Lawrence Bishnoi t-shirts listed for sale on Meesho; Company removes them after facing backlash

An intense backlash erupted after an X user, Alishan Jafri, highlighted listings of T-shirts featuring gangster Lawrence Bishnoi on the Meesho platform.

Jafri shared images of the T-shirts on X (formerly Twitter), some of which displayed Bishnoi's photo along with phrases like “Gangster” and “The Real Hero.” Priced as low as Rs 166, these items drew widespread criticism for allegedly glorifying a criminal figure.

“People are literally selling gangster merchandise on platforms like Meesho and Teeshopper. This is just one example of India's latest online radicalisation," Jafri wrote on X.

People are literally selling gangster merchandise on platforms like @Meesho_Official and Teeshopper. This is just one example of India's latest online radicalisation.
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1/n pic.twitter.com/vzjXM360q3

— Alishan Jafri (@alishan_jafri) November 4, 2024

In subsequent posts, he revealed listings of T-shirts featuring other notorious individuals, stating, “Apart from Lawrence, you can also buy Durlabh Kashyap T-shirts.”

Apart from Lawrence, you can also buy Durlabh Kashyap t-shirts. pic.twitter.com/r3OTOclGot

— Alishan Jafri (@alishan_jafri) November 4, 2024

“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 added.

Netizens reaction

The post quickly went viral, sparking outrage among netizens who criticized Meesho for allowing products that appear to glorify criminal figures on its platform.

"According to Indian law and order, Lawrence Bishnoi is a criminal. Lawrence Bishnoi has many cases against him and many people have been murdered in his name. Meesho, which is a big e-commerce website in our country, is selling T-shirts branded by gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. This site is blatantly glorifying a gangster. And how many good days do you need?" a user wrote. 

"Hello @Meesho_Official Don't glamorize crime! Wearing Lawrence Bishnoi's merchandise doesn't make you cool, it promotes gang culture," another wrote. 

"Online marketplaces like @Meesho_Official and Teeshopper have listings for gangster-themed merchandise. This trend raises concerns about potential online radicalization and glorification of criminal elements in India.

Uninstalling Meesho for promoting terr0r!st Lawrence… pic.twitter.com/UJUOJzdmoz

— Sachin Tyagi (@DevilSachin_) November 5, 2024

Meesho shares response

In response to the backlash, Meesho issued an official statement confirming the removal of the T-shirts.

 "We have taken immediate action to deactivate the products. Meesho remains committed to providing a safe and trusted shopping platform for all our users," said the Bengaluru-based unicorn startup.

Lawrence Bishnoi has been charged under India’s anti-terror laws and is linked to over 70 criminal cases. His syndicate has been involved in high-profile crimes, including the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala and issuing threats to Bollywood star Salman Khan.