The Lawrence Bishnoi gang, which boasts a network of 700 shooters across 11 Indian states, is following a path similar to that of notorious criminal mastermind Dawood Ibrahim, according to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
The gang has claimed responsibility for the assassination of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique, marking another instance of its growing influence.
In its chargesheet, filed under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against 16 individuals, including Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar, the NIA drew comparisons between the Bishnoi gang and Dawood Ibrahim's infamous D-Company.
Just as Dawood expanded his empire from petty crimes to a vast network of drug trafficking, extortion, and targeted killings, Lawrence Bishnoi has built a criminal syndicate that now dominates North India.
The chargesheet highlights the gang’s unprecedented growth, revealing that it now operates with over 700 shooters, 300 of whom are connected to Punjab. The Bishnoi gang’s operations are directed by Goldy Brar, who is currently wanted by both Canadian and Indian authorities.
The Bishnoi gang initially confined its activities to Punjab but soon expanded with Brar’s help, forming alliances with gangs in Haryana, Delhi, and Rajasthan.
Today, the gang operates across a wide swathe of North India, including Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra, Delhi, Rajasthan, and Jharkhand.
Leveraging social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, Bishnoi and his associates have gained notoriety by sharing images of Bishnoi being transported to and from court, further promoting their criminal empire among youth.
By 2020-21, the gang had amassed crores of rupees through extortion, which was sent abroad using hawala channels.
According to the NIA, the Bishnoi gang is also recruiting young people by luring them with the promise of helping them migrate to foreign countries, particularly Canada. Khalistani terrorist Harvinder Singh Rinda, currently based in Pakistan, has reportedly used Bishnoi’s shooters to carry out targeted killings and other criminal activities in Punjab.
The NIA’s chargesheet underscores the growing concern over the Bishnoi gang’s expanding reach and influence, likening it to Dawood Ibrahim’s rise in the 1990s. With its network of 700 shooters and its ability to spread terror across 11 states, the Bishnoi gang is emerging as a powerful and dangerous force in India’s underworld.
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