Canada has formally listed India’s Bishnoi gang as a terrorist entity, a move that allows federal authorities to freeze assets and seize property linked to the group. The designation, announced Monday by Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree, aims to curb the gang’s influence in Canadian communities.
Officials said the Bishnoi gang has fostered a “climate of fear and intimidation” within diaspora populations. The new listing also gives law enforcement broader powers to pursue terrorist-related offences, including financing, recruitment, and travel.
“Specific communities have been targeted for terror, violence and intimidation by the Bishnoi gang,” Anandasangaree said. “Listing this group of criminal terrorists gives us more powerful and effective tools to confront and put a stop to their crimes.”
Canadian police previously alleged that members of the Bishnoi gang were linked to “homicides, extortion and violent acts” in the country, sometimes at the direction of Indian agents. India denied the accusations, insisting Canada had provided no evidence.
The gang is led by Lawrence Bishnoi, a 32-year-old jailed in India for the past decade, who is accused of orchestrating operations from behind bars. Authorities in India say the group has around 700 members involved in extortion, drug and arms smuggling, and targeted assassinations.
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