The Conservative Party of Canada urged the federal government to designate the Lawrence Bishnoi gang as a terrorist entity, citing its alleged role in a surge of violent crimes across the country. The move follows a string of reported extortion threats, shootings, and intimidation targeting members of the South Asian community in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario.
The gang has openly claimed responsibility for several violent incidents on social media, including the recent shootings at a café in Surrey, B.C., owned by Comedian and Bollywood actor Kapil Sharma. According to a Global News report quoting sources, the group is also suspected of involvement in the June 2023 killing of Surrey Gurdwara president and Khalistan independence activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
BREAKING
Conservatives call on the Liberals to designate the Lawrence Bishnoi Gang as a terrorist organization.
Communities are being terrorized. It’s time for the Liberals to act.
My letter👇🏼. pic.twitter.com/olUs09kAkz
— Frank Caputo (@FrankCaputoKTN) August 11, 2025
In a letter to Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree, Conservative MP and Public Safety Critic Frank Caputo stressed that the Bishnoi gang’s “political shootings, extortion of South Asian Canadians, and extreme violence” meet the criteria for a terrorist designation. Caputo noted that members engage in these activities for political, religious, and ideological purposes and often flaunt them publicly to instill fear.
“The Bishnoi Gang’s activities lay the groundwork for listing it as a terrorist entity,” Caputo wrote. “The designation would give law enforcement and all levels of government the tools necessary to address the gang’s activities, including financial, criminal, and property sanctions,” he added.
The call for action echoes a July appeal by Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, who also pressed Ottawa to take a firm stance against the gang. Similar demands have been voiced by other political leaders as violent incidents linked to the group have drawn nationwide concern.
