Lawrence Bishnoi, a former student activist turned notorious gang leader, has recently gained attention for allegedly orchestrating a transnational criminal enterprise while incarcerated in India. With a devoted following of environmentally-conscious individuals who live by the 29 commandments of Guru Jambheshwar, Bishnoi’s influence reaches far past the prison bars. His mob was influential in many of the infamous Valentine’s Day gangland murders. They are implicated in the assassinations of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala in 2022 and Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada in 2023.
Bishnoi was born Balkaran Brar. He took his now current name in recognition of Sir Henry Lawrence, the British military administrator of Punjab at the time of British colonial invasion. In 2018, he gained international infamy for publicly issuing a bounty on Bollywood star Salman Khan. He charged Khan with illegally hunting two blackbuck antelopes, animals that are sacred to the Bishnoi community, in 1998. This incident was the start of his meteoric rise through organized crime.
His subsequent enrollment at Panjab University—a hatching ground for the likes of India’s political strongmen—offered him a turf to grow his clout. Bishnoi, who was captured in Punjab in March 2015, has many such cases against him, including criminal conspiracy, extortion, murder, and terrorism. Though still behind bars, he stands accused of running a cartel with more than 700 members.
The Bishnoi Gang and Its Transnational Reach
The Canadian government has recently listed the Bishnoi Gang as a terrorist organization. News reports indicate that the gang specializes in different forms of extreme violence, including murder, torture and arson. They further enforce with fear through extortion and intimidation.
“The Bishnoi Gang engages in murder, shootings and arson, and generates terror through extortion and intimidation.” – Canada’s Department of Public Safety
This designation follows allegations that Bishnoi orchestrated a number of these murders, raising concerns across Canadian Indo-Canadian communities. The gang is accused of fostering a climate of fear by attacking well-known community leaders and cultural icons.
“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,” said Canada’s Minister of Public Safety Gary Anandasangaree.
The World Sikh Organization of Canada has expressed outrage at Bishnoi’s activities. They have described the gang as a key participant in India’s attempts to intimidate Sikhs residing in Canada.
The Philosophy Behind the Gang’s Operations
The Bishnoi sect—as Lawrence Bishnoi culturally belongs to—are ecologists at heart with respect for every animal, tree, and life around them. The 29 panchaen commandments that followers live by, which promote the protection of all living beings, speak to a cultural, intrinsic belief. This admiration stands in stark opposition to the violent harassment and violent tactics of Bishnoi’s gang.
While Bishnoi has a reputation for extreme violence, not all view him as a monster. Local residents from his home town of Dutarawali have positive memories of him.
“He was a very good boy and had a good nature,” noted a local resident.
Many express disbelief about his current identity as a gangster, emphasizing that he treated everyone with respect and never spoke ill of anyone.
“If you go to anyone in this village, no one will say anything bad about him… I don’t believe he is a gangster,” continued another resident.
These narratives in opposition paint a picture of how a person can almost simultaneously be seen as both culturally respectful and disreputable criminal.
Life Behind Bars and Continuing Influence
Today lawrence Bishnoi is incarcerated in India, but he is said to still be in charge of his gang’s criminal enterprises from jail. This potentially dangerous capability has raised red flags with law enforcement nationwide and around the world.
“Lawrence Bishnoi runs the entire operations of the gang from within the jail,” stated his chargesheet.
Yet his unapologetic turn to the gangster life only muddies the water of how to view him. In an interview, he stated:
“I don’t feel bad being called a gangster; it’s the identity God gave me.”
He expressed a sense of pride in his persona while reflecting on his time spent in prison:
“After spending nine years in jail I don’t dream of becoming good; I’m good just the way I am.”
His self-image as a gangster is ingrained. It is this alignment that undergirds his actions and beliefs.
