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.