At the crossroads: Olive Green vs gangster culture
Last week brought a mix of good and disturbing news from rural Haryana. It was a proud moment for residents of Mandothi, Asaudha, Rewari Khera, Daboda Kalan, and Jakhoda villages as five youths from these areas were commissioned as Lieutenants into the Army —a significant transformation for villages once plagued by crime. Mandothi, in particular, had gained notoriety.
However, the murder of a school principal by four minor students at Bass village of Hisar district cast a dark shadow. The students were reportedly upset over disciplinary actions and, more worryingly, influenced by gangster culture.
While Mandothi offers a hopeful example of change, the incident at Bass is a stark reminder of the growing gangster influence—evident in the rising cases of extortion, protection rackets, lootings, and shootings targeting businessmen and shopkeepers across the state.
The fascination with gang culture paints a grim picture, with the state emerging as a hotbed for organised crime.
The influence of gangs, like Lawrence Bishnoi group and Himanshu Bhau, is spreading fast. According to police sources, these gangs are using social media to lure young minds into a world of violence and quick money. While Bishnoi is behind bars, Bhau reportedly operates from abroad, maintaining his grip over local networks digitally. His gang is closely aligned with the infamous Neeraj Bawana group from Delhi.
In the Yamunanagar-Kurukshetra belt, Rana gang dominates, primarily involved in illegal liquor trade that barred contractors against participating in state-run liquor auctions. These groups attract teenagers, drawing them in with flashy lifestyles. In the past two years, the trend has intensified, pushing the state into a law and order crisis.
The Special Task Force (STF) is tasked with profiling youths influenced by these gangs, based on their online activity and associations, the police sources said, adding that the local CIA has started preventive detentions.
However, the situation has become more complex due to the nexus between organised crime and other illicit enterprises, such as drug mafia, financial fraudsters, and immigration racket. The gangs find easy targets among businessmen and shopkeepers, particularly those involved in illicit financial dealings and avoid seeking police help. “The drug cartels play a key role in nurturing gang networks, using them to manage distribution and maintain control. The murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala revealed this connection. Youths from Sirsa, both addicts and drug runners, were reportedly used by gangsters to spy on the singer,” said a police official.
White-collar criminals too contribute to the problem. Operating from cities, they engage in fraud, misappropriate government funds, and facilitate immigration through ‘donkey routes’, often relying on gangs to manage their operations.
The flourishing ‘satta’ (illegal betting) market in urban Haryana, reportedly employing gangsters for protection and enforcement, further strengthens the underworld’s grip.
A schoolteacher, Tejpal Dalal from Mandothi village, who launched the “Khel Badega, Apraad Ghatega” campaign, said, “I conducted over 50 motivational and sports-based engagement camps at villages to connect with youth and steer them away from crime.”
V Kamraja, retired ADGP, said drug, unemployment and lure of easy money was the root cause. He said police should tackle the crime by breaking the nexus and dismantling the source of gangsters.
Haryana Tribune