The gang is said to have a presence in Canada
Canada has listed the Bishnoi gang as a terrorist entity, allowing the federal government to seize property and freeze funds linked to the group.
The move was announced on September 29, 2025, by Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree, who said the gang had created “a climate of fear and intimidation in Canadian diaspora communities”.
In 2024, Canadian police alleged that agents of the Indian government were using Bishnoi members to carry out “homicides, extortion and violent acts” targeting supporters of the pro-Khalistan movement.
India denied the claims at the time, saying Canada had not provided evidence.
The new designation gives the Canadian government authority to freeze or seize the gang’s property and funds. It also provides law enforcement with tools to prosecute terrorist offences, including financing, travel, and recruitment.
Anandasangaree said in a statement:
“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.”
Canada describes the Bishnoi gang, led by Lawrence Bishnoi, a 32-year-old gangster from India who has been imprisoned for a decade, as a transnational criminal organisation that primarily operates out of India.
The gang is said to have a presence in Canada and is active in areas with significant diaspora communities.
In India, investigators allege Bishnoi continues to control a gang with 700 members involved in extorting celebrities, smuggling drugs and weapons, and carrying out targeted assassinations.
The designation follows pressure from opposition parties and provincial premiers in Alberta and British Columbia, who argued it would give the government more leverage to impose sanctions.
It also comes as Canada and India work to restore ties strained by the killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in a Vancouver suburb in 2023.
Not long after the killing, then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused the Indian government of involvement in the fatal shooting.
Nijjar was killed outside a Sikh temple by two gunmen. Four men are currently facing charges over his death.
In August, both countries appointed new high commissioners.
Last week, Prime Minister Mark Carney’s national security adviser, Nathalie Drouin, told reporters in Ottawa that India had committed to co-operating with Canadian officials in ongoing investigations.
Drouin said she had recently met Indian officials in a “productive” discussion, where they addressed respective security concerns and committed to non-interference, including refraining from transnational repression.
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