The Canadian government has designated the Bishnoi gang Canada as a terrorist entity under the Criminal Code. This action, announced on Monday, September 29, 2025, in Ottawa, empowers authorities to freeze assets and prosecute members. Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree led the initiative to counter the group’s extortion and violence against diaspora groups. The move addresses how the Bishnoi gang Canada exploits international networks for crime.
This story resonates across South Asia. It spotlights vulnerabilities in the Sikh diaspora, numbering over 770,000 in Canada alone. Tensions between India and Canada, rooted in the 2023 killing of activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, now intensify. The designation pressures New Delhi to address transnational gangs, potentially reshaping security pacts and extradition efforts. For South Asian nations, it underscores the global reach of organised crime and the need for unified responses to protect expatriates from intimidation.
Canada Lists Bishnoi Gang as Terrorist Entity 2025
Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree declared the listing during a press event in Ottawa. “Every person in Canada has the right to feel safe in their home and community,” he stated. “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.”
The decision adds the Bishnoi gang Canada to a roster of 88 terrorist entities. It criminalises any dealings with the group’s property, including financial services abroad. Canadian agencies can now seize vehicles, funds or real estate linked to the organisation. Immigration officials gain grounds to deny entry to associates under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
This step builds on prior probes. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has tracked the Bishnoi gang Canada’s role in shootings and arsons. Last October, RCMP officers revealed evidence tying Indian officials to a violence campaign via the group. That probe focused on threats to pro-Khalistan figures in Canada.
The Bishnoi gang Canada operates from India but recruits in North America. Led by jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, it boasts hundreds of members. Activities span drug trafficking, arms deals and contract killings. In Canada, the group targets businesses and cultural leaders in Sikh-heavy regions like British Columbia and Alberta.
Implications of the Designation for Bishnoi Gang Canada
Law enforcement gains sharp tools from this label. Freezing assets disrupts funding streams that fuel extortion rackets. Prosecutions can now invoke terrorism charges, carrying stiffer penalties than standard organised crime counts. Border controls tighten, blocking travel for suspected affiliates.
Communities feel immediate relief. Sikh leaders in Vancouver welcomed the news. The designation counters a “climate of fear,” as Ottawa described it. Yet challenges persist. The Bishnoi gang Canada’s decentralized structure complicates full dismantlement.
Diplomatically, the move strains India-Canada ties. Ottawa views the Bishnoi gang Canada as a proxy for state repression. India denies involvement in cross-border hits. Last week, National Security Adviser Nathalie Drouin noted Indian pledges for cooperation. Still.
Financial impacts hit hard. Estimates peg the group’s Canadian holdings at CAD 5 million in properties and cash. Seizures could fund victim support programmes.
Background on the Bishnoi Gang Canada
The Bishnoi gang emerged in India’s Rajasthan deserts, drawing from the Bishnoi community’s traditions. Founded in the 1980s, it shifted to crime under Lawrence Bishnoi. Now 32, Bishnoi directs operations from prison, where he serves a decade-long sentence for murder plots.
In Canada, the group arrived via migration waves in the 2010s. It embedded in Punjabi trucking firms and real estate. Key incidents include the June 2023 Nijjar slaying outside a Surrey gurdwara. RCMP linked it to Bishnoi associates, alleging Indian agent direction. India called the claims “absurd.”
Extortion demands often reference Khalistan support. Victims pay up to CAD 100,000 to avoid arson. The gang’s Canada lists Bishnoi gang as terrorist entity 2025 status formalises these threats as national security risks.
Transnational ties extend to the US and UAE. Bishnoi networks smuggle heroin via Vancouver ports. Arms flow from Punjab to Toronto streets. This web evades borders, demanding global vigilance.
Public Safety Canada amplified the announcement on X. “The Bishnoi Gang has been added to the Criminal Code list of terrorist entities,” the post read. “Listing is an important tool in Canada’s efforts for countering terrorism in Canada and globally.”
Canada Lists Bishnoi Gang as Terrorist Entity 2025: Community Response
Sikh organisations praised the step. The World Sikh Organisation called it a “welcome measure” against intimidation. Provincial premiers in Alberta and British Columbia urged faster action earlier this year.
Opposition voices pushed for it too. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre highlighted diaspora fears in Parliament. The listing responds to that pressure. In India, the Bishnoi gang Canada draws mixed views. Some Rajasthan politicians decry it as overreach. Others seek deeper probes into local cells.
What’s Next for Bishnoi Gang Canada
Investigations accelerate. RCMP plans raids on suspected safe houses in Brampton and Mississauga. Extradition requests for mid-level operators loom. India may reciprocate with asset probes. Bilateral talks, paused since 2023, could resume on counter-terror.
The designation marks a pivot. It reframes the Bishnoi gang Canada not as mere thugs, but as a terror vector. Future operations hinge on intel sharing. As Ottawa fortifies defences, the group’s global footprint shrinks, yet vigilance remains key.
This forward push against the Bishnoi gang Canada promises safer streets for expatriates, but tests diplomatic bridges in South Asia.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, September 30th, 2025
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