She called the shots: How 'lady dons' changed over time

NEW DELHI: Once known for running smuggling rackets and mafia empires, India's female gangsters are now younger, hyper-local and social media-savvy. From Haseena Parkar's D-Company links to Delhi's alleged 'Lady Don' Zikra, the face of women in organised crime has undergone a dramatic transformation. For decades, India's underworld was a man's world. The country's most feared criminal syndicates were built around names like Dawood Ibrahim, Chhota Rajan, Arun Gawli and Abu Salem. Yet, operating in the shadows—or sometimes at the very centre—were women who commanded influence of their own. Some allegedly took charge after their husbands were killed or jailed. Others built independent networks dealing in extortion, narcotics, kidnappings and contract killings. Today, however, the profile of a "lady don" looks markedly different. The old guard was associated with sprawling criminal empires spanning states and even countries. The new generation is often accused of running neighbourhood gangs, flaunting weapons on social media, recruiting impressionable youngsters and using digital platforms to cultivate an image of fear. The evolution mirrors the changing face of organised crime in India. 'Ek Haseena Thi' No name is more synonymous with India's female underworld than Haseena Parkar, sister of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim. After her husband Ibrahim Parkar was killed in Mumbai in 1991, investigators alleged that Haseena emerged as one of D-Company's most influential faces in the city while Dawood operated from abroad. Police accused her of overseeing extortion, managing disputed properties and acting as an intermediary between gang operatives and businessmen. Known simply as "Aapa", she inspired both fear and fascination in Mumbai's Nagpada neighbourhood. Despite facing several criminal cases over the years, Haseena denied wrongdoing. She died in 2014, but remains the benchmark against which every subsequent "lady don" is measured. When gang wives became gang leaders The 1980s and 1990s saw several women step into organised crime after violence reshaped their lives. Among them was Santokben Jadeja, who allegedly took over her husband Sarman Jadeja's criminal network after he was killed in a gang rivalry in Gujarat. Dubbed the "Godmother of Porbandar," she was accused in multiple criminal cases before entering electoral politics and serving as an MLA. Her journey later inspired the acclaimed film 'Godmother'. In Mumbai, Neeta Naik, wife of gangster Ashwin Naik, was alleged by investigators to have kept the Naik gang functioning while her husband was imprisoned. Police accused the syndicate of extortion and organised crime during the city's bloody gang wars. Another prominent figure was Archana Balmukund Sharma, popularly called the "Kidnapping Queen." Linked by investigators to gangster Babloo Srivastava's network, she was accused in several kidnapping-for-ransom and extortion cases and spent years evading arrest. These women emerged during a period when organised crime revolved around smuggling, bootlegging, extortion and contract killings, with gangs controlling territories across cities. Before D-Company, there was Jenabai Long before Dawood Ibrahim became India's most wanted fugitive, Jenabai Daruwala was allegedly among Mumbai's most influential women in the illicit liquor trade. Often described by crime historians as one of the city's earliest female underworld figures, she built a bootlegging empire during the prohibition era before expanding into smuggling. Unlike later gangsters, Jenabai's reputation stemmed less from gun battles and more from her business acumen and extensive network of contacts. She remains one of the earliest examples of a woman wielding significant influence in organised crime. The underworld changes By the late 2000s, India's traditional mafia syndicates had begun to weaken. Sustained crackdowns by the Mumbai Police, anti-organised crime units, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), National Investigation Agency (NIA), Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and international agencies disrupted many of the country's most notorious gangs. Global financial surveillance and anti-money laundering measures made it harder to sustain the vast criminal empires that once dominated headlines. But while the old mafia declined, a different kind of gangster began to emerge. Instead of controlling international smuggling routes, the new generation allegedly relied on local extortion, gang rivalries, social media and contract violence.The 2020s usher in a new generation of 'lady dons'One of the most talked-about names in recent years is Zikra, a Delhi woman who police describe as being linked to the Mastan gang. In 2025, Delhi Police filed a chargesheet against her in connection with the murder of a teenager in Seelampur. Investigators alleged that the gang recruited minors and used firearms to establish dominance in the locality. The case brought renewed attention to the role of young women in neighbourhood-based organised crime. The allegations remain subject to trial. Another recent name is Kajal Khatri, whom Uttar Pradesh Police accused of hiring contract shooters to murder an Air India crew member in Greater Noida. Investigators alleged she orchestrated the conspiracy, earning her the "lady don" label in media reports. The case is also before the courts. In Haryana, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) detained a woman known by the aliases "Lady Don" and "Madam Minj" during an operation linked to organised criminal networks. Investigators alleged she used multiple identities while maintaining contacts with gang members under investigation. These cases reflect a changing pattern: instead of inheriting large criminal syndicates, many alleged female gangsters today are accused of building influence through local gangs, criminal alliances and online visibility.Another name that frequently appears in Uttar Pradesh Police records is Geeta Tiwari, often described as one of the state's most wanted women gangsters. Police have linked her to numerous criminal cases, including murder, extortion and land-grabbing. Unlike earlier female figures who largely operated through family ties, Geeta is alleged to have built her own network and maintained influence across parts of Uttar Pradesh for years before repeated police crackdowns weakened the organisation. Her story underlines how women are no longer seen merely as associates or relatives of gangsters but, according to investigators, as alleged leaders in their own right. A different kind of notoriety The old dons preferred secrecy. Their power came from whispered reputations, coded messages and loyal lieutenants. Today's alleged gangsters often appear in viral videos, posing with firearms, luxury vehicles and entourages.Social media has become both a recruitment tool and a means of projecting power—something virtually unheard of during the era of Haseena Parkar or Santokben Jadeja. Police have also expressed concern over the alleged recruitment of teenagers into local gangs, particularly in parts of Delhi and western Uttar Pradesh, where neighbourhood rivalries increasingly intersect with online displays of intimidation. From mafia empires to neighbourhood gangsBy 2026, India's organised crime landscape is far removed from the era of D-Company. The classic "lady don" who allegedly managed sprawling extortion and smuggling syndicates has largely disappeared. In her place is a younger, more visible figure—accused of operating local gangs, leveraging social media and cultivating influence in fragmented criminal networks. Whether it was Haseena Parkar navigating Mumbai's underworld, Santokben Jadeja transforming from an alleged gang leader to an elected politician, or newer names such as Zikra, Kajal Khatri and Geeta Tiwari making headlines, these women represent different generations of organised crime. Their stories span four decades, tracing the transformation of India's underworld itself—from global mafia empires to decentralised street gangs, from secret meetings to Instagram reels, and from whispered fear to viral notoriety.Get the latest City News and Live updates. 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