New Delhi: The Canadian government Monday designated Lawrence Bishnoi’s gang as a “terrorist entity” under its criminal code, due to its role in creating a climate of “fear and intimidation”. The announcement comes weeks after the National Security Advisers of India and Canada met in New Delhi, as ties continue to stabilise.
“Every person in Canada has the right to feel safe in their home and community and as a government it is our fundamental responsibility to protect them. Specific communities have been targeted for terror, violence and intimidation by the Bishnoi gang. Listing this group of criminal terrorists gives us more powerful and effective tools to confront and put a stop to their crimes,” Gary Anandasangaree, Canada’s Minister of Public Safety said in a statement.
A number of Canadian provincial governments including British Columbia and Alberta have pushed for designating Bishnoi’s gang as a terrorist entity, for its role as a transnational crime ring engaging in murder, shootings and arson.
Lawrence Bishnoi, a name the gang’s founder adopted in school has seen his criminal profile grow in the last few years, especially after allegedly masterminding the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala in 2022.
Last year, Bishnoi’s reach went global after Ottawa accused India of using his gang for criminal operations in Canada—a charge India has denied. New Delhi has long sought greater cooperation with Ottawa in dealing with transnational criminal gangs. Bishnoi is currently lodged in a prison in India.
Canada’s National Security and Intelligence Adviser (NSIA) Nathalie G. Drouin, last year, told a Canadian House Committee that she urged India to “rein-in” Bishnoi’s activities, during a meeting with Ajit Doval in September 2024. The Canadian NSIA also accused Indian officials of collecting information and using proxies such as Bishnoi’s gang to carry out attacks. However, Doval at the time denied the evidence presented.
“The Bishnoi gang is a transnational criminal organisation operating primarily out of India. They have a presence in Canada and are active in areas with significant diaspora communities. The Bishnoi gang engages in murder, shootings and arson, and generates terror through extortion and intimidation,” the Canadian government statement said.
The statement added: “They create a climate of insecurity in these communities by targeting them, their prominent community members, businesses, and cultural figures. Listing the Bishnoi gang will help Canadian security, intelligence, and law enforcement agencies in combatting their crimes and making communities safer.”
The designation comes a couple of weeks after Drouin met India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval in New Delhi. The meeting between the two followed up on discussions held between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney on the margins of the G7 summit hosted by Canada earlier this year.
Ties between the two countries had cratered in September 2023, after the former Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau asserted that Indian officials were linked to the killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Nijjar, an Indian designated terrorist, was killed in June 2023 outside a gurdwara in British Columbia. India rejected Canada’s claim. However, a year later in October 2024, the Canadian government sought the waiving of diplomatic immunity for six Indian diplomats, as a part of its investigations into Nijjar’s killing. India rejected the request, withdrew its diplomats and expelled six Canadian diplomats, as ties hit a deep freeze.
However, since Carney assumed power earlier this year, ties have seen a thaw, with both countries simultaneously appointing high commissioners. The Doval-Drouin meeting indicates that the two governments are moving forward with cooperation in intelligence and security affairs.
By designating Bishnoi’s gang as a terrorist entity, the Canadian government can freeze any assets linked to the criminal organisation, and it would be illegal now for any Canadian to deal with the group. Further, any links to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang can now be used by Canadian authorities to determine whether foreign individuals would be allowed to enter Canada.
The Bishnoi gang in recent months has allegedly been involved in firing shots at comedian Kapil Sharma’s newly opened cafe “Kap’s Cafe” in Surrey, because actor Salman Khan was invited for the inauguration.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
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