By Priyanka Rawat
DEHRADUN, 30 Nov: The inaugural session of the Crime Literature Festival of India, featured Jupinderjit Singh, the author of ‘Who Killed Moosewala? The Spiralling Story of Violence in Punjab.’ An award-winning journalist with expertise in crime reporting for The Tribune, Singh is also celebrated for his discovery of Shaheed Bhagat Singh’s lost pistol, used in the 1928 assassination of a British police officer.
Moderated by Siddhant Arora, the session delved into Punjab’s deep-rooted gun culture, which Singh said is reflected in folk songs that often glorify violence and vulgarity. He traced the origins of this phenomenon to the region’s turbulent history, noting that Punjab has rarely experienced lasting peace over the past 25 years.
Singh discussed the book’s focus on the infamous gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar and the intricate web of gangs operating in Punjab. He clarified that the work is not a biography of Sidhu Moosewala but a comprehensive crime investigation. Addressing misconceptions, Singh emphasized that Moosewala was not a Khalistani. He shared that Moosewala’s house prominently displayed a framed map of “The Great Punjab,” including areas of modern-day Pakistan, symbolizing cultural unity rather than political division.
The session offered a compelling look at the complex socio-political and cultural factors driving crime in Punjab, setting a thought-provoking tone for the festival.
Report by: Priyanka Rawat, 2nd year student of Masters in Journalism and Mass communication, Graphic Era Hill University.
