Crime scene photo shows bullet hole in window of home targeted by Bishnoi gang foot soldier Abjeet Kingra, Sept. 2, 2024.
B.C. court
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The story of a Bishnoi foot soldier TenX News
Abjeet Kingra came to Canada with big hopes. His parents in India had sacrificed to get him a student visa so he could pursue a degree, a job and permanent residence.
Instead, he became a foot soldier of the Bishnoi gang, the India-based crime group that has become such a menace that Canada recently branded it a terrorist organization.
After midnight on Sept. 2, 2024, Kingra and an accomplice drove up a cul-de-sac on southern Vancouver Island and parked near the home of the gang’s latest target.
Wearing a balaclava, his partner emptied the contents of a plastic jerry can onto a black Dodge Ram and Volkswagen Beetle parked in the driveway.
A security camera recorded the flames erupting from the vehicles as Kingra aimed a handgun at the house, fired off 14 shots and fled into the waiting car.
“I choose wrong way to support my family,” Kingra later wrote in a handwritten apology penned in faltering English. “I feel sorry for my actions and I am very ashamed.”
Crime scene photo shows bullet hole in window of home targeted by Bishnoi gang foot soldier Abjeet Kingra, Sept. 2, 2024.
The order to shoot up the house near B.C.’s capital came from the gang headed by Lawrence Bishnoi, who calls himself an Indian nationalist and patriot.
Despite being locked up in an Indian prison since 2015, Bishnoi oversees a criminal enterprise responsible for a rash of threats, arsons and murders in Canada.
Police in B.C. and Ontario have formed extortion task forces to tackle the surge in Bishnoi violence — some of it orchestrated by the Indian government, according to the RCMP.
Two weeks ago, the federal government elevated the Bishnoi gang to the status of national security risk, placing it on Canada’s list of terrorist entities.
The gang members carrying out this violence are young, come from India’s Punjab, where unemployment is endemic, and are often in Canada on temporary visas.
But amid a nationwide crackdown, they are increasingly being brought before Canada’s courts and ending up imprisoned like the Indian gangster they work for.
Security camera footage allegedly shows Vikram Sharma, Bishnoi gang accomplice of Abjeet Kingra, pouring gasoline on vehicles, Sept. 2 2024.
B.C. court
A 26-year-old Indian citizen, Kingra arrived in Canada almost five years ago but struggled in school and on the job market, according to court documents obtained by Global News.
In May 2024, he started work at a Winnipeg moving company, whose boss had nothing but praise for him. “He was one of the reliable employees,” he said.
A few months into the job, Kingra requested time off, stating he had work to attend to in B.C., according to the former employer, who requested anonymity.
Kingra had taken a contract with a more lucrative organization: the Bishnoi gang. He said he felt pressure to support his family in India, and this seemed like easy money.
On Aug. 10, 2024, he and Vikram Sharma allegedly fired shots at a Surrey home and tried to set it on fire, according to RCMP allegations filed in B.C. court last week.
The victim had received extortion threats, police said. The incident came amid a plague of similar incidents that have spread fear in South Asian communities.
Just over three weeks later, Kingra and Sharma allegedly struck again, this time in Colwood, B.C., at the home of a popular a Punjabi singer.
The victim was singled out because he had recorded a music video with someone who was at odds with Bishnoi, according to the B.C. judge who presided over the case.
Kingra’s job was to “terrorize” the victim “at the behest of a criminal organization known as the Bishnoi gang, operating out of India, among other places,” the judge wrote
Crime scene photos show where the bullets came through the front windows and into the living room, where the rapper kept a guitar and amp.
The slugs flew past a couch that faced a big screen TV, shattered a glass railing and embedded in the drywall. The occupant was unharmed.
To make it clear that nobody should doubt their propensity for violence, the Bishnoi gang posted footage on social media that Kingra had recorded using a body camera.
RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme, left, speaks at news conference with Assistant Commissioner Brigitte Gauvin, right, RCMP National Headquarters, Ottawa, Oct. 14, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang.
The Vancouver Island shooting was still under investigation when the RCMP held an extraordinary news conference on Oct. 14, 2024.
RCMP Commissioner Michael Duheme told reporters that police had linked a series of homicides, extortions and other crimes to Indian government agents.
As a result, police had warned more than a dozen Canadians, many of them “members of the pro-Khalistan movement,” that their lives were at risk, he said.
“The Indian government’s mode of operating starts with the collection of information on Canada-based individuals through diplomats and consular officials in Canada,” national security adviser Nathalie Drouin testified on Oct. 29.
“This information is shared with senior levels of the Indian government, who then direct the commission of serious criminal activities against Indo-Canadians through the kinetic use of Lawrence Bishnoi’s organized crime network.”
Canada expelled six Indian diplomats in response, and on Sept. 29, the government listed Bishnoi as a terrorist group, citing its murders, shootings and arsons.
“The Bishnoi gang creates a climate of insecurity for Canadians in diaspora communities as it targets them, their prominent community members, their businesses, as well as cultural figures within the community,” Public Safety Canada said in a news release.
The day after the terror listing, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand met with her Indian counterpart at the United Nations in New York.
Her statement on the encounter mentioned trade, economic prosperity, security and global governance, but made no mention of India’s role in violence in Canada.
Anand was scheduled to visit India next week.
Canadian Sikh groups are concerned that Carney has put aside their security concerns as he seeks closer trade ties with India amid the White House trade war.
Crime scene photo shows bullet holes in home of Bishnoi target, Colwood, B.C., Sept. 2, 2024.
B.C. court
Police arrested Kingra in Ontario on Oct. 30, 2024. He was charged over the Vancouver Island attack. Sharma returned to India before he could be arrested and remains a wanted man.
The arrest shocked those who knew Kingra — or thought they did. His former boss said he had not seen any signs Kingra was involved in gang activity.
His girlfriend was also taken aback, she said.
“I have been in a relationship with him since September 2024,” she wrote in a letter to the judge hearing Kingra’s case.
“And in all that time I have never seen any behavior, temperament or attitude that would suggest he could be involved in something like this.”
“Friends, family and community members would describe him as a very calm, loving and hard working person,” she wrote in her letter.
At the Vancouver Island Regional Correctional Centre, where he awaited trial, records depicted him as quiet and well-behaved with staff and fellow inmates.
He hung out in the common area playing chess, and phoned his girlfriend in the evenings, according to prison records, which characterized him as “polite in all interactions.”
He earned certificates in kitchen training and socialization. “While I am here I try to learn new good things, behave good, working on myself,” he wrote.
Kingra pleaded guilty on Aug. 15, 2025 and was sentenced to six years. The judge found that he was acting on the instructions of the Bishnoi gang.
His crimes were “highly dangerous and brazen” and showed “a complete indifference to the norms and values of civil society,” the judge wrote.
RCMP wanted poster for Vikram Sharma, who has allegedly fled to India.
RCMP
The RCMP declined to comment, as did Kingra’s lawyer Sophie Saran. Kingra is still awaiting trial for the extortion in Surrey.
He also faces deportation after serving his sentence.
“I did a horrible and terrifying thing,” he wrote in his apology letter. “This is a big mistake that not only scared victims & his family but the community too.”
“I take full responsibility of my actions & not making any excuse and promise myself that I will change my bad image and will do good for the society & live peaceful and positive life after this experience.”
Stewart.Bell@globalnews.ca
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A trip to the world’s most-visited museum is about to cost Canadians significantly more.
France has hiked ticket prices at the Louvre by 45 per cent for visitors from outside the European Union, a move that is fuelling debate over so-called dual pricing and the growing backlash against overtourism.
Starting this week, adult visitors from non-EU countries, including Canada, must pay €32 to enter the Paris landmark, up from €22. That’s an increase from about $35 to $52 Canadian.
Visitors from EU countries, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, will continue to pay the lower rate.
The price hike comes as the Louvre grapples with repeated labour strikes, a high-profile daylight jewel heist last October that prompted a costly security overhaul, and years of chronic overcrowding. The museum attracts roughly nine million visitors annually.
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Some Canadian tourists told Global News they feel unfairly targeted.
“We didn’t cause the robberies or some of the other issues that happened and we are paying the consequences,” said Allison Moore, visiting Paris from Newfoundland with her daughter. “[In] Canada we don’t discriminate over pricing like that.”
Others argue tourists already shoulder higher costs simply by travelling long distances.
“In general for tourists, I think things should be a little cheaper than for local people, because we have to travel to come all the way here,” said Darla Daniela Quiroz, another Canadian visitor. “It should be equal pricing, or a little bit cheaper.”
Even some Europeans question the two-tiered system. A French tourist interviewed outside the museum said there was “no reason” to charge non-Europeans more and that the fee should be the same for everyone.
Tourism experts say the Louvre’s financial pressures help explain the decision.
“The Louvre is really cash-strapped right now and needs to do something,” said Marion Joppe, a professor at the University of Guelph. “It can’t really look to the government, which is already struggling with its own budget.”
The move also reflects a broader global pushback against mass tourism. Anti-tourism protests have spread across parts of Spain, New Zealand has increased its entry tax, and the United States recently raised national park fees for foreign visitors.
“You take Paris — it gets about 50 million tourists a year,” said Julian Karaguesian, an economist at McGill University. “That’s roughly a million a week. The city simply wasn’t built for those kinds of numbers.”
Despite the higher price, many visitors say they will still line up to see the Mona Lisa and other of the museum’s famous artworks.
“It’s one of the main attractions. It’s on everybody’s list,” Moore said. “We’re still going to go, and hopefully it will be worth it in the end.”
© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
Politics
Trump calls Canada-China deal ‘good thing’ as U.S. officials voice concern – National TenX News
Canada’s new trade deal with China is getting a mixed reaction in Washington, with U.S. President Donald Trump voicing support as administration officials warned Ottawa could regret allowing Chinese EVs into the Canadian market.
The deal signed with Beijing on Friday reverses course on 100 per cent tariffs Canada slapped on Chinese electric vehicles in 2024, which aligned with similar U.S. duties. Canada and China also agreed to reduce tariffs on canola and other products.
Asked about the deal by reporters at the White House, Trump said Prime Minister Mark Carney was doing the right thing.
“That’s what he should be doing. It’s a good thing for him to sign a trade deal. If you can get a deal with China, you should do that,” Trump said.
However, members of Trump’s cabinet expressed concern.
“I think they’ll look back at this decision and surely regret it to bring Chinese cars into their market,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said at an event with other U.S. government officials at a Ford factory in Ohio to tout efforts to make vehicles more affordable.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told reporters the limited number of vehicles would not impact American car companies exporting cars to Canada.
“I don’t expect that to disrupt American supply into Canada,” he said.
“Canada is so dependent on the United States for their GDP. Their entire population is crowded around our border for that reason. I’ll tell you one thing: if those cars are coming into Canada, they’re not coming here. That’s for sure.”
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Carney has said it’s necessary for Canada to improve trade ties and cooperation with China in light of Trump’s trade war and threats to let the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement on free trade expire.
The trade pact is up for review this summer, and Greer reiterated that the Trump administration wants to bring more auto manufacturing back to the U.S. and incentivize companies to do so.
Under the new deal with Beijing, Carney said he expects China will lower tariffs on its canola seed by March 1 to a combined rate of about 15 per cent.
Greer questioned that agreement in a separate CNBC interview.
“I think in the long run, they’re not going to like having made that deal,” he said.
He called the decision to allow Chinese EVs into Canada “problematic” and added: “There’s a reason why we don’t sell a lot of Chinese cars in the United States. It’s because we have tariffs to protect American auto workers and Americans from those vehicles.”
Greer said rules adopted last January on vehicles that are connected to the internet and navigation systems are a significant impediment to Chinese vehicles in the U.S. market.
“I think it would be hard for them to operate here,” Greer said. “There are rules and regulations in place in America about the cybersecurity of our vehicles and the systems that go into those, so I think it might be hard for the Chinese to comply with those kind of rules.”
Trump and officials like Greer have taken aim at Chinese attempts to enter the North American car market through Mexico by bypassing rules of origin under CUSMA.
The CUSMA review set for July is expected to address those loopholes that American and Canadian officials have said are being exploited by China.
Those concerns, which were also raised by the Biden administration, in part helped spur the steep tariffs on Chinese EVs, which are heavily subsidized by Beijing.
Trump, however, has also said he would like Chinese automakers to come to the United States to build vehicles.
Both Democrat and Republican lawmakers in the U.S. have expressed strong opposition to Chinese vehicles as major U.S. automakers warn China poses a threat to the U.S. auto sector.
Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno, a Republican, said at Friday’s event at the Ford plant that he was opposed to Chinese vehicles coming into the United States, and drew applause from the other government officials.
“As long as I have air in my body, there will not be Chinese vehicles sold the United States of America — period,” Moreno said.
—with files from Reuters
© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s trade mission to China is being framed as a win for British Columbia’s economy.
Carney announced a new deal with Beijing on electric vehicles and canola at the end of a high-profile trip on Friday.
“The inroads Canada has made this week are a sign that the government gets it and is showing Canadians and the world that we are open for business,” Alexa Young with the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority said.
The trade deal would allow up to 49,000 Chinese EVs into Canada yearly at a tariff rate of 6.1 per cent.
An expanded auto terminal on Annacis Island will be able to handle the additional volume of cars that could be more affordable than what is currently on the market, with prices expected to be under $40,000.
The New Car Dealers Association said in a statement to Global News that, “We look forward to reviewing the full details of this announcement and engaging constructively with governments to ensure that affordability, competition, and long-term market stability remain central considerations.”
In British Columbia, the overall reaction to the news on Friday is positive.
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“China’s economy is important,” Alex McMillan with the B.C. Chamber of Commerce said.
“Having trade deals like this — and diversifying our markets — is important. Providing certainty is important.”
There are concerns with the agreement, including privacy issues and China’s human rights record. But Ottawa’s goal is to double trade with partners outside the United States, which is a goal that would be impossible without China.
“We do want to see more trade and more diversification of our markets and know that China is an important nation and important economy, so having better trade relationships with them, I think overall is going to be good,” McMillan said.
–with files from The Canadian Press
© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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