Nijjar killing: How the Lawrence Bishnoi gang went from a local unit to an international crime syndicate
The US has charged Lawrence Bishnoi and his deputy, Goldy Brar, in the killing of Khalistani Hardeep Singh Nijjar in 2023. This has reignited interest in the gang, which continues to operate while Lawrence remains behind bars in Gujarat. Over the years, the group has targeted many high-profile names, including Bollywood actor Salman Khan
In September 2023, Canada accused Indian officials of being linked to the killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. This resulted in a huge diplomatic row between New Delhi and Ottawa.
Now, almost three years later, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) has charged jailed Indian gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his aide Goldy Brar for the high-profile murder. The charges against Lawrence Bishnoi and Singh were part of a broader investigation, dubbed Operation Hard Ball, by US and Canadian authorities that charged 37 defendants tied to three India-based organised crime groups with racketeering, extortion, and drug trafficking.
“In total, 37 defendants – including two defendants who ran their global criminal syndicates while imprisoned in India – are charged across three indictments unsealed today. Those arrested in the United States – 11 in California, one in Indiana, and one in Georgia – are expected to make their initial appearances today [Tuesday] in federal court,” said the DOJ in a statement.
More from ExplainersFollowing the charges, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has announced a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the arrest of Goldy Brar, whose original name is Satwinderjit Singh. The US also plans to seek the extradition of Lawrence Bishnoi from India to face sweeping federal racketeering charges, with investigators saying the move is aimed at preventing him from continuing to run a global criminal network from behind bars.
This episode has renewed interest in the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and its many crimes spread across the globe — from India to Canada and beyond.
Who is Lawrence Bishnoi, the man behind the criminal gang?
At the heart of the gang is Lawrence Bishnoi, who is currently imprisoned at the Sabarmati Jail in Gujarat.
Lawrence was born into affluence rather than crime. Born in 1993 in the state of Punjab’s Fazilka district, Lawrence’s family was among the wealthiest in their village, living in a massive bungalow surrounded by acres of land. His father was a policeman before he gave up his career to take care of the family land.
According to a relative, Lawrence was named after British officer Henry Montgomery Lawrence, founder of the prestigious Lawrence School in the hill town of Sanawar. Lawrence attended a convent school, riding his own bike by the eighth grade and wearing expensive shoes - luxuries unheard of for most.
Following his schooling, Lawrence moved to Chandigarh for his higher education. It is here that he immersed himself in student politics and was slowly nudged into the world of crime, as he locked horns with students of rival groups.
Many note that the move from his village, where he was from a well-off family, to the city where his family's wealth didn’t matter, may have nudged Lawrence into a life of crime and gangs. As Jupinderjit Singh, an author and an individual who has traced gang wars in north India for nearly a decade, told The Guardian, “Lawrence Bishnoi is like 5ft and 6 or 7in tall, but he’s got 100 acres of land, he is the Raja Babu of the family, he’s got a bike when he is in class 8. And then suddenly he is in Chandigarh: there are girls here, there is wealth here of a different kind, and no one really gives much of a sh*t about him. Here, the attraction is not land, it is money, it is status, a social identity, and he does not have that.”
What about Goldy Brar, Lawrence's deputy?
Born as Satwinderjit Singh, Brar serves as Lawrence’s deputy. He also shares a similar tale to Lawrence. Born in 1994 in Punjab, he is said to have become close to Lawrence in college.
According to a report in Open magazine, Goldy and Lawrence engaged in violence even before 2012. One news article even claims that when Brar stood for a student body election, Lawrence fired at a rival candidate, got arrested, and then, once out on bail, shot the relative of the candidate who eventually won to avenge Brar’s defeat.
Soon, they deepened their networks among the underworld and began running their own extortion racket, taking on contract killings, and ordering hits on rival gang members across Punjab and other parts of northern India.
In 2017, Brar moved to Canada on a student visa and is reported to run the Lawrence Bishnoi gang from there.
How has the Lawrence Bishnoi gang grow into an international syndicate?
Over the years, Lawrence and his brother, Anmol, began to grow their crime syndicate. The Lawrence Bishnoi gang has its tentacles spread across Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and New Delhi. It also has a strong international network across China, Thailand, the Philippines, Central Asia, the UAE, parts of Europe, America, and Canada.
It is reported that currently, the Lawrence Bishnoi gang has over 700 gunmen across the globe. And despite being in jail, Lawrence continues to run his syndicate. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) notes that he uses his powerful ties and alliances, including pro-Khalistan organisations. Moreover, he deliberately stays away from bail applications and communicates with his aides via “Dabba Calling” and VoIP, as per News18.
Lawrence also practices the ‘business model’ to keep his gang activities alive. This involves having alliances with jailed gangsters from Uttar Pradesh (Dhanajay Singh), Haryana (Kala Jatheri), Rajasthan (Rohit Godara), and Delhi (Rohit Moi and Hashim Baba).
The Lawrence Bishnoi gang has also remained powerful because of its members. Other than Brar, the gang boasts of having members such as Rohit Godara. A close associate of Lawrence, he runs the gang’s operations from the UK. A resident of Bikaner, Godara has been named in more than 35 criminal cases, including murder and extortion.
Sampat Nehra is another of Lawrence's close aides. He oversees the gang’s operations in Haryana. There’s also Vikramjeet Singh, who is called Lawrence's “man in the Middle East”. He managed the gang’s finances and logistics until he was deported in 2023.
From Nijjar to Salman Khan, who have been targets of the gang?
The Lawrence Bishnoi gang has earned a reputation for targeting high-profile names.
The US has charged Lawrence for the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the Khalistani terrorist, outside the Guru Nanak Singh Gurdwara in Surrey in June 2023. The US indictment states that no later than June 18, 2023, Lawrence and Goldy Brar ordered the assassination of Nijjar.
And for this purpose, Lawrence provided one co-conspirator with a photograph of, and multiple addresses for Nijjar.
The Lawrence Bishnoi gang also claimed responsibility for the killing of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala in 2022. Within hours of the killing, Goldy used Facebook to claim responsibility for ordering the hit.
When the BBC contacted Goldy and asked him why Moose Wala became a target, the gangster said, “In his arrogance, he [Moose Wala] made some mistakes that could not be forgiven. We had no option but to kill him. He had to face the consequences of his actions. It was either him or us. As simple as that.”
Two years later, the Lawrence Bishnoi gang carried out one of the most high-profile murders in the streets of Mumbai. Gang members shot dead 66-year-old politician Baba Siddique near his son’s office in the suburbs of Bandra in October 2024.
Siddique was a three-time legislator and former minister in the Maharashtra state government. He was widely known for his closeness with Bollywood celebrities, most notably with actor Salman Khan. “We do not have any enmity with anyone but whoever helps Salman Khan… keep your accounts in order,” stated a purported Facebook post by an associate of Lawrence, claiming responsibility for Siddique’s killing.
But perhaps the Lawrence Bishnoi gang’s biggest target has been Bollywood actor Salman Khan. In fact, the Lawrence Bishnoi gang first gained notoriety for threatening the Bollywood actor, accusing him of allegedly poaching two blackbuck antelopes — a revered species for Rajasthan’s Bishnoi community to which Lawrence belongs.
In 2022, Khan’s father, Salim, reportedly received a threatening note saying that he would be killed along with his son.
Threats turned into reality for the actor in April 2024 when two members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang carried out a drive-by shooting at the star’s residence in Bandra. Two men on a motorbike shot at Khan’s first-floor flat in the upscale Mumbai neighbourhood of Bandra, also firing several rounds in the air before fleeing.
Anmol Bishnoi claimed responsibility for that shooting and warned that the gang is still gunning for him. Later, the Mumbai police arrested two men for the shooting.
The Lawrence Bishnoi gang has also targeted comedian Kapil Sharma. Members of the gang have repeatedly shot at his café, Kap’s Café, in Surrey, Canada. After one of the shootings, Lawrence’s associates, Kulveer Sidhu and Goldy Dhillon, claimed responsibility, writing in a social media post: “We hold no grudge against the general public. Those who owe us or cheat us will be warned. Bollywood individuals who speak against our religion should also be prepared; bullets can come from anywhere.”
It’s left to be seen what comes next for the bearded gangster and his crime syndicate. For now, Lawrence remains behind bars but continues to engage in criminal activities.
With inputs from agencies
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