Punjab-origin gangster shot dead at wedding reception in Canada
TORONTO: An alleged Indo-Canadian gangster was shot dead outside a banquet hall in Vancouver on Sunday, in what the police believe was a targeted killing. While Vancouver Police Department did not identify the victim, the outlet Vancouver Sun reported it was 28-year-old Amarpreet Samra, also known as Chucky. It also reported that he was at a wedding at the venue and shot as he left the celebration. “Investigators believe this was a targeted shooting related to the ongoing gang conflict,” Vancouver Police said in a release.
Samra, the Sun said, was considered to be affiliated to the United Nations gang, which was in conflict with others, including Brothers Keepers.
In August last year, the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit or CFSEU-BC had released a list of 11 individuals linked to gangs, nine of whom were Indo-Canadians, and warned this was being done “due to the significant threat to the public posed by a number of individuals involved in the Lower Mainland gang conflict and their ongoing nexus to violence.”
Among those listed was Samra and his brother, Ravinder. That warning had added, “Police believe anyone with, or in the proximity to these individuals may be putting themselves at risk.” The incident on Sunday occurred in the early hours, just before 1.30 am. Police said that patrol officers performed CPR on the victim until paramedics arrived, but he died from his injuries. Police are investigating the homicide.
Vancouver Sun also reported that Samra was the intended target of another attempt in May 2021, but a case of mistaken identity led to the murder of correctional officer Bikramdeep Randhawa instead. Samra is not the first listed gangster to be killed. Among those listed in 2021 was Meninder Dhaliwal. He didn’t figure in the 2022 list because on July 24 that year, he was gunned down in the town of Whistler, along with Satindera Gill. Two persons were arrested in that regard: 24-year-old Gursimran Sahota and 20-year-old Tanvir Khakh, both from the town of Surrey. In May 2021, Dhaliwal was also among six gangsters identified by the Vancouver Police Department as posing a danger to the public simply because they were potential targets for rival gang members.