Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown is urging the federal government to classify the Lawrence Bishnoi group as a terrorist organization, following recent public claims by the India-based syndicate of orchestrating murders in Canada, including in the Peel Region.
The Bishnoi network, named after its jailed leader Lawrence Bishnoi—currently imprisoned in India—has allegedly maintained international operations, including criminal activities in Brampton, Mississauga, and British Columbia, according to Indian and Canadian authorities. Despite incarceration, Bishnoi is said to run a vast network engaged in extortion, shootings, and organized killings through associates in Canada.
Most recently, the group claimed responsibility for the May 14 murder of Brampton businessman Harjeet Singh Dhadda, who was shot in a Mississauga parking lot. Two suspects from British Columbia have since been charged with murder. The group had also previously claimed it was behind the 2022 killing of rapper Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, known globally as Sidhu Moose Wala, who was a Brampton resident and prominent figure in the Punjabi diaspora.
Speaking to CBC Radio’s Metro Morning, Mayor Brown described the Bishnoi group as a “predatory organization” that terrorizes individuals and communities. “They operate openly, recruit locally, and their threats are not just rhetoric—they follow through,” said Brown.
Brown stressed that declaring the group a terrorist entity under Canadian law would empower law enforcement with additional tools, such as asset seizures, enhanced surveillance powers, and broader inter-agency cooperation.
His call follows similar warnings from B.C. Premier David Eby, who also linked the Bishnoi network to escalating criminal activity in British Columbia.
The RCMP has identified Bishnoi and his network as suspected agents of influence acting on behalf of the Indian state, allegedly targeting individuals in Canada affiliated with the Khalistan pro-independence movement—a charge that further complicates the geopolitical undertones of these violent incidents.
As the investigation into cross-border organized crime networks deepens, Canadian security agencies are under pressure to respond with urgency. In the meantime, communities in Peel and beyond continue to seek reassurances about safety and accountability.