In a shocking incident, at least nine gunshots were fired at popular comedian Kapil Sharma’s newly opened Cafe in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. The shooting took place just days after the Cafe’s soft launch. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
The eatery, named Kap’s Cafe, marks Sharma’s debut in the hospitality sector and is co-managed by his wife, Ginni Chatrath. The attack occurred late Wednesday night (local time), and a surveillance video shows a man inside a car firing multiple rounds at one of the Cafe’s windows.
Responsibility for the shooting has been claimed by Khalistani terrorist Harjit Singh Laddi, who is among the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) most-wanted fugitives. Laddi is reportedly linked with the proscribed group Babbar Khalsa International. Sources indicate that the attack may have been motivated by remarks made earlier by Kapil Sharma that offended Laddi.
Law enforcement officials and forensic teams arrived promptly at the scene, and an active investigation is ongoing.
Harjit Singh Laddi is already wanted in connection with the April 2024 killing of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Vikas Prabhakar alias Vikas Bagga in Punjab’s Rupnagar district. Laddi is believed to have orchestrated the shooting at Kapil Sharma’s Cafe from abroad.
The attack has renewed concerns about the presence and activities of Khalistani extremists in Canada. A recent report by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) warned that such groups continue to use Canadian soil to promote separatism, raise funds, and plan violent acts—mostly targeting India.
“Khalistani extremists continue to use Canada as a base for the promotion, fundraising or planning of violence primarily in India,” CSIS stated in its June report.
India has repeatedly raised the issue of Khalistani elements operating freely in Canada and has criticized the Canadian government’s perceived inaction. Last year, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar remarked, “Our biggest problem right now is in Canada… In Canada, the party in power and other parties have given these kinds of extremism, separatism, and advocates of violence a certain legitimacy in the name of free speech.”
Diplomatic ties between the two nations suffered a major setback in 2023 after then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged that Indian agents were involved in the assassination of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. However, relations have seen some improvement following the appointment of Mark Carney as Canada’s Prime Minister earlier this year.
Meanwhile, Kapil Sharma has yet to issue an official statement on the incident. Security around the Cafe has been tightened, and officials are treating the attack as a serious threat linked to cross-border terrorism.
