Opinion: Punjab Needs A Special Law To Combat Organised Crime

One year has passed since the daylight murder of popular singer Sidhu Moosewala. The tragedy shook the conscience of the public and authorities alike, but it can't be said that organised gang-related criminal activities have abated since.

The state has witnessed a spate of criminal activities, including political murders, extortion, cross-border narcotics smuggling, attacks on police stations and more worryingly, the rise of radical separatist elements.

Per data, there are about 8 to 20 major gangs that are active in Punjab, with 545 gang members and classified into A, B, and C categories by the police. It is evident that the existing framework isn't sufficiently empowered to tackle and prevent organised crime in the state. Low conviction rates, witnesses turning hostile or getting killed before their testimony, and loopholes in investigation have contributed to the growth of organised crime in the state.

For the past few years, there has been a growing consensus among policymakers and security experts that organised crime requires a stringent law for effective tackling. Special legislation has been enacted in other states. Among the most well-known of these laws is the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, 1999, commonly known as MCOCA. This Act was subsequently adopted by the National Capital Territory, Delhi. Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Karnataka have enacted separate laws on similar lines.