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In a brazen display of defiance, the Lawrence Bishnoi gang has stepped up its violent operations in Canada, just days after India and Canada pledged to strengthen cooperation against transnational crime. Despite being officially declared a terrorist organisation by Ottawa, the gang’s network continues to grow and spread fear across Canadian cities.Within a single week, the gang claimed responsibility for two shootings, one of which left Indian-origin businessman Darshan Singh Sahsi dead outside his home in Abbotsford, British Columbia. Another attack targeted the Surrey residence of Punjabi singer Chani Nattan, with the assailants posting a video of the shooting online.A man identifying himself as Goldy Dhillon, an associate of the Bishnoi gang, later claimed on social media that Sahsi had been involved in drug trafficking and was killed for refusing to pay extortion money.The gang’s mastermind, Lawrence Bishnoi, currently imprisoned in Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati Jail, continues to run his sprawling criminal network from behind bars. His influence now extends far beyond India, reaching into Canada’s Punjabi diaspora and criminal underworld.Rising Violence Amid Diplomatic CooperationEarlier this month, India’s Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal announced that both countries had agreed to enhance intelligence-sharing and take joint measures to combat organised crime. The understanding followed a meeting in New Delhi between India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and his Canadian counterpart Nathalie Drouin.“Both sides held productive discussions on strengthening bilateral cooperation, especially in counter-terrorism, transnational organised crime, and intelligence exchanges,” Jaiswal said, adding that engagement mechanisms would be reinforced.Yet, the Bishnoi gang’s sudden escalation in violence after being listed as a terrorist entity suggests an attempt to assert dominance, maintain control over its members, and send a message to rivals and critics within the diaspora.The gang’s growing audacity was evident in a series of targeted shootings across British Columbia and Ontario.Kapil Sharma’s Café Under FireComedian Kapil Sharma’s Kap’s Café in Surrey, British Columbia, has been attacked three times since its opening in July. The latest assault, on 16 October, left the café’s façade riddled with bullets. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. The first two attacks occurred on 10 July and 7 August, prompting Indian authorities to review Sharma’s security arrangements in Mumbai and elsewhere.Gunfire At Brampton RestaurantOn the same day as the café shooting, gunmen opened fire at Zamindar Bar Grill in Brampton, Ontario. CCTV footage showed two assailants dressed in black firing repeatedly before fleeing. Soon after, gang member Goldy Dhillon posted online claiming responsibility, warning the restaurant owner to “show respect” or face further consequences.Multiple Attacks In Surrey And Maple RidgeIn early October, the gang targeted several properties owned by a Surrey restaurateur, again with Dhillon taking responsibility. He accused the businessman of exploiting employees and threatened similar attacks on others. Days earlier, the gang had also attacked the home and business premises of their rival Navi Tesi, accusing him of extorting money in Bishnoi’s name.All these incidents occurred after Canada’s decision to designate the Lawrence Bishnoi gang as a terrorist organisation, underlining its defiance and growing reach.A Cross-Border ChallengeThe latest wave of violence highlights how the Bishnoi gang has evolved from a domestic criminal outfit into a transnational threat. What once operated from the streets of Punjab and Haryana now functions through networks stretching across continents.Despite recent commitments from both New Delhi and Ottawa to clamp down on organised crime, the gang’s continued aggression signals not retreat, but expansion. Its message is unmistakable, the Bishnoi empire intends to maintain control, regardless of borders or official bans.
