Encounter of 2 shooters of Lawrence: How big is Bishnoi gang in India, how does it work?

From the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala to the threats received by Bollywood actor Salman Khan and many big extortion cases in the country, one name has been in the news the most in the last few years, which is that of Lawrence Bishnoi. The surprising thing is that he has been in jail for a long time, but the investigating agencies claim that even today his network extends to many states and abroad. From time to time, the police and NIA have been arresting the shooters and associates of the gang, while many members have also been killed in gang wars or police action. Different numbers are given in different media reports. Still, the question constantly arises that how does Lawrence Bishnoi’s network work despite being in jail and how do new boys join it.

The charge sheets of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the police of various states show that the Lawrence Bishnoi gang is no longer just a local gang but has become an organized criminal network spread across many states and abroad. According to the 2023 charge sheet of NIA, about 700 sharpshooters associated with the gang were claimed to be active in different states. However, after this the agencies have not released any new official figures. That means at the moment it is not possible to say exactly how many shooters the gang has today. Similarly, there is no government data available on how many members were killed or arrested in the last two years. Despite this, continuous arrests and police action show that the agencies are continuously tightening the noose on this network.

Lawrence Bishnoi gang at a glance

• NIA had claimed to have around 700 sharpshooters associated with the gang in 2023.
• The gang faces allegations like extortion, contract killing, arms smuggling and threatening.
• There have been allegations of running the network through social media, jail network and associates sitting abroad.

Encounter of 2 shooters

Recently, the discussion about this gang increased when the Special Cell of Delhi Police and Haryana STF in a joint action in Bahadurgarh, Haryana, killed two shooters of Lawrence Bishnoi gang. There was a reward of Rs 1 lakh each on both of them. According to the police, both of them were accused of murder of gym operator Kapil in Hansi, Hisar on June 11. Police had received information that both of them had reached Bahadurgarh to commit some major crime. When the police tried to surround them, they started firing. Both were killed in retaliation, while a policeman was also injured. Earlier in the year 2025, UP STF had claimed to have killed an alleged sharpshooter of Lawrence Bishnoi gang in an encounter.

How is recruitment in the gang done?

According to the investigating agencies, the method of recruitment of Lawrence Bishnoi gang has changed a lot. Whereas earlier the network was expanded through local criminals, now social media has also become a big weapon. Police say that people associated with gangs try to influence the youth by showing images of weapons and gangsters on Instagram, Facebook and other platforms. Youth who are unemployed or involved in petty crimes are lured with the lure of quick money, recognition and gang power. In the beginning they are assigned to do Reiki, extortion calls or small tasks. Later, as the trust increased, allegations of his involvement in major crimes started coming to light.

How does the network run while in jail?

Investigative agencies claim that the gang network is not dependent on just one person. Associates based in different states and abroad allegedly handle the gang’s activities. Police say that earlier in many cases, gang members sitting abroad used to give instructions to the shooters, while associates present in India used to execute the plan at the local level. This is the reason why even after the arrest of one accused, the network is not completely destroyed.

What action was taken in the last two years?

In the last two years, Delhi Police, Punjab Police, Haryana Police, Rajasthan Police and NIA have arrested many people associated with the gang. Some gang members have also been killed during police encounters in many states. However, no such official record is available for the entire country. Different agencies release figures according to their respective cases. According to the investigating agencies, the gang’s influence is believed to extend to Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. Apart from this, various investigative agencies have also been making allegations of running the network through associates based in some other countries including Canada.

How did the discussion about Bishnoi gang increase?

In 2018, Lawrence Bishnoi came into limelight for the first time after his alleged threat to Salman Khan during his appearance in Jodhpur court. However, after the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala on 29 May 2022, his name became the most talked about in the entire country. The name of Lawrence Bishnoi gang and its associate Goldie Brar came to light in the investigation. After this, the name of the gang also came up in the investigation of the murder of NCP leader Baba Siddiqui in October 2024. The same gang’s name also figured in the firing at comedian Kapil Sharma’s restaurant in Canada. After these high-profile cases, Lawrence Bishnoi joined the most famous criminal gangs of the country and police and NIA are continuously taking action against his network.

journey from politics to crime

Lawrence Bishnoi’s name first came up during the student politics of Panjab University in 2010-11. During this period, cases of assault, attempt to murder and other criminal cases started being registered against him. According to the police, it was from here that he formed his gang, whose network later spread to Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi and other states. After this, he was accused of demanding extortion from traders and businessmen. Investigating agencies claim that despite being in jail, he continued running the gang through his associates.