The Lawrence Bishnoi gang, a notorious Indian crime syndicate, is now at the center of an escalating diplomatic conflict between Canada and India, accused of carrying out violent attacks and extortion schemes in Canada.
The group, led by 31-year-old Lawrence Bishnoi, reportedly orchestrates its operations from behind bars in India and has garnered significant attention in the country’s media for its criminal exploits. Most recently, the gang was implicated in the killing of an Indian politician, marking another chapter in its history of violent crimes.
On Monday, the RCMP made a stunning allegation, accusing Indian diplomats in Canada of using the gang to conduct illicit activities, including murder and extortion. The revelation came shortly after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the expulsion of six Indian diplomats, accusing them of gathering information on Canadian citizens and feeding it to criminal organizations like the Bishnoi gang to carry out violent actions.
In response, India expelled six Canadian diplomats, rejecting the accusations as baseless.
Bishnoi Gang’s Infamous Operations in India and Canada
While the Bishnoi gang has long been notorious for its operations within India, its international reach has now come under scrutiny. Indian authorities claim Lawrence Bishnoi runs his empire from a prison in Gujarat, directing a vast network of operatives across the country. The gang has also reportedly been working with a Canadian accomplice, Satinderjit Singh, also known as Goldy Brar, who is alleged to have moved to Brampton, Ontario, on a student visa before diving into the criminal underworld.
The Bishnoi gang rose to international prominence following the high-profile killing of Punjabi rapper Sidhu Moose Wala in 2022. Brar, believed to have orchestrated the killing from abroad, claimed responsibility, stating the act was retribution in an ongoing feud between rival gangs.
Links to High-Profile Shootings and Attacks in Canada
The Bishnoi gang’s footprint in Canada appears to be growing. In September 2023, the gang was linked to the unsolved murder of Sukhdool Singh Gill, also known as Sukha Duneke, in Winnipeg. Additionally, the group took responsibility for a recent shooting at the Vancouver Island home of Punjabi singer AP Dhillon, and a similar attack at the home of Punjabi singer-actor Gippy Grewal in British Columbia last year.
Despite these acts of violence, Indian officials have dismissed the accusations of involvement in crimes on Canadian soil.
Diplomatic Fallout and Allegations of Targeting Pro-Khalistan Sikhs
The allegations against Indian officials mark a significant development in the ongoing tensions between India and Canada, particularly as they involve pro-Khalistan Sikhs advocating for a separate Sikh homeland in India’s Punjab province. Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent pro-Khalistan activist in Canada, was shot and killed outside a Surrey, B.C. Sikh temple in June 2023. His name had been included on India’s national terror list in 2020.
While the Indian government has denied orchestrating Nijjar’s killing or other crimes in Canada, the RCMP said it has identified numerous credible threats to the lives of members of the South Asian and pro-Khalistan communities in the country.
The Future of Indo-Canadian Relations
As diplomatic relations between Canada and India remain strained, with both countries expelling top diplomats, the alleged link between India’s criminal underworld and government officials continues to spark concern. Canadian authorities are now investigating further connections between the Bishnoi gang and acts of violence in Canada.
The unfolding situation highlights the complexity of international crime and its impact on diplomacy, leaving questions about the future of relations between these two countries.
Source: Reuters