AP Dhillon confirms safety after shooting outside Vancouver residence: 'I'm safe, My people are safe'

Firing was reported outside Punjabi singer AP Dhillon's residence in Vancouver, Canada, on Monday, with jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his associate Rohit Godara allegedly claiming responsibility for the incident.

According to reports, gunshots were heard near AP Dhillon's home in the Victoria Island area of Vancouver. The Bishnoi-Godara gang has allegedly claimed responsibility for shootings in both Victoria Island and Toronto's Woodbridge area, according to messages circulating on social media.

The gangsters reportedly issued a warning to AP Dhillon, advising him to "stay in his limits or face a dog's death," citing his alleged connections with actor Salman Khan.

Recently, Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt appeared in AP Dhillon's music video for the track "Old Money."

The video, styled like an action film, features Salman Khan's character warning AP Dhillon and his friends that they shouldn't rely on him for rescue, only to end up saving them in the end.

Sanjay Dutt's character initially threatens AP Dhillon in the video but relents when he learns of AP Dhillon's association with Salman Khan.

This incident is not the first time the Bishnoi gang has been linked to violence against prominent figures. On April 14 of this year, two bike-borne assailants fired five rounds outside Salman Khan's Galaxy Apartments in Bandra, Mumbai.

The Mumbai Police, in their chargesheet, named nine individuals, including Lawrence Bishnoi, as suspects in the case. Lawrence Bishnoi's brother Anmol, who resides in Canada, had claimed responsibility for the attack.

More recently, on August 13, the Mumbai Police opposed the bail application of Vicky Gupta, one of the alleged shooters involved in the April firing. The police argued that Vicky Gupta and his accomplice, Sagar Pal, had intended to kill Salman Khan, directly participating in the shooting outside Galaxy Apartments.

Following the recent firing outside his Vancouver home, AP Dhillon assured his fans on social media that he and his team were safe. "I'm safe. My people are safe. Thank you to everyone who reached out to me. Your support means everything. Peace and love to all," AP Dhillon wrote on Instagram.

ALSO READ: AP Dhillon drops 'Old Money' featuring Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt—Out Now

A purported post by Rohit Godara, a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, has been circulating online, claiming responsibility for the shootings in Canada. According to the post, the attack on AP Dhillon's house was triggered by the singer's decision to feature Salman Khan in his music video. Godara also issued death threats to AP Dhillon in the same post.

ALSO READ: Firing outside singer AP Dhillon's residence in Vancouver, Canada, investigation begins

AP Dhillon has gained global recognition for blending 80s-style synth-pop with Punjabi music, producing hits like "Brown Munde," "Excuses," "Summer High," "With You," "Dil Nu," and "Insane."

This is not the first time Lawrence Bishnoi has been associated with threats against Punjabi artists. In November last year, he claimed responsibility for a shooting at singer Gippy Grewal's house in Vancouver's White Rock neighborhood.