Why B.C. wants India's Bishnoi gang classified as a terrorist group

Ottawa Citizen

9 hours ago

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A day after Premier David Eby called on the federal government to classify India's Bishnoi gang as a terrorist group, it's unclear how that might help police investigating a series of extortions targeting B.C.'s South Asian community.
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The announcement, made Tuesday, caught some by surprise, as police have been reluctant to comment on a link between the extortions and the gang, whose founder, Lawrence Bishnoi, has been locked in an Indian prison since 2014.
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B.C. Opposition public safety critic Elenore Sturko said she was unaware police had 'definitively' linked the Bishnoi gang to any extortion cases and questioned the timing of the premier's comments.
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'The police haven't come out and told my community that this gang is responsible for these incidents,' she said, calling the announcement 'dramatic' and 'headline-grabbing.'
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Former B.C. solicitor general Kash Heed accused Eby of 'raising Bishnoi's profile' by linking him to terrorism: 'It's a political response when what is needed is an operational response.'
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He said that while Bishnoi's name has certainly been mentioned by extortionists in their threats, it's unclear if the gang is behind the extortions, or if it's simply being invoked as an intimidation tactic.
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Here's what we know about the Bishnoi gang and its links to B.C.:
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What is the Bishnoi gang?
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The Bishnoi gang is an organized crime group in northern India that appears to have extended its influence to North America in recent years. Indian media have reported that extortion is a significant source of the gang's income.
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While founder Bishnoi has been incarcerated for the last decade, he appears to have been able to maintain communication with his associates.
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In 2022, Bishnoi's associate Goldy Brar, who was based in Canada, claimed responsibility for the killing of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala, who was shot in India but also had ties to Canada. Brar remains at large.
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B.C. police have been hesitant to reveal any evidence tying the Bishnoi gang to the extortions happening in Surrey.
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While police have received dozens of extortion reports since early 2023, there seems to be a recent uptick in the number of people who have received letters, phone calls and social-media messages demanding money under threat of violence.