The lure of easy money, lack of opportunities contributed to drift youth towards crime
Jalandhar(Parteek Singh): After the recent arrest of the category ‘A’ gangster Tirath Singh Dhilwan, it was known that he was also an athlete at once and later ranked among top five most wanted gangsters of Punjab. There are a bunch of athletes of the same period who made a surge of gangs in Punjab.
Gangs and gang wars are not new to Punjab now; it all started back in 2000 when gangsters emerged after real estate business flourished in Punjab. Guns are the part of Punjabi culture and youth is always fascinated by them as they are glorified in most of the songs. There are many gangsters who were once budding sportsperson, but entered the world of crime.
The lure of easy money, the illegal job market’s demand for musclemen and glorification of criminals through popular culture songs have all contributed to the drift of youths towards crime.
In last decade, Punjab has seen the rise of many gangsters but most of the top gangsters were once an athlete. These gangsters started out as sportspersons or as gym enthusiasts. Recently killed in Punjab police encounter Punjab’s most wanted gangster Vicky Gounder alias Harjinder Singh Bhullar was a state level discus thrower before he plunged into a world of crime.
He went to Government Arts and Sports College in Jalandhar to become an international discus throw champion. He won some medals in the competitions in the college. According to police Gounder’s criminal activities started in 2008 and a few years later his athletic career was over.
Gangster Tirath Dhilwan is remembered as shinning Kabbadi player back at home. He was a close aide of Gounder and also accompanied him during the killing of gangster Sukha Kahlwan. He is co-accused in the killing of gangster Rocky Fazilka in Himachal Pradesh and he is a member of Shera Khuban gang.
Another dreaded gangster Jaipal Singh Bhullar himself was also an athlete. Jaipal was a national-level hammer thrower before he turned to highway and robberies. He is wanted in the key suspect in the of a rival gangster-turned-politician Jaswinder Rocky alias Rocky Fazilka. Gounder was once part of his gang. Another of his gang members, Harinder Singh Tinu, a former shot putter came in touch with Jaipal and with the world of crimes.
Shera Khuban alias Gurshahid Singh was also a hammer thrower. Khuban was killed in a police encounter in 2012. Prema Lahoria who was killed along with Gounder in an encounter was also an athlete. He was 100-meter hurdles athlete, studied at Government Arts and Sports College in Jalandhar where he met Gounder.
These all gangsters once aspired to be sportsperson ended up committing a crime. This bunch of gangsters who started it all with small crimes got themselves most wanted tags. Gang wars started in Punjab after the split of gangs and rivalry reached to the prime. These gangsters were continuously active from last decade until Punjab police put a hold to them as 8 most wanted gangster was gunned down in past 11 months and many have been arrested out of the 38 categories A and B gangsters.
However, this world of crime is flourishing in the state because the state economy is in shambles due to bad agricultural policies and educational facilities are missing throwing hundreds of youths into a dark future. These idle men either take drugs or become part of gangs.