Political and law enforcement pressure is mounting against ZEE5's upcoming web series Lawrence of Punjab, with Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the state police formally seeking a ban.
In his letter, Warring urged the Centre to block the series, arguing that it glorifies gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and risks damaging Punjab's cultural identity.
"I am drawing your kind and urgent attention to a web series planned to be aired by an OTT platform named 'Lawrence of Punjab'," he wrote.
"The series is based on the life of the dreaded and notorious criminal/gangster Lawrence Bishnoi... The movie/series aims to glorify someone who has been involved in so many gruesome crimes, including the brutal murder of the most popular Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala."
He added that portraying Punjab through the lens of a gangster would insult its cultural legacy and could influence young viewers.
"Glorifying crime and the gangster culture can leave a dangerous and disastrous impact on the impressionable young minds," the letter said, urging immediate intervention to stop the release.
Separately, the Punjab Police has also written to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, seeking to block public access to the series, which is scheduled to release on April 27.
In a communication sent by Special DGP (Cyber Crime) V Neeraja, the police raised concerns that the show could "glorify and simplify organised crime" and potentially disrupt public order.
The request has been made under Section 69A(1) of the Information Technology Act, along with provisions of the 2009 blocking rules. Authorities have also asked that the trailer be removed globally.
The police cited earlier observations by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which had taken suo motu cognisance of interviews of Lawrence Bishnoi allegedly recorded inside jail premises. The court noted that such material could influence ongoing cases and encourage criminal activity.
Officials said the wide reach of digital platforms makes such content particularly impactful, especially among younger audiences.
Earlier, the late singer Sidhu Moose Wala's father also urged the government to ban the upcoming series.
The Ministry has not yet responded to the requests.
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