Surrey's business community was shaken by an orgy of violence following reports that unknown gunmen had opened fire several times outside several business premises in what police are now probing as a planned extortion bid.
One such targeted spot was the Reflection Banquet Hall in the vicinity of 153rd Street and 66th Avenue. The owner of the property, Satish Kumar, who is also President of Laxmi Narayan Mandir, disclosed that he had been threatened with an extortion demand of $2 million. Kumar reported that he declined to pay and was not deterred by the threats. The shooting at his premises took place in the early morning hours of June 7, at around 2:30 a.m. He has since called on the community to stand firm against such criminal activity.
Surrey Police have confirmed gunshots were indeed fired outside various business houses and are investigating the incidents as part of an ongoing extortion case.
Police officials have recognized an alarming trend of repeat attacks over the past few months, with gangs of organized crime more and more targeting local businessmen—most notably within the South Asian community—for extortion.
The authorities are calling on people to come forward and provide information and have increased their surveillance in the impacted areas. Community leaders and politicians have also demanded an urgent response from the government to tackle the spike in extortion-related violence and protect the residents and traders of Surrey.
No one has been arrested yet, and the investigation continues. Authorities are asking anyone who has information regarding the shootings or the extortion threats connected to them to step forward.
This is not the first time when the Laxmi Narayan temple or the stakeholders of the temple are selectively targeted. At least 14 bullets were fired at the residence of the son of Satish Kumar, president of the Lakshmi Narayan Mandir in Surrey, Canada, on December 27. It marked the fourth major attack on a temple or temple authorities in Canada since January 2023. The shooting is believed to be a revenge attack, as the temple had previously protested against Khalistani activities. These attacks underscore growing concerns about the safety of temple and business authorities and the rising tensions surrounding Khalistani-related issues in Canada.