The person who pulls the trigger is often just one link in a much larger chain, as shown in many instances involving the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, which has also claimed responsibility for the firing on actor Tiger Shroff’s car in Mumbai. In investigations into recent extortion threats and firing incidents allegedly linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, the police in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad are examining the roles of local contacts, handlers operating from outside India, and young men suspected of carrying out attacks on the instructions of these handlers.
More than 10 extortion cases allegedly linked to the gang have been registered in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad over the past two years between 2024 and 2026. One name that has emerged in these investigations is that of Shubham Lonkar, who moved to Pune from Vidarbha and is now a wanted accused in several high-profile cases.
Vinoy Kumar Choubey, commissioner of police, Pimpri-Chinchwad, said that the investigations had revealed how alleged operators based outside India relied on local contacts to identify targets and recruit shooters.
“In the Ravet case, we have arrested four, including two shooters. During the investigation of these cases, it was revealed that operators from outside India, based on inputs provided by the local network, used to hire shooters to threaten targeted businessmen,” Choubey said.
The Pimpri-Chinchwad police have invoked stringent laws, including the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), to crack down on the alleged network.
{{/usCountry}}The Pimpri-Chinchwad police have invoked stringent laws, including the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), to crack down on the alleged network.
{{/usCountry}}Investigators said that shooters were allegedly hired for individual assignments for amounts ranging from ₹2 lakh to ₹3 lakh. Local contacts played a crucial role in identifying targets and facilitating the execution of attacks; police officers said.
Explaining the alleged recruitment process, Rohidas Pawar, deputy commissioner of police (crime), said that the network targeted young men who were eager to enter the criminal world and were susceptible to online influence.
“Such individuals were targeted through social media and, after being assessed, were used in various cases,” Pawar said.
Rajendra Patil, police inspector with the anti-extortion squad, said that the gang relied heavily on encrypted messaging platforms for communication.
“The gang’s communication largely relies on Signal. Members use the app to communicate with one another, from the planning stage to execution,” Patil said.
According to Patil, the Pimpri-Chinchwad police have arrested seven people, including two alleged shooters, in extortion cases linked to the Bishnoi gang. Their interrogation reportedly revealed a division of responsibilities, with different individuals assigned tasks such as arranging vehicles, firearms and ammunition, and facilitating transportation before and after an attack. The actual firing was allegedly carried out by designated shooters.
The police suspect that the network often recruits young men with no prior criminal record but who are eager to establish themselves in the underworld. Investigators are examining whether exposure to social media content glorifying the Bishnoi gang helped draw such recruits into the network.
Lonkar’s Pune connections
Lonkar, a native of Nevari Budruk village in Akot taluka of Akola district, had aspired to join the Army but failed a recruitment test; according to the police. During his preparation, he allegedly came into contact with a person who introduced him to individuals linked to the Bishnoi network.
Lonkar subsequently moved to Pune with his brother, Pravin. The two started Lonkar Dairy at Bhalekar Wasti in the Warje-Karve Nagar area. In 2024, they were arrested by the Akola police in an illegal firearms case. Investigators also examined digital records that allegedly indicated Shubham’s communication with people linked to the network.
His name later surfaced in the investigation into the murder of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique. His alleged role in the wider network remains under investigation.
The role of social media and personal connections in recruitment has also come under scrutiny in investigations into the murder of Punjabi singer, Sidhu Moosewala. Pune-based Santosh Jadhav and Siddhesh Kamble alias Mahakal came under the scanner for their alleged links to the Bishnoi gang. Police investigations indicated that Jadhav had been influenced by the gang’s online presence before making contact with its members and subsequently bringing other young men into the network.
The police are also examining whether Lonkar and his brother developed a network of local contacts in Warje and Karve Nagar while running their dairy business. Some of these contacts were questioned by Pune city police during the investigation into the Baba Siddique murder.
Extortion threats followed by firing
The alleged Pune connections have also surfaced in cases involving attacks on businesses. In June 2026, a steel businessman in Phursungi reportedly received a demand for ₹5 crore from a caller identifying himself as Aarzoo Bishnoi. Four rounds were subsequently fired at the business premises while the businessman was at a police station pursuing his complaint. Social media accounts using the names of alleged gang associates later claimed responsibility.
In a separate incident in May, the police linked the firing at A J Furniture Mall in Pimpri-Chinchwad to alleged members of the network. Investigators said that the accused had received firearms, ammunition, money and vehicles through intermediaries. Three men from Haryana were arrested in connection with the attack.