Canada-India tensions: Who is Lawrence Bishnoi, at centre of row? [Video]

India and Canada expelled six of each others’ diplomats in tit-for-tat moves after Ottawa accused Indian government agents of links to the 2023 murder of a Sikh separatist leader near Vancouver.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), which is investigating the case at the heart of Monday’s rupture in ties, accused Indian government agents of being linked to an organized crime group called the “Bishnoi group.”

India’s top investigative body, the National Investigation Agency, describes the group as a criminal gang headed by Lawrence Bishnoi, whose lawyer says he contests more than 40 cases accusing him of crimes such as murder and extortion, with many trials yet to begin.

India has not reacted to the accusations of links between government officials and the Bishnoi group. The foreign ministry did not respond to a Reuters query for comment.

India has previously rejected as “preposterous” all Canadian accusations about the murder.

Here are key facts about Bishnoi and his associates.

The NIA has accused the 31-year-old law graduate, …