Canadian police release 7 Indo-Canadian suspects, sparks xenophobic backlash online

A statement issued by the Surrey Police Service (SPS) naming seven Indian-origin individuals allegedly linked to extortion-related violence has triggered a wave of xenophobic reactions online, particularly after six of those identified shared the surname ‘Singh’.

The release, issued on Wednesday, included photographs and names of the individuals identified as Hanspreet Singh, Harshdeep Singh, Harjot Singh, Taranveer Singh, Lovebir Singh, Dayajeet Billing and Prabhjot Singh.

According to SPS, the photographs were released “after determining that the disclosure is necessary to assist with the ongoing police investigations of one or more extortion and related firearms incidents”.

Police said they were seeking additional witnesses, victims or associates who may have information relating to the activities of the accused individuals.

The statement, however, prompted a flood of anti-Indian and anti-Sikh comments on social media platforms, with several users calling for deportations and targeting Canada’s Sikh community. The issue subsequently began trending in the ‘Today’s News’ section on X in Canada.

Authorities confirmed that several of the named individuals had already been removed from Canada by the Canada Border Services Agency. Among them were 22-year-old Lovebir Singh and 20-year-old Prabhjot Singh.

Separately, SPS announced the arrest of another Indo-Canadian suspect in connection with an extortion-related firearms case.

In a statement issued on Thursday, police said 27-year-old Jaskaran Saroye had been charged with discharging a firearm into a place while knowing, or being reckless as to whether, someone was present. He has been remanded in custody and is awaiting a bail hearing.

The charges relate to an incident on April 13, when officers responded to reports of shots being fired at a residence in Surrey.

The investigation was led by SPS’s Extortion Response Team, which identified a suspect vehicle and later obtained a search warrant. Officers, assisted by the Lower Mainland District Emergency Response Team and other police units, conducted a raid at a residence in Surrey, leading to Saroye’s arrest.