The Unstoppable Rise of Lawrence Bishnoi
In the remote village of Dutarawali, near the India-Pakistan border, stands a three-storey house with a 7ft boundary wall topped with barbed wire and four CCTV cameras. This fortified home belongs to Lawrence Bishnoi, who, at 33, has become India's most notorious gangster. Despite being in high-security custody for over a decade, Bishnoi has been linked to multiple high-profile killings, both domestically and internationally, raising questions about his undimmed power and influence.
Crimes from Behind Bars
In October 2024, members of the Bishnoi gang carried out the murder of Baba Siddique, a senior Indian politician, in a wealthy Mumbai neighborhood. This followed earlier links to killings in Canada and the 2022 assassination of Punjabi rapper Siddhu Moosewala, which Bishnoi admitted to ordering in 2023. What makes these crimes remarkable is that Bishnoi orchestrated them while lodged in a high-security prison in New Delhi, with a hitlist that includes Bollywood stars and standup comics.
The Bishnoi gang boasts about 700 members spread across north-western India, the Middle East, and North America, according to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Bishnoi has been incarcerated for more than 10 years, awaiting trial on charges of murder and extortion, yet this has not limited his criminal enterprise. His ability to operate from jail highlights systemic failures in India's justice system.
Alleged Government Connections
In October 2024, then Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau testified at a public inquiry, alleging that Bishnoi was perpetrating violence against Canadians on behalf of the Indian government. Trudeau claimed Indian diplomats collected information on Canadian opponents of the Modi government, which was then directed through criminal organizations like the Bishnoi gang to result in violence. The Indian government dismissed these allegations, citing a lack of evidence, but intelligence officials in New Delhi hinted at a different understanding.
A former officer of India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) suggested that India's growing global influence allows it to engage in such activities with impunity. This aligns with broader allegations of covert operations targeting Sikh separatists abroad, including the 2023 killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Vancouver and a thwarted plot against Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York.
Bishnoi's Background and Ideology
Lawrence Bishnoi was named after Sir Henry Lawrence, a 19th-century East India Company officer, due to his fair complexion. He grew up in Dutarawali, where his family owned over 40 hectares of land, and later studied law at Panjab University in Chandigarh. There, he was drawn into student politics and gangsterism, with his first notable crime being the burning of a rival's car.
Bishnoi's criminal activities are often framed within a Hindu nationalist context. He has been celebrated by some in the mainstream press as a "Hindu don," with his vegetarian diet, celibate lifestyle, and Hindu god tattoo highlighted. In a 2023 interview from jail, Bishnoi threatened Bollywood star Salman Khan over a 1998 blackbuck hunting incident, demanding an apology to the Bishnoi community.
Societal Impact and Cultural Resonance
In an India grappling with lawlessness, sectarian violence, and unemployment, Bishnoi has become an icon for millions of angry young men. To them, following the law seems futile, and Bishnoi exemplifies a nihilistic ideology of seizing power by any means necessary. His story resonates in a country where official impunity and violence are ever-present threats.
During a visit to Jaipur, conversations with locals revealed a mix of admiration and fear for Bishnoi. Some view him as a divine agent of karma, while others see him as a symbol of raw power in a world of unattainable wealth. As one man lamented while looking at luxury buildings, "They are saying to me that I must seize them somehow."
Conclusion: A Pawn in Geopolitical Games
Lawrence Bishnoi may be a pawn in India's geopolitical strategies, but he seems content with his role. In his own words, "We do not want to be rehabilitated to the mainstream society. We are very happy where we are." With about 40 cases pending against him and laws allowing indefinite preventive custody, his future remains uncertain, but his legacy as a gangster operating from jail continues to challenge India's legal and moral frameworks.
