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Abjeet Kingra arrived in Canada dreaming of success. His parents in India had sacrificed everything to send him for a better life. Instead, he joined the Bishnoi gang, an Indian crime syndicate now declared a terrorist group by Canada.
On Sept. 2, 2024, Kingra and an accomplice attacked a home on Vancouver Island. They poured gasoline on two vehicles, set them ablaze, and fired 14 shots into the residence. The target survived, but the violent act marked another chapter in the Bishnoi gang violence in Canada.
From Moving Jobs to Murder Plots
Kingra once worked for a Winnipeg moving company. His employer described him as reliable and hard-working. But in August 2024, he took time off to “work” in British Columbia. In reality, he had joined the Bishnoi operation. Police said Kingra and Vikram Sharma fired shots at a Surrey home before attempting to burn it down. The victim had received extortion threats linked to the Bishnoi network. Only weeks later, they attacked a Punjabi singer’s home in Colwood, B.C., over a dispute tied to the gang’s rivalries.
Canada Targets Bishnoi Network
The Bishnoi gang violence in Canada escalated so sharply that authorities formed special task forces. The RCMP later linked several extortions and murders to Indian government operatives allegedly working with Bishnoi’s network.
RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme confirmed that Canada had identified Indian officials collecting intelligence on local activists. Ottawa expelled six Indian diplomats and listed the Bishnoi gang as a terrorist entity on Sept. 29, 2024. Public Safety Canada said the gang “creates a climate of insecurity” for diaspora communities by targeting prominent figures, businesses, and cultural icons.
Arrest, Remorse, and Redemption
Police arrested Kingra in Ontario on Oct. 30, 2024. His girlfriend and employer expressed disbelief, calling him calm and respectful.
While awaiting trial, he behaved well in custody, earning certificates and keeping a low profile. In August 2025, he pleaded guilty and received a six-year sentence. The judge called his crimes “brazen and dangerous.” Deportation awaits him after his release.
“I take full responsibility,” Kingra wrote in his apology. “I want to change my bad image and live a peaceful life.”Read more about transnational organized crime in PhoenixQ’s Global Security section.
