The Enigma of Lawrence Bishnoi: India's Gangster in Chains
In the remote village of Dutarawali, near the India-Pakistan border, stands a three-storey house with a 7ft wall topped with barbed wire and four CCTV cameras. This fortified home belongs to Lawrence Bishnoi, a 33-year-old man who has become India's most notorious gangster, despite spending over a decade in high-security custody. His story is a chilling tale of power, violence, and the blurred lines between crime and state authority in modern India.
A Reign of Terror from Behind Bars
Lawrence Bishnoi's criminal empire has flourished while he is lodged in a high-security prison in New Delhi. In October 2024, his gang carried out the murder of Baba Siddique, a senior Indian politician, in a wealthy Mumbai neighbourhood. This followed his alleged involvement in killings on Canadian soil and the 2022 assassination of Punjabi rapper Siddhu Moosewala, which Bishnoi claimed was revenge for a gang member's death. According to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), his gang boasts about 700 members spread across north-western India, the Middle East, and North America.
What makes Bishnoi's case extraordinary is his ability to orchestrate these crimes while incarcerated, awaiting trial on multiple counts of murder and extortion. He maintains a well-publicised hitlist with a dozen names, including Bollywood stars and standup comics, showcasing his undimmed influence. His lawyer notes that due to laws passed by the Modi government allowing preventive detention without due process, Bishnoi can be held indefinitely, with over 40 cases pending against him.
Roots in Tradition and Upbringing
Born into a wealthy family in Dutarawali, Lawrence Bishnoi was named after Sir Henry Lawrence, a 19th-century East India Company officer, due to his fair complexion. The Bishnoi community, from which he hails, follows 29 principles emphasising vegetarianism, environmentalism, and Hindu rituals. Growing up, Lawrence felt a strong affinity to this tradition, which later shaped his criminal persona as a 'Hindu don'.
His early life was marked by privilege; teachers dared not punish him, and he was deferred to by peers. After studying law at Panjab University in Chandigarh, he entered student politics, where he was mentored by gangster Vicky Middukhera. Here, he learned to prove himself through violence, with his first notable crime being the arson of a rival's car. By 2014, he was in jail, but his criminal activities only escalated from there.
Alleged Ties to the Indian Government
Bishnoi's rise coincides with the Modi era, a period marked by India's assertive foreign policy. In 2023, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged that Bishnoi was acting on behalf of the Indian government to target Sikh separatists in Canada, such as Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Trudeau claimed Indian diplomats passed information to Bishnoi's gang to perpetrate violence against Canadians. The Indian government dismissed these allegations, but intelligence officials hinted at a broader strategy of using deniable assets for covert operations.
Former RAW agent AS Dulat suggested that such operations would require approval from the highest levels of government, reflecting a shift in India's approach under Modi. Bishnoi himself has embraced this role, portraying himself as a warrior for the Hindu cause, which he believes offers protection in the current regime.
The Salman Khan Feud and Cultural Symbolism
A pivotal moment in Bishnoi's life was the 1998 incident where Bollywood star Salman Khan hunted blackbucks, an endangered species sacred to the Bishnoi community. Lawrence, then four years old, internalised this as a slight against his people. In a 2023 interview from jail, he threatened Khan, demanding an apology at a Bishnoi temple to avoid vengeance. This feud highlights how Bishnoi blends personal grievance with cultural identity, positioning himself as an enforcer of Hindu morality.
His threats have materialised into violence, with shots fired outside Khan's Mumbai apartment in 2024 and social media posts linking the Siddique murder to the Khan feud. However, some, including Siddique's son, suspect political rivals may be involved, adding layers of complexity to Bishnoi's narrative.
Icon of Nihilism in a Lawless India
India today grapples with sectarian violence, insurgent conflicts, and a climate of impunity. In this context, Bishnoi has become an icon for millions of angry young men disillusioned by unemployment and government failure. He exemplifies a nihilistic ideology: grab what you can by any means necessary. Unlike past gangsters like Dawood Ibrahim, who lived glamorously abroad, Bishnoi operates from jail, becoming a role model for those who see law-abiding as futile.
In urban centres like Jaipur, young men idolise Bishnoi, seeing him as karma—a divine agent delivering justice. During a rooftop gathering, friends debated his actions, with one lamenting their own lack of power while gazing at luxury billboards. This sentiment captures the desperation driving Bishnoi's appeal: in a world of unattainable wealth, he represents raw, seizeable power.
Unanswered Questions and Lasting Impact
The full extent of Bishnoi's ties to the Indian government remains shrouded in mystery. While Canada and the US allege high-level involvement, evidence is scarce, and Indian agencies have charged Bishnoi with collaborating with Sikh separatists—the very groups he is accused of targeting. This contradiction underscores the opacity of India's geopolitical manoeuvres.
Bishnoi, content in his role, stated in an interview that he does not seek rehabilitation. His story lives on through myths and legal battles, symbolising a broader crisis in India where crime and state interests increasingly intertwine. As the country projects global superpower ambitions, figures like Bishnoi reveal the dark undercurrents of this ascent, leaving a legacy of violence and intrigue that continues to unfold from behind prison walls.
