Haryana’s liquor trade faces violent gang wars, threatening public safety and government revenue.
Chandigarh: The lucrative Rs 14,000 crore liquor trade in Haryana has turned into a battleground for violent gang wars, with criminal networks tightening their grip through repeated shootings, extortion, and cold-blooded murders.
Following the involvement of gangsters, along with threats and firing at contractors, many liquor contractors have been kept away. Once eager to bid for the state’s profitable liquor vends, traditional liquor traders are now steering clear of auctions, intimidated by a surge in gang-related violence—threatening both public safety and government revenue.
Latest reports from officials suggest that the Haryana Excise and Taxation Department could allot only 934 of 1,200 liquor zones, as key contractors were not taking part in the bidding. According to recent reports, liquor contractors in 20 districts have shown reluctance to bid for over 260 pending retail liquor zones due to threats and attacks by criminal gangs.
Interestingly, Yamunanagar—earlier known as one of the most peaceful districts of the state—is now the worst affected. Of its 55 liquor zones, 45 have received no bids. Yamunanagar, which shares borders with UP, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh, is the home district of gangsters Kala Rana and Noni-Rana and witnessed a triple murder, including that of a liquor contractor, in December last year. After Yamunanagar, the other affected districts are Kurukshetra, Ambala, Jind, Karnal, and Rohtak.
Even as Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has repeatedly held meetings with top officials from the Home Department and police, the state police remain under intense pressure, and the Special Task Force is scrambling to dismantle these mafia networks.
Haryana’s liquor industry, a significant contributor to the state’s exchequer, has been rocked by a wave of violence in recent months. The fear is palpable after two liquor contractors were murdered within a week and several others faced threats—sending shockwaves through the industry.
On June 13, Shantanu—a well-known liquor contractor from the Kurukshetra region and resident of Jhajjar—was gunned down after allegedly defying gangster threats and successfully bidding for a liquor vend. Just days later, Virender, alias Binder, another contractor in Jind with a history of criminal cases, was shot dead in a hail of 10–15 bullets by 5–6 assailants, who fled the scene.
Moreover, the violence is not limited to high-profile killings. Gangsters and small-time criminals have resorted to firing gunshots to intimidate bidders. This has led to multiple failed auction rounds, with Yamunanagar district alone seeing no bidders in its fifth auction attempt for the 2025–27 period.
Police investigations have revealed that the criminal networks—including notorious outfits like the Lawrence Bishnoi Gang and the Bhau Gang, operated from outside the country—have adopted a ruthless playbook of extortion and intimidation in the state.
Liquor contractors report receiving threatening calls demanding protection money, with non-compliance met with deadly consequences. A March 2024 incident in Sonipat saw liquor businessman Sundar Malik shot dead in broad daylight outside a dhaba in Murthal by shooters linked to the Bhau Gang, highlighting the audacity of these criminal operations.
The incidents have given ammunition to opposition leaders, who criticised the BJP-led Haryana government for failing to curb this escalating violence.
However, acting on the directions of the Chief Minister, the Haryana government’s Home Department has taken several major steps to break these networks. Recently, Home Secretary Sumita Mishra called Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and Superintendents of Police (SPs) from seven affected districts to address the crisis. She urged liquor contractors to participate in auctions, assuring them of enhanced security measures.
“The government stands firmly behind law-abiding bidders. No individual should feel intimidated or discouraged from participating in a legitimate government process. We will ensure complete security for every participant,” she added.
However, the promise of safety has done little to quell fears, as contractors remain skeptical of the state’s ability to protect them from well-organised criminal syndicates.
The Haryana Police have been thrust into an intense battle to restore order and have launched a crackdown on the gangsters. A 20-year-old most-wanted sharpshooter, Romil Vohra, was killed in an encounter near the Delhi border, and the police have also identified nearly 5,000 notorious criminals, including those with prior records, for direct surveillance to curb their activities.
Additionally, more police check posts have been deployed, and Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs) have been stationed in greater numbers to respond swiftly to distress calls, particularly around auction sites.
“We have taken the required measures, and additional police check posts are in place at key locations in the district. Police are keeping a strict vigil round the clock,” said Yamunanagar Superintendent of Police Surender Bhoria.
Along with the STF, police in Kurukshetra, Ambala, Rohtak, and Jind districts are conducting raids to apprehend assailants involved in the threats and attacks on liquor contractors.
