VOIWORLD/Bollywood desk
Comedian Kapil Sharma’s Kap’s Café in Surrey, Canada, has once again come under fire — literally. For the third time in just four months, the popular eatery has been targeted in a shooting allegedly carried out by associates of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, marking yet another disturbing chapter in the growing wave of transnational gang violence and extortion threats affecting the South Asian community in British Columbia.
The latest attack unfolded early Thursday morning, when unidentified assailants opened fire on the café’s glass-fronted facade. The assault, captured on CCTV and shared widely online, left the storefront riddled with bullet holes — but, thankfully, caused no injuries.
Shortly after, Goldy Dhillon and Kulveer (Kuldeep) Sidhu, figures allegedly linked to the Bishnoi network, claimed responsibility on social media. The pair boasted about the attack, warning others who “owe money or insult their faith” to stay alert. Canadian authorities have already classified the Lawrence Bishnoi gang as a terrorist organisation.
A Pattern of Violence
The incident is the third targeted shooting at Kap’s Café since its grand opening on July 4, 2025.
July 10: Just days after its launch, the café was first attacked, shattering its windows. The pro-Khalistan group Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) claimed responsibility, alleging that Sharma had made offensive remarks about Nihang Sikhs.
August 7: A second attack followed a month later, forcing a temporary shutdown.
October 2025: The latest shooting took place barely two weeks after the café reopened with tighter security measures.
Each time, the establishment was forced to close, reopen cautiously, and then face renewed threats.
The Mystery Behind the Motive
So why is Kapil Sharma’s café repeatedly in the crosshairs?
According to a post by Goldy Dhillon, the attackers claimed their motive was religious. “I, Goldy Dhillon, take responsibility for the three shootings at Kap’s Café. We have no enmity with the general public,” the post read, followed by a warning that Bollywood figures “who speak against our religion should also be prepared — bullets can come from anywhere.”
However, authorities in Surrey believe there’s more at play. “This has the earmarks of extortion,” said Ian MacDonald, spokesperson for the Surrey Police Service (SPS). The force, alongside the Provincial Extortion Task Force, is investigating the possibility that the attacks are linked to an organized attempt to intimidate or extort high-profile South Asian entrepreneurs in Canada.
Bishnoi Gang’s Message to Bollywood
The Bishnoi gang’s involvement appears to stretch beyond extortion. Following the August attack, a gangster known as Harry Boxer claimed the shootings were meant as a warning to Kapil Sharma for his association with Salman Khan.
“The first and second shootings happened because he invited Salman Khan to his restaurant’s inauguration,” Boxer said in a video message. Salman had appeared in the opening episode of The Great Indian Kapil Show Season 3 on Netflix, which premiered on June 21.
The gangster threatened that “those collaborating with Salman will face deadly consequences,” referring to the Bishnoi network’s long-standing enmity with the Bollywood star.
A Symbolic Target
Experts say Sharma’s celebrity status and his global brand make him a symbolic target for gangs seeking attention, leverage, or dominance over the Punjabi diaspora’s business ecosystem in Canada.
The cross-border reach of criminal networks like Bishnoi’s — which has deep roots in India and growing links in Canada — highlights the rising influence of South Asian organized crime groups in urban centres like Surrey, home to one of the largest Punjabi communities outside India.
A Broader Problem
The repeated attacks on Kap’s Café underscore a much deeper issue: the spread of extortion-driven gang violence in Canada’s South Asian enclaves. From Vancouver to Brampton, law enforcement agencies are grappling with a surge in gang rivalries spilling over from Punjab to Canadian soil.
For now, Kapil Sharma’s café remains a chilling reminder of how celebrity, community, and crime can intersect — and how transnational criminal networks are increasingly turning cultural icons into pawns in their turf wars.
