India, July 15 -- The leader of the Canadian province of Alberta has joined her British Columbia (BC) counterpart in calling upon the federal government to designate the Lawrence Bishnoi gang a terrorist group.

In a statement issued on Monday, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and the province's Minister for Public Safety and Emergency Services Mike Ellis said, "The Lawrence Bishnoi Gang is a transnational criminal network responsible for violence, extortion, drug trafficking and targeted killings, including here in Canada. Its reach is global, and its intent is criminal and violent."

They added that the formal designation of the Bishnoi gang as a terror organisation "will unlock critical powers, allowing provincial and municipal-level law...