The Bishnoi Gang: The Infamous Syndicate Canada Claims is India's Proxy

India's Bishnoi crime gang, notorious for assassinations and extortion within the country, is now linked to international crimes, after being accused of involvement in the murder of a Sikh separatist in Canada. The gang’s alleged leader, 31-year-old Lawrence Bishnoi, a law graduate, has been behind bars for nearly a decade, currently in Gujarat facing trial for heroin smuggling from Pakistan. The group is suspected of killing popular Sikh rapper Sidhu Moose Wala in 2022 and a high-profile politician in Mumbai earlier this month.

Now, Canadian authorities accuse the Bishnoi gang of involvement in the June 2023 murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh separatist leader, which has triggered a diplomatic crisis. Nijjar, an advocate for a separate Khalistan state, was killed in Vancouver, and Canada has since alleged that "credible" evidence links India's government to the killing. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) named the Bishnoi group in connection with the murder, stating the group could be acting as a proxy for India.

India has rejected these claims as "preposterous" and part of a "smear campaign" for political reasons. The accusations have led to a diplomatic standoff, with both nations expelling diplomats. Four Indian nationals have been arrested in connection with Nijjar's murder, intensifying the controversy.

Lawrence Bishnoi, already sentenced in 2019 to five years in prison for attempted murder, drug smuggling, and firearms offenses, reportedly continues to run his criminal operations from jail. His gang gained national attention after the murder of Sidhu Moose Wala, with Canada-based fugitive Goldy Brar claiming responsibility for the "revenge killing."

The gang, rooted in the Bishnoi Hindu sect from Rajasthan, also gained notoriety for threatening Bollywood star Salman Khan over his involvement in hunting antelopes, animals sacred to the Bishnoi community. The gang's members were recently implicated in the murder of Baba Siddique, a prominent Mumbai politician with ties to Khan and the film industry.