Murder and home shooting: Canada Bishnoi anti-Sikh rampage continues

Another prominent Sikh businessman was murdered this week in Canada, just before a popular Sikh artist was shot at, in two new incidents claimed by the Indian nationalist Lawrence Bishnoi terror group.

Darshan Singh Sahsi, a 68-year-old businessman living in Canada for decades, was shot dead outside his home in Abbotsford on the morning of 27th October, and on 30^th October at approximately 2am Punjabi singer Chani Nattan had his home in Surrey (both in BC) shot at in a filmed incident, which later went viral via Indian nationalist networks.

Two arrests were made in relation to the Nattan shooting the following morning, although no updates on the case have since been released.

The Bishnoi gang confessions taking responsibility for the shootings are part of a relentless campaign of criminal violence which has seemed to increase in the last two-years, particularly in British Columbia (BC). The gang is known to be a celebrated Indian nationalist street enforcement network, working as a proxy for the Indian government, targeting dissenters and those perceived as not towing the nationalist line. In Canada, mobs have been seen chanting in support of the Bishnoi group outside of Mandirs (Hindu temples).

Indian media report confessions about both incidents circulating, both from the notorious Bishnoi figure Goldy (Goldie) Dhillon via Facebook. The post on Sahsi stated he was targeted for owing “protection money” related to “the drug trade”, although no evidence exists to suggest Sahsi was involved in such criminality. Accusations of this kind have been used to justify attempts to extort legitimate businessmen. Sahsi’s family said Darshan was known to support people from his part of Punjab when they came to Canada. The organic support network of Punjabi communities in Canada is believed to be a target of Bishnoi terror for extortion and coercion.

Meanwhile, singer Nattan was said to be targeted due to “his closeness to Sardar Khehra”, another Punjabi artist, with the post going on to state it was only Khehra who is their target and the gang have nothing personal with Nattan. Nevertheless, Nattan has long felt the ire of Indian nationalists for showing support to Sikh political prisoners, activists and wider causes such as the Farmers Protest through his music.

NOTE- Sikh PA do not share links to Indian outlets known for anti-Sikh disinformation.
The two incidents came just after Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand received criticism for meeting her Indian counterpart in early October without appropriately addressing the Indian nationalist crimewave putting Sikh lives in danger in Canada. The assassination of Shaheed (martyr) Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar is yet to be adequately addressed according to groups including Sikh Federation Canada and World Sikh Organization, both calling for more focus on India’s consular activities. Yet, meetings with India and Canada have largely celebrated “renewed ties” since Prime Minister Mark Carney came into power for the Liberal Party, instead of concluding issues around transnational repression, as Sikh community groups have requested.

This sentiment was reinforced with footage from an Indo-Canadian networking event Anand spoke at on 23^rd October, when Anand spoke about her “emotional” experience meeting India Prime Minister Narendra Modi and also late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Gandhi was infamously behind the beginning of India’s 1984 Sikh genocide, before she was assassinated by her own Sikh bodyguards. Modi was behind a different massacre by Hindu mobs, this time as Chief Minister of Gujarat in 2002, in an incident which saw over 1000 Muslims killed over days of carnage in the state. Anand’s fawning over the notorious figures has many asking whether she has a conflict of interest as Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister, with some suggesting she should resign.

Meanwhile, Sikhs For Justice bluntly asked “How Many More Dead Bodies Carney Government Wants To See Before Acting Against Indian Consulate Officials” in an official statement. SFJ also stated Carney’s government are “dismissing RCMP warnings”, an accusation which has oft been repeated since police warnings went public from 2023. Contrastingly, Nattan has simply thanked supporters for their well wishes and prayers in a social media post, whilst continuing general posts of his day-to-day life.

Sikh groups are anticipating ongoing police action and subsequential charges asap. However, other acts of Bishnoi-India government terrorism in Canada are still being investigated, such as the May murder of Parmjit Singh Dhadda and other recent extortion shootings in Surrey (BC).

In response to this Indian crimewave targeting Sikhs, Surrey’s Mayor released comms saying an official request for 150 additional officers to work in the city has been made to the provincial government. Surrey remains a hotspot for extortion cases linked to the Bishnoi gang.

A vigil for Darshan Singh Sahsi will be held in Surrey on 8th November.