Ramit Mehrotra, Pune
Notorious Punjabi gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who is convicted and being investigated by the NIA (National Investigation Association), claimed full responsibility for the recent killing of Sukhdool Singh, alias Sukha Duneke, in a Facebook post on Thursday. Duneke was shot dead in Canada’s Winnipeg by unidentified assailants on Wednesday.
In the Facebook post, gangster Bishnoi claims that Duneke was one of the conspirators behind the killings of gangsters Gurlal Brar and Vicky Middkhera, who were loyal to Lawrence Bishnoi. Lawrence alleged that Duneke had destroyed the lives of countless people, and eliminating a threat like him served justice. Calling Duneke a “drug addict”, Lawrence Bishnoi claims Duneke, who was a part of Davinder Bhamiba, was also involved in the killings of Sandip Nambal Ambiya, a gangster. The killing of Duneke is said to be the result of a contentious inter-gang rivalry between Lawrence Bishnoi and Davinder Bhamiba.
The claim arises amidst a diplomatic rift between India and Canada following the killing of Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) Chief Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada’s Slurrey. Nijjar is said to be a part of Babbar Khalsa International. Although no investigating authorities have validated the allegations, the NIA last week said that Lawrence Bishnoi’s drugs smuggling racket could be designed to affect terrorist operations of the banned Babbar Khalsa International. The claim has been made by an affidavit filed by the NIA in a special court in Ahmedabad, quoting, “Lawrence Bishnoi is a gangster-turned-terrorist who was arrested and jailed since 2015 and is operating his gang overseas for smuggling a drug consignment from Pakistan to Gujrat through the sea route with the help of Pakistan. Drug proceedings were also motivated by the terrorist activities of Babbar Khalistan International.”
Duneke was one of the prominent people on the NIA’s list of the 43 most wanted people who are hiding in foreign countries. He was a lynchpin of the Bhamiba-Lucky Patial gang and owed allegiance to Arshdeep Singh Dala. Duneke’s father, a driver with PSPCL, was killed by the terrorists in the 1990s. Duneke got a peon’s job on compassionate grounds at the Moga district administration office before he became a heroin addict. He later joined terrorists and gangsters to resort to radical activities.
Over 15 people have been killed on both sides in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Haryana since 2016. This is the first time the carnage has spilled across the country’s borders.