A viral photograph of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi wearing a striking black-and-orange jacket while being escorted to court — has ignited a bizarre fashion wave across Rajasthan.
A viral photograph of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi wearing a striking black-and-orange jacket while being escorted to court — has ignited a bizarre fashion wave across Rajasthan. Dubbed the “Lawrence Jacket,” this curious trend has exploded on social media, prompting police intervention as concerns rise over the glamorisation of criminals.
On Tuesday, Kotputli-Behror police swooped down on the local market and arrested three men allegedly peddling replica jackets with Bishnoi’s name. SP Devendra Kumar Bishnoi revealed that Krishna alias Guddu Sharma, 38, Sanjay Saini, 31, and Sureshchand Sharma, 50, were nabbed at City Plaza in Kotputli while attempting to sell 35 such jackets to enthusiastic buyers.
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Bishnoi said the crackdown followed clear directives from the police headquarters to curb the glorification of gangsters. “Under the supervision of ASP Nazim Ali and Circle Officer Rajendra Kumar Burdak, the Kotputli team led by SHO Rajesh Kumar Sharma conducted raids after gathering intelligence on individuals selling jackets branded with Bishnoi’s name,” he said.
Dangerous trend normalises crime, gang culture
Sources claim the photograph that triggered this trend dates back to 2017–2018 during one of Bishnoi’s court appearances. The image resurfaced recently on Instagram, leading youngsters to imitate the gangster’s rugged style and pushing the viral trend.
Senior police officials have raised red flags, calling the trend “dangerous” as it normalises crime and deepens the fascination around gang culture. “We have in the past acted against social media users who glorify gangsters. This is how these criminal groups draw impressionable youth into their network,” said a senior officer.
Police have now launched a broader investigation to identify others involved in promoting, selling or manufacturing such merchandise.