MUMBAI: Opposition leaders in Maharashtra on Monday criticised the state government's handling of law and order after a shooting incident in Mumbai involving actor Tiger Shroff, with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang claiming responsibility for the attack. Shroff's driver and a nearby auto-rickshaw driver were seriously injured in the incident on Sunday.
Maharashtra Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal alleged that the BJP had links with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and questioned why its leader, who is lodged in Gujarat's Sabarmati jail, had not been made available to the Mumbai Police for questioning in cases allegedly linked to the gang.
Sapkal cited the murder of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique, the attack on actor Salman Khan's residence and the targeting of filmmaker Rohit Shetty's home. He also referred to threats against actor Aamir Khan by a person allegedly linked to the gang and a shooting incident at comedian Kapil Sharma's residence.
“The Bishnoi gang was reported to have been involved in all these incidents. Why, then, had the gangster not been questioned so far? Who had tied the hands of the Maharashtra Police?” Sapkal asked.
He alleged that the gang could not threaten prominent personalities, engage in extortion or carry out killings without the backing of those in power.
“If the ruling party is really serious about the law and order and safety and security of the people, then Mumbai police should be given a free hand to bring down Lawrence Bishnoi in Mumbai. Earlier, efforts were made in the NCP leader Baba Siddiqui murder case, but the central home ministry intervened and refused to hand over Lawrence Bishnoi to the Mumbai police for questioning. It shows how BJP is very much connected to the Bishnoi gang and how they are using them to target the celebrities and big personalities for their political agenda,” Sapkal alleged.
The Congress leader also referred to an order issued by Union Home Minister Amit Shah's ministry in August 2023, which he said invoked Section 268 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) to prevent Bishnoi from being taken out of Gujarat for questioning by police from other states.
“Under this provision, police from any state cannot take Bishnoi out of Gujarat for questioning. The order is renewed annually for a period of one year. This has effectively given Bishnoi protection, allowing him to orchestrate killings while sitting in jail. The Maharashtra government should demand that the Centre withdraw this legal protection,” Sapkal said.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut also criticised the state government's handling of law and order, alleging that Maharashtra had descended into “jungle raj”. He said the situation had left both Bollywood personalities and ordinary citizens vulnerable and accused Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of failing in his roles as chief minister and home minister.
“The shooting at actor Tiger Shroff has once again exposed the state of law and order in Maharashtra. If an actor can be shot at in broad daylight in Mumbai, is the police machinery sleeping? The Lawrence Bishnoi gang is reportedly behind the attack, but the gangster is lodged in a Gujarat jail. If he is operating from there, it cannot happen without the government's blessings,” Raut alleged.
NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule also expressed concern over the government's response to rising crime and threats against prominent personalities allegedly linked to the Bishnoi gang.
Sule referred to the attack on industrialist Rana Suryawanshi in Baramati in broad daylight and called on the state home minister to address the situation.
“The attack on Tiger Shroff shows that no fear remains in the minds of criminals. This is a matter of serious concern, and the home minister needs to pay serious attention,” she said.
