Sixty-seven songs promoting gang lifestyle and glorifying weapons and violence have been removed from digital platforms, the Haryana Police said in a statement on Tuesday. The names of the removed songs were not mentioned by the police in their statement. However, it is learnt that some songs sung by Haryanvi rappers are among the 67 songs.
"The action taken against 67 songs is part of a larger campaign, and further strict action will continue," Haryana Director General of Police (DGP) Ajay Singhal said.
In February 2025, the Haryana Police had initiated action against songs that allegedly promote gun culture, "glorify" violence, and incite hatred. Accordingly, the initiative brought singers, social media, and other such platforms under the lens. The Haryana Police, particularly its cybercrime unit's teams, monitor social media and take appropriate action where required.
Notably, in March 2025 alone, over 10 songs were taken down from various social media platforms, with a few of them sung by popular Haryanvi singer Masoom Sharma.
In his reaction, Sharma earlier said, "There are so many songs of other artists which have not been pulled down from social media. If the government has started from me, it is good, but the action should be fair."
Meanwhile, the Haryana Police statement on Tuesday said, in a major crackdown against gang culture and the glorification of weapons and violence, the Special Task Force (STF) and Cyber Unit of Haryana Police have carried out a landmark operation that has significantly reshaped the digital space. During an extensive investigation, the STF and cyber teams found that several songs were influencing youth, glorifying gangsters, and portraying an unrealistic image of luxury associated with criminal life, thereby pushing young people toward crime, according to the statement. Responding to this alarming trend, the Haryana Police acted against 67 objectionable songs available on social media platforms.
"As a result, most of the content has either been removed or blocked," the statement read.
DGP Singhal termed the action a crucial step taken in the interest of society and the younger generation, saying that the Haryana Police's objective is not merely to stop criminal activities, but also to save young people from stepping into the world of crime.
The action taken is part of a larger campaign, and further strict action will continue, he said, while further making an appeal to the artists and content creators to act responsibly and avoid producing content that misleads the youth.
STF IG Satheesh Balan said that, considering the increasing influence of digital content on the youth, the police have also held discussions with singers, lyricists, and creators, advising them not to glorify violence, gangster elements, or weapons.
Gangsters often use such platforms to lure and recruit youth into their networks, pushing them toward a destructive path. The police aim to prevent this and guide the youth to use their talent for productive and nation-building activities instead of contributing to criminal ecosystems, he said.
Parallel to the digital crackdown, Haryana STF has achieved significant successes in dismantling the terror-gangster nexus operating through foreign handlers. Intelligence-based operations have exposed several modules using local networks to further terror-linked activities, the Haryana Police said.
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