'Everyone is scared': Indian-origin Canadian MP after businessman Harjeet Dhadda's murder in Ontario
Harjeet Singh Dhadda came to Canada in 1997 and settled here with his family and business.
Amarjeet Gill
, the Indian-origin Canadian MP from the Conservative Party for Brampton West, said the crime rate in the Peel Region has been on the rise and everyone is scared. "Everyone is scared, whether it's car theft, whether it's house-breaking, whether it's extortion calls," the MP said at a town hall meeting of the Sikh community members on Sunday, following the murder of Harjeet Dhadda, an Indian-origin businessman.
Dhadda was shot several times at a parking lot on Wednesday by unidentified gunmen, leading to his death at the hospital where he was taken after the attack. The Lawrence Bishnoi group has reportedly claimed responsibility for the murder and said Dhadda was helping Arsh Dalla, chief of
Khalistani Tiger Force
.
Dhadda's family said he had no links to any criminal gang. They blamed the police for not responding to their earlier pleas for security.
At the community meeting that was held at the Ontario Khalsa Darbar, Dhadda's daughter Gurlin said his father was piller top the community; he launched food drives during the pandemic.
As reported by CBC News, Gurlin said her father received a call on Dec. 10, 2023, during which the caller demanded $500,000 and told Dhadda he would be killed if he didn't give them the money. The threat was reported to police. Security was provided for a week and later police patrolled around his office and house, but then it stopped.
The shooters fled the scene in a stolen black 2018 Dodge Challenger, which has been recovered.
Gurlin released a statement after her father's murder and questioned the safety of the Sikh community in Ontario. "Our community is grieving, but we are also outraged. We ask: What is the government doing about rising extortion and targeted violence? Why are innocent people left defenceless while the threats grow louder? When the authorities fail to protect us, what options do we have?" Gurlin asked.
"My father did not deserve this. He was not involved in anything criminal. He lived an honest life. Yet, those who came to harm him were armed with illegal weapons, operating with complete disregard for the law and seemingly without fear of consequences," Dhadd's son Tanveer Dhadda earlier said.
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