Indian news outlets quickly reported the suspected identity of a murder victim in Canada who is believed to have been targetted, even before Canadian authorities confirmed the details at a later date.
Harjeet Dhadda, a Mississauga businessman, was reportedly murdered on Wednesday outside his trucking company. Sources in India and the Canadian South Asian community suggest his death may be linked to extortion.
Canadian policing authorities remained tight-lipped on the full details but have since confirmed that the well-known Sikh businessman was killed.
According to Dhadda’s daughter, Gurlin, she alleged in a social media post that her father’s murder may be connected to a growing extortion problem plaguing the Punjab community in Canada.
Other sources have tied the murder to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, who’ve been previously implicated in the high-profile murder of B.C. Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Police have not confirmed the motive of the killing.
“They were cussing at him and when they were cussing at him they told him that they either want $500,000 or they will kill him,” Harjeet’s daughter said.
“He said he won’t give them the money.”
The RCMP launched a national task force last year to combat extortion, but community members say they are still feeling vulnerable.
A town hall meeting was called at Ontario Khalsa Darbar to discuss the matter and the killing has left many in the region’s South Asian community feeling rattled.
Amarjeet Gill, the Conservative MP for Brampton West, acknowledged crime as a major problem in the area.
“Everyone is scared whether it’s car theft, whether it’s house-breaking, whether it’s extortion calls,” Gill said. “These are not the things we want to see in our society.”
The killing is being seen as particularly impactful and worrisome in B.C., where South Asian business owners have been targeted with similar threats.