Why Lawrence Bishnoi is at the centre of India-Canada row over Nijjar killing

Lawrence Bishnoi, the dreaded gangster imprisoned in Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati Central Jail, has emerged as a new focal point in the India-Canada diplomatic row. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has accused India of colluding with his gang to carry out criminal operations in Canada even though it has not provided any concrete evidence.
A Washington Post report claimed that National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval held a secret meeting with his Canadian counterpart in Singapore, where they discussed Bishnoi’s alleged involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.
India has strongly rejected these accusations, dismissing Ottawa’s claims of New Delhi’s involvement in the murder as a “deliberate strategy to smear India for political gain”.
On June 18, 2023, Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead outside a gurdwara in British Columbia, Canada. Three sharpshooters fired 34 rounds at him. Nijjar, designated as a terrorist by India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA), had a Rs 10 lakh bounty.
He was accused of carrying out targeted killings of Hindu leaders in Punjab in collaboration with Pakistan’s intelligence agency, ISI, and had been involved in terrorist activities in Punjab. Intelligence agencies also reported that Nijjar had undergone training in Pakistan.
Almost a year later, in May 2024, Canadian police arrested four men of Indian origin — three initially and one later — in connection with the murder. Karan Brar and Kamal Preet Singh, both 22, along with 28-year-old Karan Preet Singh, reportedly confessed to the killing, according to Canadian officials. A fourth suspect, 22-year-old Amardeep Singh, was later arrested and also claimed involvement in the murder. All four had arrived in Canada on student visas and were staying there.

Karan Brar, Kamal Preet Singh, Karan Preet Singh and Amardeep Singh.

Before the police made any official statement, a Canadian newspaper reported that the four arrested men were linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. The report claimed that Bishnoi’s men, allegedly at the behest of India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), carried out Nijjar’s murder by sending four shooters from Punjab to Canada.
On October 15, amid reports of the Bishnoi gang’s hand in the murder of an NCP leader and former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique, Canada reiterated that Indian agents working with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang were targeting pro-Khalistan elements. However, the Canadian police have yet to provide any concrete evidence beyond the names of the four men from Punjab.
According to Canadian authorities, members of the Bishnoi gang were also responsible for the killing of another Khalistani terrorist, Sukhdool Singh, in Winnipeg, Canada, in September last year. Sukhdool Singh, also known as Sukha Dunike, had fled India and was associated with the rival Bambiha gang. The Bishnoi gang later took responsibility for the murder, declaring, “We will find and eliminate our enemies, wherever they may be”.
An official from India’s intelligence agency stated that many gangsters and terrorists from Punjab flee to Canada, where they are given refuge by the government. According to him, a gang war is going on between these criminal groups, resulting in killings, while the Canadian government is trying to mislead its citizens by blaming Indian agencies.
In addition to targeting Khalistani terrorists, the Bishnoi gang has been linked to other violent incidents in Canada, including a shooting at the home of singer-actor Gippy Grewal after he appeared in a video with Bollywood star Salman Khan.
The Bishnoi gang has also been involved in high-profile cases in India, including the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala in May 2022. In April this year, the gang was also implicated in a shooting incident at Salman Khan’s residence in Mumbai.
Despite Lawrence Bishnoi being imprisoned for years, his gang has continued operations, led primarily by his brother Anmol Bishnoi and another gangster, Goldy Brar, currently based in the US.