Bengaluru-based e-commerce giants Flipkart and Meesho have recently been backlashed for selling T-shirts glorifying criminal Lawrence Bisnoi. These T-shirts priced as low as Rs. 168, bear Bishnoi’s face with slogans like “Gangster” and “Real Hero”.
Journalist slams e-commerce platforms
The incident was uncovered after a social media post referring to it went viral on X (formerly Twitter), prompting criticism of the platform for “glorifying violence.” Journalist Alishan Jafri brought the issue to the public eye calling it “just one example of India's latest online radicalisation."
“People are literally selling gangster merchandise on platforms like Meesho and Teeshopper. This is just one example of India’s latest online radicalisation," Jafri tweeted while sharing a screenshot of the T-shirts being sold on Meesho.
“At a time when the police and NIA are struggling to stop youths from joining gang crime, social media influencers are making quick money by promoting gang content and glorifying gangsters," he remarked.
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Recently, a Meesho spokesperson said: "We have taken immediate action to deactivate the products. Meesho remains committed to providing a safe and trusted shopping platform for all our users."
Incidentally, Punjab-based criminal and convict Lawrence Bishnoi made headlines with his link to the murder of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique, who was shot dead in Mumbai on October 12. Bishnoi, currently imprisoned in Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati jail, is allegedly operating a pan-India gang network with more than 700 members. The gang is suspected to be involved in extortion, contract killings, and other crimes.
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