Desk Report:
Canada has declared Lawrence Bishnoi and his gang, who are involved in murder, extortion, arms and drug trafficking in and outside India, as a ‘terrorist organization’ under the Criminal Code. According to a report by Indian media NDTV, Canadian Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangari made the announcement on Monday evening local time.
The announcement will allow the Bishnoi gang’s cash, vehicles and property in Canada to be confiscated. It will give Canadian law enforcement agencies the power to prosecute gang members for other crimes, including financing terrorist activities. At the same time, immigration officials will also be able to prevent suspected gang members from entering Canada.
The Canadian government said in a statement that violence and terrorism have no place in Canada, especially those activities that incite fear and intimidation of specific communities. According to Canadian law, from now on, if a Canadian citizen or someone living abroad knowingly deals with property owned or controlled by the Bishnoi gang, it will be considered a criminal offense.
India-Canada diplomatic relations reached a low point during the time of former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. However, today, Canada’s decision is being seen as an important step towards rebuilding relations. Many see it as a harbinger of rebuilding India-Canada relations.
Canadian MP and Shadow Public Safety Minister Frank Caputo wrote a letter to Public Safety Minister Anandasangari a month ago. In that letter, he highlighted the criminal empire of the Bishnoi gang and called for it to be labeled as a ‘terrorist’. He wrote that the Bishnoi gang is responsible for the murder and extortion of Canadian citizens at various times and that they carry out these illegal acts for ‘political, religious and ideological reasons’.
Earlier, several Canadian politicians, including British Columbia Premier David Eaby, Alberta Premier Daniel Smith, and Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke, had called for strict action against the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.
Lawrence Bishnoi and his gang have been involved in many other murders since the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala in May 2022. This list includes the murder of Rajput leader Sukhdev Gogamedi in December 2023 and Maharashtra politician Baba Siddique in October 2024. The Lawrence Bishnoi gang was also involved in the shooting outside Bollywood star Salman Khan’s house in April 2025.
However, the gang gained international recognition only after the murder of pro-Khalistan leader and Canadian citizen Hardeep Nijjar in June 2023. Nijjar’s murder sparked a diplomatic controversy. After this incident, Trudeau alleged without any evidence that the Indian government was involved in this.
However, India rejected this allegation and accused Trudeau of appeasing the Khalistani militant vote bank. As a result, India-Canada relations deteriorated. However, since the arrival of Mark Carney, relations between the two countries have gradually improved.
