Famous Indian Gang Leader Found Fatally Shot in Winnipeg: Police Documents Reveal Extortion and International Connections
Last week, a man known as Sukhdool Singh Gill, alias Sukha Duneke, was found fatally shot in northwest Winnipeg. Police documents from India shed light on his alleged involvement in extortion and his international connections. Gill was notorious in India for reportedly organizing hits on rival gang members, according to Ajai Sahni, executive director of the Institute for Conflict Management in New Delhi.
Sahni revealed that Gill operated a network in Punjab, India, which carried out hits for monetary gain or other reasons. The other grounds mentioned by Sahni include assassinations of rival gang members. Winnipeg police were called to a home on Hazelton Drive, where Gill was found shot. The homicide unit is currently investigating the case, and no arrests have been made.
The National Investigation Agency of India had included Gill on a wanted list, which was released on the social media platform X. Indian police reports, translated from Punjabi to English by CBC, allege that Gill was associated with the Bambiha gang. Police claim that while in Canada, Gill assisted a gang in India with snatchings and robberies, providing them with funds to purchase weapons and places to hide. The reports suggest that a large quantity of illegal weapons could be confiscated from them if they were ever followed and caught.
Indian police in the Moga district also reveal that Gill left India in 2017 with the help of officers, holding a passport obtained through their assistance. There are 18 criminal cases potentially linked to him, with nine of them still under investigation or trial. Other case outcomes include five acquittals, one quashed case, and one conviction.
Gill’s file also contains information connecting him to the fatal shooting of Sandeep Singh Sandhu, a British athlete, by four assailants in Punjab’s Jalandhar district in March 2022. This suggests a growing extension of gang activity from India into Canada.
Experts emphasize the need for more serious attention from the Canadian government regarding such violence. Christian Leuprecht, a professor at the Royal Military College of Canada and Queen’s University, suggests establishing constructive relationships with India to address these accusations. Mutual legal assistance treaties and notices through Interpol could help facilitate information sharing if India provides concrete evidence.
Winnipeg police Constable Dani McKinnon states that Gill’s killing has not been directly linked to gang activity, but investigators are exploring that possibility. Officers from the forensic identification unit have been investigating the scene where Gill was found dead.
Residents living in the area expressed surprise at the incident, mentioning that luxury cars were often seen outside the house in question. One resident, Sammer Singh, claims that he and his roommates were arrested during the police investigation. However, Winnipeg police Constable McKinnon declined to provide further details on Singh’s allegations.
The death of Sukhdool Singh Gill highlights the growing presence of Punjab-origin gangsters and their activities in Canada. The case underscores the necessity of addressing these issues and instigating effective collaborations between countries to curb such criminal activities.
Residents in the neighborhood, like Sammer Singh, who recently relocated from Surrey, B.C., express concern about rising crime rates and plan to move elsewhere in Winnipeg in search of increased security.
