A coalition of Sikh organizations is sounding an urgent alarm over what they describe as an unprecedented surge in extortion targeting Sikh families and business owners in Brampton, Mississauga, and across Canada. At a packed town hall on December 7 at the Canadian Convention Centre in Brampton, representatives from the World Sikh Organization of Canada, the Sikh Federation, the B.C. Gurdwaras Council, and the Ontario Gurdwaras Committee joined police, elected officials, and community members to confront a crisis they say is rapidly escalating.
“This is about confronting transnational oppression coming from India that’s targeting members of the Sikh and Punjabi community here,” said Balpreet Singh, legal counsel and spokesperson for the WSO. “Hundreds of members of my community have been targeted with extortions, shootings, threats, and intimidation — and the source of these threats is all Indian-based. It looks like it’s open season on members of my community.”
Singh said the federal response has been inadequate while violence grows more brazen. Business owners are receiving threatening calls demanding payment under threat of shootings, and many victims are quietly paying because they fear repercussions and lack confidence in authorities. He warned that the issue spans the entire country, but many hesitate to speak publicly out of fear.
Peel Regional Police data shows the scale of the crisis. Extortion reports in Brampton and Mississauga have surged from 319 cases in 2023 to 490 in 2024, with a sharp rise in business-related incidents. So far in 2025 alone, 436 extortions have been reported, including 172 targeting businesses. Police say they have laid 267 extortion-related charges since 2023.
Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah acknowledged the recent spike, despite a brief reduction earlier in the year. He emphasized that Peel police are “laser-focused” on dismantling extortion networks and urged victims not to comply with extortionists. A dedicated task force created in 2023 was disbanded earlier this year, but a new 20-officer unit was re-established in recent weeks as incidents surged again. The chief said the service is fully resourced and actively pushing for more federal support.
The emotional impact of the violence was underscored by the testimony of Gurlin Dhadda, whose father, Harjeet Singh Dhadda, was fatally shot earlier this year after reportedly refusing to pay extortion demands. “We still do not have an answer about who gave the orders for the shooting,” she said. “Arresting the people on the surface level is not enough. We want every person involved — the planners, the instigators, the enablers — to be brought to justice.”
Dhadda called for basic safety and accountability, saying no community should have to live in fear. “We’re not asking for anything extraordinary,” she said. “We’re asking for justice, transparency, and protection.”
The town hall comes months after the federal government designated the Bishnoi Gang — led by Lawrence Bishnoi from inside an Indian prison — as a terrorist entity. The group has been linked to murders, extortion schemes, and intimidation campaigns across Canada, particularly targeting South Asian communities, a move welcomed by Peel police and Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown.
A second town hall on extortion will be held in Calgary on December 13, followed by another event in Surrey, B.C. as Sikh organizations continue raising national awareness and pressing for action.