'Never thought he would...': Cop who 1st arrested Lawrence Bishnoi
What's the story
Lawrence Bishnoi, the alleged mastermind behind the killings of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique and Punjabi singer-politician Sidhu Moose Wala, was first arrested 13 years ago.
Back then, he was only 18 and had torched vehicles in Chandigarh after a spat with a student leader.
Recalling his first arrest, former Chandigarh inspector Amanjot Singh described Bishnoi as "very innocent."
Criminal evolution
Bishnoi's transformation in prison
Singh, who had arrested Bishnoi several times, observed a major transformation in him over the years.
He said that Bishnoi "transformed" in jail, meeting influential gangsters and expanding his own influence.
"When he kept going to jail, some prisoners who had committed major crimes felt that there was something special about Bishnoi. They then started using him," Singh said.
Jailhouse mentorship
Bishnoi's mentorship under notorious gangster
It was in prison that Bishnoi met his mentor Ranjit Jasvinder Singh, alias Rocky Fazilka.
Fazilka was impressed by Bishnoi and took him under his wing. The proximity of their villages helped them become close associates.
Since 2015, Bishnoi has been behind bars and continues to be a big name in the criminal circles.
Bollywood threat
Bishnoi's threats against Salman Khan
Bishnoi first hit the headlines when he publicly threatened to kill Bollywood actor Salman Khan in 2018, accusing him of allegedly poaching two blackbuck antelopes.
During a court appearance in Jodhpur, Bishnoi declared, "We will kill Salman Khan."
Ironically, Baba Siddique who was recently killed in Mumbai was a close friend of Khan.