Punjab Police Investigate Death Threat and Extortion Demand Linked to Notorious Bishnoi Gang
In a concerning development, Punjab Police have launched a comprehensive investigation after a former business owner, now unemployed, received a chilling death threat and a Rs 10 lakh extortion demand. The caller, who contacted the victim via WhatsApp, claimed to be a member of the infamous Lawrence Bishnoi gang, one of India's most feared criminal syndicates known for high-profile assassinations and cross-border extortion rackets.
FIR Registered Following Disturbing WhatsApp Call and Messages
The Sarabha Nagar police in Ludhiana registered a first-information report (FIR) based on a complaint filed by Gurpreet Singh, a 43-year-old resident of Baba Nand Singh Nagar in Ayali Kalan. According to investigators, Gurpreet Singh received a WhatsApp call from an international number on Friday. Although the call disconnected initially, it was followed by a series of threatening messages demanding the payment and warning that his family would be shot if he failed to comply.
Sub-inspector Guljinder Singh, the station house officer at Sarabha Nagar, provided details: "The caller spoke in Hindi and explicitly claimed to be associated with the Lawrence Bishnoi group." This assertion has heightened the urgency of the probe, given the gang's notorious reputation for violence and criminal activities across India.
Discrepancies Suggest Victim May Be a 'Random' Target
While the threats were severe and alarming, authorities have noted significant discrepancies that indicate the caller may not have been intimately familiar with the victim's personal life. For instance, the caller threatened to shoot Gurpreet Singh's son, which is particularly strange as police have confirmed that Gurpreet Singh lives with his wife and parents but has no children.
Furthermore, Gurpreet Singh's financial situation is no longer robust. He previously operated a water bottling plant, but the business collapsed during the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving him currently unemployed. Sub-inspector Guljinder Singh commented on these inconsistencies: "All this makes us believe this could be a random extortion call." He emphasized that the caller's lack of accurate personal information is a key lead in the ongoing investigation, suggesting the possibility of a broader scam targeting individuals indiscriminately.
Legal Action and Digital Tracing Underway
In response to the incident, police have officially booked the unidentified suspect under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 308 (4) for extortion and 351 (2) for criminal intimidation. These charges reflect the serious nature of the threats and the legal framework being applied to pursue justice.
Simultaneously, cyber-security experts and local police are actively tracing the digital footprint of the WhatsApp messages to identify the origin of the international number used in the call. This effort aims to uncover the caller's identity and location, potentially linking the case to wider criminal networks or isolated fraud attempts.
The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities urging the public to remain vigilant and report any similar suspicious communications. The case highlights the evolving challenges of digital crime and extortion in modern India, particularly involving notorious gangs like the Lawrence Bishnoi syndicate.
