A man has been given a two-year prison sentence for arson and a six-year sentence for firing a gun at a place where people could be present in connection with the 2024 shooting incident at the residence of Punjabi artist and producer AP Dhillon in Colwood, British Columbia. Abjeet Kingra, a 26-year-old individual from Winnipeg, received his sentence in Victoria on September 26 after admitting guilt in August.
The judge, as per the RCMP, stated in the ruling that Kingra carried out targeted criminal activities in Canada at the direction of the Lawrence Bishnoi criminal group in India. This sentencing occurred shortly before the federal government’s declaration to designate the Bishnoi Gang as a terrorist entity due to its involvement in murder, shootings, arson, extortion, and intimidation activities.
RCMP have issued an arrest warrant for a second suspect, Vikram Sharma, who is believed to have left Canada. Inspector Stephen Rose, the acting officer of West Shore RCMP, expressed satisfaction over the accountability in Kingra’s case but emphasized the ongoing effort to locate and apprehend Sharma.
Kingra will serve his concurrent sentences, amounting to about 4½ years, taking into account the time he has already spent in custody since his arrest in October 2024. Additionally, the court imposed a lifetime ban on firearms and a DNA order against him.
In the incident at Dhillon’s Colwood home on September 2, 2024, the RCMP responded to reports of gunshots and burning vehicles. Upon arrival, law enforcement found two vehicles ablaze and evidence of gunfire directed at the residence. The residents were evacuated, and the fire department managed to extinguish the flames.
Kingra was apprehended in Ontario approximately two months following the event in October 2024. Following the shooting, reports from Indian media indicated that a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang had claimed responsibility for the attack on social media.
Public Safety Canada highlighted that individuals associated with the gang may be denied entry to Canada under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. Efforts continue to locate Sharma, who is currently believed to be in India, posing additional complexities to the investigation.
The Bishnoi Gang’s history of targeting specific communities in Canada for violence and intimidation underscores the need for vigilance among the public. The RCMP urges individuals who receive threats to contact local law enforcement and encourages anyone with information on Sharma’s whereabouts to come forward.
