Randhawa Receives Death Threat Over Opposition to ‘Lawrence of Punjab’ Docu-Series

Congress MP and former Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa on Saturday said he received a threatening WhatsApp message allegedly from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang after he publicly opposed the release of the controversial docu-series “Lawrence of Punjab.”

Randhawa said the message came from a foreign WhatsApp number and contained warnings directed not only at him but also at several prominent figures in Punjab. Those mentioned include Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia, Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav and Balkaur Singh, father of slain singer Sidhu Moosewala. Reports said the threats warned recipients of serious consequences and claimed the series would be released “at any cost.”

Randhawa, the Congress MP from Gurdaspur, has strongly opposed the docu-series, saying it would glorify gangster culture and negatively influence young people. Warring also demanded a ban and moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking to stop the release.

The controversy intensified after the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting advised streaming platform ZEE5 not to release the series , following concerns raised by Punjab Police that it could pose a significant risk to public order . Authorities warned that such content could influence youth towards criminal activities and glamorise organised crime.

Police have launched a technical investigation to trace the origin of the threat messages. Security agencies are also on alert amid concerns that similar threats were sent to multiple leaders opposing the series.

The docu-series, scheduled for release on April 27, examines the rise of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi through student politics, media attention and cultural narratives. Bishnoi, 33, is currently lodged in Sabarmati Jail in Gujarat and faces several criminal cases, including being one of the main accused in the murder of Sidhu Moosewala. He has also been named by the National Investigation Agency in multiple high-profile organised crime investigations.