From a high-security Indian prison, Lawrence Bishnoi is accused of commanding a criminal network that stretches across continents — and now, of orchestrating terror acts from behind bars.
The 32-year-old, already notorious in India for extortion, murder, and gang violence, is serving time in Gujarat’s Sabarmati Jail. Yet authorities allege that Bishnoi continues to run his syndicate through smuggled smartphones and encrypted communication.
Once a feared gangster, Bishnoi has now been branded the face of a designated terrorist organization in Canada. Ottawa’s Public Safety Minister, Gary Anandasangaree, said on Monday that Bishnoi’s gang had targeted “specific communities for terror, violence and intimidation,” adding that the listing would help Canada “confront and stop their crimes.”
The move elevates Bishnoi from a domestic crime boss to an internationally wanted figure, accused of threatening Bollywood superstar Salman Khan, murdering Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, and plotting political violence beyond India’s borders.
Bishnoi’s lawyer, however, denies the allegations, saying they will “investigate Canada’s claims.” Indian officials have not publicly responded to the Canadian designation, which comes as New Delhi and Ottawa attempt to mend strained diplomatic relations.
Bishnoi’s journey into crime began far from the chaos of city streets — in the calm of Punjab’s agricultural heartland, known as India’s “bread basket.” Once a promising student and the son of a police constable, he studied in a convent school where his mother dreamed of a better life for him.
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Journalist Jupinderjit Singh, author of Who Killed Moosewala?, describes Bishnoi as “well educated and from a good family,” but drawn into gang culture through university politics — a path that eventually led to the creation of one of India’s most violent syndicates.
Today, from a concrete cell, Bishnoi’s influence reportedly spans over 700 operatives. His alleged empire blends crime, power, and politics — turning a village boy from Dutarawali into one of the most feared names in India’s criminal landscape.
