goonda tax

n. money extorted as ‘protection’ or to permit passage on public thoroughfares, or paid as a simple bribe. Subjects: India, Pakistan, Crime & Prisons, Money & Finance

Etymological Note: The Hindi and Urdu term goonda can be translated as rascal or ruffian and even as goon, but there is no evidence to indicate that the English goon comes from goonda or vice versa.

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Citations: 1996 Mohammad Yousuf, Sajid Iqbal @ Sialkot Dawn (Karachi, Pakistan) (Sept. 10) “Police-outlaws battle near Sialkot continues” @ Usenet: soc.culture.pakistan (Sept. 10, 1996) Hassan Naqvi () “Muqabla continues with terrorists of Punjab”: All the murders committed by the duo are reported to have been linked with their activities of collecting “goonda tax” at the general bus stands of Narowal district. 1999 Times of India (Mar. 19) “Main accused in Magarasa homicide arrested” (in Kanpur): The main accused in the Magarasa massacre was arrested by the police on Wednesday morning from the same locality while he was engaged in extorting goonda tax from shopkeepers. 2002 Jatinder Sharma @ Rohtak Tribune (Chandigarh, India) (Feb. 13) “Mining mafia: ex-CM seeks probe”: Addressing newsmen here today, Mr Bansi Lal described the extortions as “goonda- tax.” 2004 Times of India (Oct. 7) “Cops net Ranchi don in city hotel” (in Kolkata): A notorious criminal based in Ranchi, he patronised the word “goonda tax” (or GT in police parlance) to a good extent in the city, having collected Rs 2 crore over the past six months.

Posted 7 Oct 04 | Permalink | Tell a Friend