang while eliminating people linked to the Khalistani cause without drawing too much attention to the political motivations behind these killings.

A convenient scapegoat?

The more one delves into Lawrence Bishnoi’s criminal activities and the narrative surrounding him, the more it appears that he could serve as a convenient scapegoat for forces far more powerful than a street gangster. While there is no denying that Bishnoi is a criminal with a significant network, the complexities and contradictions in the cases against him raise serious questions as to whether he is truly in control of his gang’s actions or whether he is motivated by political or political influence Secret services are manipulated to do their dirty work.

It is worth noting that Bishnoi has been in prison since 2015 and yet his gang continues to operate with impunity, carrying out high-profile assassinations and violent crimes across India and abroad. How can a man incarcerated in a maximum security prison maintain such control over his operations? According to anonymous sources within law enforcement, Bishnoi uses Voice over IP (VoIP) calls to communicate with his associates outside of prison. This method allows him to bypass traditional surveillance mechanisms, but also raises the question: How much of this communication actually comes from Bishnoi and how much is attributed to him by others?

The suggestion that Bishnoi’s gang could be used as a tool by Indian intelligence agencies has gained traction in recent years. In the case of the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh separatist leader killed in Canada in 2023, there were rumors that Indian authorities hinted at Bishnoi’s involvement, although the gang made no official claim. Could it be that Bishnoi’s name is being used as a cover for state-sponsored actions, allowing authorities to distance themselves from controversial killings?

The need for transparency

Given the inconsistency of the allegations against Lawrence Bishnoi, it is critical that the public has a clearer understanding of who he is and the true role he played in these murders. One way to achieve this would be for Bishnoi to speak directly to the media, unfiltered and unmanipulated by law enforcement. Have him confirm or deny the allegations against him. Let him explain his alleged links with pro-Khalistan groups and why his gang has targeted the likes of Salman Khan, Baba Siddique and Sidhu Moose Wala.

Without this transparency, the Lawrence Bishnoi narrative will continue to be clouded by suspicion and speculation. Is he a criminal mastermind with an ideological bent, or is he just a pawn in a much larger game being used for politically motivated murder by forces beyond his control? In the interest of clarity and justice, it is time for the world to see, hear and know the real Lawrence Bishnoi, free from the narratives imposed by law enforcement and intelligence agencies. Only then can the truth about his involvement in these high-profile murders, particularly of political figures between 2022 and 2024, come to light.