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Mumbai's Underworld Echo: 90s Fear Returns?
19 Oct
Summary
- Recent shootings raise fears of Mumbai's 1990s underworld era returning.
- Lawrence Bishnoi gang may exploit power vacuum left by old dons.
- Mumbai Police dismantled the underworld through crackdowns and new laws.
Mumbai is grappling with the unsettling possibility of the 1990s underworld's return, a period marked by intense gang wars and pervasive fear. Recent events, notably a shooting incident involving actor Tiger Shroff, have reignited concerns about the city's safety and the security of its prominent figures.
The emergence and expansion of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang is a significant point of worry. With the old underworld structures largely dismantled by decades of police action, this new gang may find it easier to establish a significant presence in the city.
In the early 1990s, Dawood Ibrahim dominated Mumbai's underworld, leading to frequent deadly gang wars and widespread extortion. The Mumbai Police responded with a rigorous crackdown, including the introduction of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), leading to numerous gangster arrests and killings in encounters.
By the turn of the millennium, the influence of major dons like Dawood Ibrahim and Chhota Rajan had significantly waned due to arrests and ongoing legal battles. Many prominent gangsters are now serving life sentences, making the underworld a distant memory for many.
The recent murder of Baba Siddique, attributed by police to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, has amplified these concerns. This incident suggests a potential motive tied to the gang's ambition to establish itself in Mumbai, mirroring the strategies of past powerful dons.
Senior police officials believe Lawrence Bishnoi aims to build an international network exceeding that of Dawood Ibrahim's D Company. This ambition reportedly includes securing a strong foothold in Mumbai, similar to the past dominance of figures like Dawood.
