NEW DELHI: It started with a quest for likes and shares, with gangsters posting reels of their court appearances or arrests set to catchy folk music to amplify their clout and reach. However, gangsters are now increasingly using social media to either pre-empt alleged encounter attempts by police on their gang members or to threaten police over fake encounters.In multiple encounters over the last year-including the latest encounter involving the shooters of Manjeet Mahal’s nephew-social media posts have surfaced either after the shooters were picked up or after the encounter, with claims that the encounter was fake.Senior police officers say this new tactic allows gangsters to shape the narrative and create doubt about the police’s actions. This makes it more challenging for law enforcement agencies to operate effectively and gather evidence. “The aim is to create a narrative that can influence public opinion, put pressure on law enforcement agencies, and potentially even impact the outcome of investigations. This modus operandi has equipped gangsters, who operate from outside India, with a powerful tool to intimidate and influence, enabling them to post updates in real time and respond quickly to developments in investigations and encounters,” said a senior investigator.
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Himanshu Bhau, Kapil Sangwan and Goldy Brar are some examples of gangsters who have employed this modus operandi to try and shield their mates. In the latest arrest of the two shooters who shot dead gangster Manjeet Mahal’s nephew, UK-based gangster Kapil Sangwan posted on Facebook urging the cops to not harm them. The post even disclosed the name of the inspector whose team allegedly detained them.“Hello everyone, our brother Sombir and 2-3 other brothers were picked up from Chandigarh today by Rohini Sector 14’s Crime Branch team, led by inspector Pankaj Thakran. We are fighting our battle and aren’t doing anything unjust. We have video footage of where they were picked up, and we request that our brothers not be mistreated,” it read.The post was further shared by Sangwan’s aide, Venkat Garg of Naraingarh, another wanted fugitive operating from abroad.
Last week, when gangster Romil Vohra was killed in an encounter in south Delhi, many members of Lawrence Bishnoi syndicate, including Rohit Godara and others, posted threatening the special cell cops with consequences for killing their valued associate. Similarly, when gangster Bhau’s aide, Ajay, was killed in an encounter in north-west Delhi last year, an Instagram post had surfaced where Bhau claimed that Ajay had been picked from Mount Abu three days ago.By posting on Facebook and other platforms, the gangsters have been reaching a wide audience and creating a narrative that can be difficult to counter for police. “This tactic allows gangsters to shape the narrative and create a sense of doubt about the police’s actions. By leveraging social media, they can disseminate their message to a large audience quickly and evoke emotions. This can make it more challenging for law enforcement agencies to operate effectively and gather evidence,” says former police commissioner S N Shrivastava.Retired additional CP (crime) Ashok Chand says that the use of social media provides gangsters with a powerful tool to intimidate and influence. They can post updates in real-time, responding quickly to developments in investigations and encounters. “This enables them to stay one step ahead of police and create a sense of uncertainty. By claiming that their aides have been wrongfully detained or killed in encounters, gangsters can create a sense of urgency and pressure on police to produce evidence or justify their actions,” he added.By using virtual private networks and other tools, the gangsters can mask their IP addresses and hide their real locations, making it challenging for law enforcement agencies to track them down.
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