Surrey Desi — 18 August 2026

A Surrey Sikh gurdwara rallies wildfire relief, Cricket Canada president Arvinder Khosa's home is targeted by gunfire for a second time in an extortion campaign, U.S. prosecutors charge India's Bishnoi gang with ordering a hit on a B.C. Sikh leader, and a local Desi organisation wins a landmark in getting Bhangra into the provincial school curriculum.

Surrey Sikh Gurdwara Rallies Desi Community for B.C. Wildfire Relief

A Surrey Sikh gurdwara is mobilising the local Desi community to donate funds and supplies in support of British Columbians displaced or affected by the province's ongoing wildfire season. The drive reflects the tradition of seva — selfless service — that is central to Sikh faith and practice, and extends that spirit beyond the immediate South Asian community to all residents affected by the fires. Gurdwara organisers have set up donation collection points at the place of worship and are coordinating with regional aid networks to ensure goods reach those in need efficiently. Volunteers are gathering essentials including non-perishable food, clothing, and hygiene products in addition to financial contributions. The initiative has attracted participation from across Surrey's large Punjabi community, with families and businesses contributing in significant numbers. Several other Lower Mainland Desi organisations have expressed interest in joining or complementing the effort. Community leaders noted that gurdwaras have historically served as first-responder hubs during local disasters, providing langar — free communal meals — and logistical support. The wildfire season in BC has intensified this summer, forcing evacuations across multiple communities in the province's interior and north, and the need for sustained support remains acute. [1]

Cricket Canada President Arvinder Khosa's Surrey Home Shot at for Second Time

The Surrey home of Arvinder Khosa, the newly elected president of Cricket Canada, was targeted by gunfire for a second time on June 4, compounding a pattern of extortion-related violence that police say began at the same address on May 20. Surrey Police Service confirmed officers responded to reports of shots fired near 57 Avenue and 148 Street just after 4 a.m., with the home occupied at the time and no injuries reported in either incident. Detectives from the SPS extortion response team have taken over the investigation and describe the targeting as directly connected to prior threats made against Khosa. The case has drawn national media attention given Khosa's prominent role as head of Cricket Canada, which oversees the sport across the country and has significant ties to the South Asian and Caribbean communities. Cricket is deeply embedded in Surrey's Desi community, and the targeting of the sport's national governing figure has alarmed residents. The earlier May 20 shooting, first reported by CBC's the fifth estate, saw at least five bullet holes found in the residence. Police have appealed for dashcam footage and information from witnesses who may know the suspects' identities. [2]

U.S. Charges Bishnoi Gang Members with Ordering Hit on B.C. Sikh Leader

American prosecutors have charged members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang with ordering the assassination of a prominent British Columbia Sikh community leader, in an announcement made alongside the sweeping arrests of U.S. Operation Hard Ball. The charges represent a direct link between the India-based Bishnoi criminal enterprise and the murder of a South Asian community figure on Canadian soil. The development comes as Canada grapples with the murderous rise of India-based transnational gangs that have exploited immigration pathways to expand operational networks into the country. Canada designated the Bishnoi enterprise a terrorist entity in September 2025. Investigators say the gang has used Canada-based associates to carry out extortion, contract killings, and drug trafficking, with the Lower Mainland's large South Asian population providing both cover and a pool of potential recruits and victims. The Operation Hard Ball indictments unsealed in Los Angeles named multiple individuals with Canadian connections, including Surrey-based Garinder Singh Deo, charged with buying narcotics on the gang's behalf. Community leaders have called on Canadian authorities to match the scale of the U.S. investigative effort with robust domestic prosecutions and stronger protections for potential targets within the Sikh and broader South Asian community. [4]

Surrey Desi Group Brings Bhangra into B.C. High School Curriculum

A Surrey-based Desi organisation is working to formally integrate Bhangra — the exuberant Punjabi folk dance — into British Columbia high school physical education and arts curricula, in a move that would make BC among the first Canadian provinces to recognise Bhangra as a legitimate school subject. The initiative is driven by community educators who argue that Bhangra's combination of rigorous physical movement, rhythmic music, and cultural expression makes it an ideal fit for both PE and arts credits. Discussions with school boards and the BC Ministry of Education are ongoing, and pilot programmes are being tested at select schools with significant South Asian student populations. Proponents say the inclusion of Bhangra sends a powerful message of recognition to Punjabi and broader Desi youth who rarely see their cultural heritage reflected in mainstream school programming. Bhangra has grown in mainstream popularity across Canada in recent years, appearing in dance competitions, university clubs, and on social media, but its formal educational presence has lagged behind its cultural footprint. Organisers hope to have a standardised curriculum framework ready for the upcoming academic year, part of a broader push to deepen multicultural education across BC's diverse school system. [5]

Sources: [1] Surrey Now-Leader · [2] CBC · [4] Global News · [5] Surrey Now-Leader