A Canadian court has sentenced 26-year-old Abjeet Kingra to six years in prison for his role in a violent attack on Punjabi singer AP Dhillon’s Vancouver Island home last year.
Kingra, who was arrested in Ontario in October 2024, was convicted of arson and discharging a firearm into a residence. The court ruled that he acted under the direction of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, an India-based criminal organization recently designated as a terrorist entity by the Canadian government.
On September 24, 2024, gunshots were fired at Dhillon’s house, and two vehicles were set ablaze on the property. By the time police arrived, the vehicles were engulfed in flames and bullet holes marked the home. No injuries were reported, though one resident was evacuated as firefighters contained the blaze. Shortly after the attack, the Bishnoi gang issued death threats against the singer in a social media post.
Kingra will serve his sentences concurrently and, after credit for time already served, is expected to spend about four and a half more years in prison. He was also handed a lifetime firearms ban and ordered to provide a DNA sample.
RCMP investigators stressed that the attack was not an isolated event but part of a broader pattern of criminal activity tied to the Bishnoi gang, which has been linked to shootings, arson, extortion, and other violent crimes across Canada.
Meanwhile, Canadian authorities have issued an arrest warrant for a second suspect, Vikram Sharma, who is believed to have fled the country. “While we are pleased to see accountability in this case, our work is not done. We remain committed to locating Vikram Sharma and bringing him before the courts,” said Inspector Stephen Rose of West Shore RCMP.
AP Dhillon, known for global Punjabi hits such as Brown Munde, Dil Nu, and Insane, has continued to rise as an international music star despite the threats.