Punjabi singer Teji Kahlon was shot in Canada in what appears to be a targeted attack linked to an ongoing cross-border gang rivalry. The incident has once again exposed how the influence of Indian gangs has spread far beyond the country’s borders, now reaching the Punjabi diaspora in North America.
According to initial reports, Kahlon was shot in the stomach during the attack. Soon after, a group of men identifying themselves as Mahender Saran Dilana, Rahul Rinau, and Vicky Phalwan claimed responsibility through a social media post.
They said the shooting was carried out on behalf of gangster Rohit Godara, a name already infamous in both Indian and international crime circles.
The men accused Teji Kahlon of supplying weapons and money to rival gangs and of passing information about their operations to authorities. Their statement ended with a chilling warning: “If he understands, fine. If not, next time we will finish him.”
Canadian authorities have launched an investigation but have yet to officially confirm the attackers’ claims or the motive.
Details such as the exact location of the shooting and Teji Kahlon’s current medical condition remain unclear. However, the incident has already sparked fear among the Punjabi community in Canada, where several gang-linked shootings have occurred over the past few years.
The name of Rohit Godara has surfaced repeatedly in connection with high-profile crimes in India. He is believed to be a close associate of slain gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and is suspected of orchestrating or claiming involvement in several major killings, including those of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala in 2022 and Karni Sena chief Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi in 2023. Godara, who hails from Lunkaransar in Rajasthan’s Bikaner district, is known for using social media to issue threats and claim responsibility for violent acts.
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Earlier this month, a 40-year-old businessman named Ramesh Rulania was shot dead at a gym in Rajasthan’s Kuchaman town—an attack that police suspect was also linked to the Godara gang. Authorities believe Rulania had refused to pay extortion money demanded by the group, and investigators are exploring possible links between that killing and the broader criminal network operating between India and Canada.
The shooting of Teji Kahlon underscores how deeply intertwined elements of the Punjabi music scene, the diaspora community, and organised crime have become. It also raises questions about how these rivalries are being exported abroad, creating a dangerous intersection of fame, money, and violence.
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