Surrey Sikh Community Under Pressure as FBI Targets Bishnoi Gang and Cricket Canada President Faces Shootings
Surrey's South Asian community confronted a cluster of serious security developments in 2026, as federal law enforcement escalated pressure on a transnational gang tied to the killing of a local Sikh leader, and the president of Cricket Canada faced repeated extortion-related shootings at his home in the city's Newton neighbourhood. The FBI officially added Satinderjeet Singh, known as Goldy Brar, to its top ten most-wanted fugitives list and announced a one-million-dollar reward for information leading to his arrest, citing his alleged role in the 2023 assassination of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a Surrey gurdwara. Meanwhile, Cricket Canada president Arvinder Khosa had his home shot at on two separate occasions within weeks, and police separately warned Sikh activists in British Columbia and Ontario that credible threats against their lives had been received.
FBI Puts $1M Bounty on Bishnoi Gang Lieutenant Goldy Brar
The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation announced on September 28, 2026, that it was adding Satinderjeet Singh, widely known as Goldy Brar, to its top ten most-wanted fugitives list and offering a reward of one million US dollars for information leading to his arrest. Brar is alleged to be a top lieutenant in the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and is accused of orchestrating the June 2023 assassination of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was shot dead by masked gunmen in the car park of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey. The FBI's Patrick Grandy, assistant director of the Los Angeles Field Office, described Brar as extremely violent and an enemy to the public, stating the bureau had made his apprehension a priority. Brar had earlier been named in a US indictment connected to a sweeping cross-border investigation into racketeering, extortion, and murder involving India-linked crime syndicates, and was charged in July for ordering the killing of Nijjar. The FBI alleged that Lawrence Bishnoi continues to direct the gang's global operations from prison using smuggled phones. RCMP Deputy Commissioner Lisa Moreland said Brar's addition to the high-profile list meant the world had become a whole lot smaller for the fugitive. Former prime minister Justin Trudeau had previously said Canadian intelligence linked agents of the Indian government to Nijjar's killing, a claim that New Delhi denied. [2]
Cricket Canada President's Surrey Home Shot at in Extortion-Related Attack
The home of Arvinder Khosa, the newly elected president of Cricket Canada, was targeted in a shooting early on the morning of Wednesday, May 20, 2026, in the Newton neighbourhood of Surrey, British Columbia. CBC News and its investigative program the fifth estate reported that at least five bullet holes were visible in the door, windows, and exterior of the home after officers responded to the scene at around 4:40 a.m. Pacific Time. Police confirmed the home was occupied at the time but that no one was injured in the attack. Surrey Police said the investigation was in its early stages and described the shooting as extortion-related, with Sergeant Ali Gailus of the media relations office confirming to the fifth estate that the individual associated with the targeted residence had received extortion-related threats prior to the incident. Khosa confirmed to CBC that his house had been shot at but declined to provide further details when contacted by phone. The case drew wider attention because it was not the first time that a high-ranking official of a South Asian community sports organization had been targeted in similar circumstances in the Metro Vancouver area, raising concerns about the reach of organized criminal networks into community life. [9]
Cricket Canada President's Home Targeted a Second Time Weeks Later
The same Surrey home belonging to Cricket Canada president Arvinder Khosa was targeted in a second shooting on the morning of Thursday, June 4, 2026, just weeks after the first attack on May 20. Front-line officers from the Surrey Police Service responded to reports of a shooting near 57 Avenue and 148 Street in the South Newton neighbourhood just after 4 a.m. Pacific Time. The home was occupied at the time of the second incident, but police confirmed no one was injured. Surrey Police issued a news release stating the investigation was in its early stages and confirmed the shooting was believed to be extortion-related, citing the previous threats and the first shots-fired incident from May 20 as contributing context. The SPS extortion response team took over the investigation following the second attack. Police asked anyone with information, including those with CCTV or dashcam footage or knowledge of the suspects' identities, to come forward with what they knew. The two incidents within such a short period at the same address raised serious concerns about the safety of community leaders in Surrey and the capacity of organized criminal networks to repeatedly target individuals with apparent impunity over a compressed timeframe. [3]
Sources: [2] Radio-Canada · [9] CBC · [3] CBC