India has always had an expansive, burdensome past in terms of organized crime. Some of those characters have left a stamp forever on the nation. Tales of power, violence, and evasion are told in all features ranging from drug trafficking to extortion in the Indian underworld of crime. Peek into Top 5 Notorious Gangsters of India-from Lawrence Bishnoi to Dawood Ibrahim, and their impact on the country’s criminal underworld.
1. Lawrence Bishnoi: The Emerging Power in India Criminal Underworld
Among the various feared gangsters, India is fear-stricken, and Lawrence Bishnoi is one of them who is presently rising within the hierarchy. Born and brought up in Punjab, his gang marks the niche for extortion, murder, and drug traffic. His operations have broadened outside the boundaries of India, hence he is now a prime target of law enforcement agencies from all corners of the world.
His name has been more widely known and his threat was to the prominent faces of Bollywood celebrities. He is accused of carrying out a series of attacks through his gang, wherein he also had an extended network of hitmen and smugglers. When he had dodged the law, still leading a huge criminal empire, his name found a place on India’s list of most wanted.
2. Dawood Ibrahim: The Global Fugitive and Mastermind Behind Terrorism
Probably the most infamous gangster India has ever known is Dawood Ibrahim, born in Bombay in 1955. His notorious D-Company, which he founded in the 1970s, has indulged in myriad crimes, including cocaine trade, murder, and terrorism. His crimes have taken him into other countries, where he has figured on the FBI list of the world’s most wanted fugitives and Forbes.
Dawood Ibrahim is known for orchestrating the coordinated 1993 Bombay Bomb Blasts that shocked the entire nation. His crime syndicate is associated with some of the best-organized crime systems in the world and the alleged involvement with terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda has added to his infamous legend. He is reported to be still at large in Karachi, Pakistan where he is running his international crime business from there, without being caught.
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3. Masood Azhar: The Leader of Jaish-e-Mohammed
There is Masood Azhar, who heads Jaish-e-Mohammed, (JeM), an outfit which carried out several murderous attacks on Indians. It has its roots in the disputed region of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and, through close affiliations with the ISI and Pakistan’s armed forces, it has been assisted. This mastermind is incriminated with planning the hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight 814 back in 1999. This hijacking was so drastic that it precipitated a major hostage crisis, compelling the Indian government to release Azhar by handing over some innocent passengers.
Some of the notable attacks by JeM include the Pulwama attack in 2019 that killed a number of personnel. As of now, Azhar is an influential terrorist and a menace to Indian national security, and his influence in the jihadist international movement is going up further.
4. Ilyas Kashmiri: The Al-Qaeda Operative with a Deadly Legacy
Ilyas Kashmiri, or Maulana Ilyas Kashmiri, was a high-ranking Al-Qaeda functionary and was heading Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami. His criminal activities were spreading far beyond Indian borders, but his involvement in major attacks within India made him one of the most dangerous criminals.
Kashmiri was behind the German Bakery Blasts in Pune in 2010, which had killed 17 people and left more than 60 injured. Apart from the above attacks, he was involved in other attacks on cities such as Ahmedabad, Jaipur, and Bangalore. He remained notorious for his ruthless practices and was considered one of the worst terror-friendly before being killed by a US drone attack in 2011.
5. Chota Shakeel: Dawood Ibrahim Right-Hand Man
Moh’d Shakeel Babu Miyan Shaikh is otherwise known as Chota Shakeel, who is popularly described as the Indian version of the big league gangsters operating under the umbrella of Dawood Ibrahim. Chota Shakeel has emerged to be an integral part of D-Company and has been involved in such crimes where extortion, murder, and smuggling of narcotics have taken place.
He is mostly known for his involvement in the 1993 Bombay Bomb Blasts, killing hundreds and leaving several injured.
Chota Shakeel has been given credit to Bollywood besides organized crime. His involvement in funding film and threats against actors and producers created a deep bond between D-Company and the Indian film industry. His continued criminal activities make him an important figure in the Indian underworld.
India Gangsters Tight Grip
These gangsters are the dark sides of India’s criminal world. Involved here are personalities such as Lawrence Bishnoi and Dawood Ibrahim, whose ruthless ambition along with dangerous connections and evasion from law enforcement shape the underworld in India. Though it cannot be said that efforts have been missing to crack down on organized crime and wrongdoing-doers, these individuals keep on functioning, leaving only legacies of violence and fear.
