Boota Singh Gill, leading builder and president of Canadian gurdwara, shot dead

Maninder Singh Gill, managing director of Radio India, told The Indian Express that Sarabjeet Singh, a civil engineer who was also shot in the incident, is reportedly fighting for his life.

Gill said that as per preliminary reports, three individuals were present at the construction site when an altercation ensued, resulting in an Indian-origin construction worker allegedly shooting both Gill and Singh before taking his own life. While the cause of the altercation remains unclear, investigations are ongoing.

Edmonton Journal reported that officers were called to the site of the crime, Cavanagh Boulevard and 30 Avenue SW, at around noon. Two bodies were found at a residential construction site.

Gill had previously filed police complaints about receiving extortion calls and threats on 2-3 occasions. The police have initiated an investigation into the matter. There have been reports of other builders in Edmonton receiving threats and incidents of newly constructed homes being set on fire.

Earlier, in a press conference in January this year, the Edmonton police had said that a criminal network in India is behind a series of extortions targeting home builders in Edmonton’s South Asian community.

Canada-based CBC News had reported that 27 events — five extortions, 15 arsons, and seven firearms offences — are linked to a criminal gang in India which uses local operatives.

Staff Sgt. Dave Paton had said that six youths have been arrested and charged in connection with these crimes. He had further said that the gang operates through WhatsApp calls.

Monday’s killings have sent shock waves in the community and prominent figures such as Member of Parliament Tim Uppal, Mayor Amarjeet Singh Sohi, Radio India’s Managing Director Maninder Gill, and Gursharan Singh Butter have expressed their condolences and solidarity with the affected families.