Barbecue row to arrest: Indian-origin landlady’s Canada dispute goes viral

Dubai: What began as an argument over a barbecue at a Canadian rental property escalated into allegations of food being knocked off a grill, unauthorised entry into a tenant’s home, changed locks and a missing door — before ending with the arrest of an Indian-origin landlady.

The woman, identified in Indian media reports as Raj Tiwana, was seen being handcuffed by police in Surrey, British Columbia, after a series of videos documenting an increasingly bitter dispute with her tenant went viral on social media.

Surrey Police Service has confirmed that an arrest was made but said no charges had yet been approved and the investigation remained ongoing, according to fact-checking website BOOM, which contacted the force.

The videos, posted on an Instagram account called Tiwana Farm Survivor, largely present the tenant’s version of events. The Times of India and Hindustan Times reported on the dispute, with Hindustan Times stressing that it could not independently verify the authenticity of the footage.

According to the tenant, the dispute erupted while he and a friend were preparing food on a barbecue outside the rental property.

Tiwana objected, saying the barbecue had caused what she described as “burns” on the side of her house.

The tenant insisted the brown marks she pointed to were rust and argued that, as a paying tenant, he was entitled to invite a friend over for dinner.

The confrontation became increasingly heated as the friend filmed the exchange.

In another video, Tiwana is seen using a piece of wood to knock food off the barbecue grill. She said she could not allow them to cook on her property and threatened to call police.

The tenant and his friend eventually picked up their food and walked away.

But according to the tenant, the barbecue confrontation was only part of a much wider dispute.

The tenant subsequently posted more videos alleging repeated interference with his home.

One clip purportedly shows the locks to his rental unit being changed. Another shows four men entering the unit. When they encounter the tenant, one reportedly says, “He’s here,” before the group leaves.

The tenant can be heard demanding to know why they were inside his home and telling them to get out.

Tiwana is seen sitting in a vehicle outside and telling the men in Punjabi to leave while she calls police, according to Hindustan Times.

In another confrontation, Tiwana is allegedly seen entering the tenant’s unit and throwing a rock towards him. The footage also appears to show her shoving his arm as he records the incident and attempting to strike his friend with an object.

The Times of India reported that the tenant separately alleged Tiwana entered his home while he was away and changed the locks. He also claimed at one stage that the entrance door to his rental unit had been completely removed.

The confrontation seen online was not the first time police had become involved.

Surrey Police Service told BOOM that officers had been called to the property several times over the ongoing landlord-tenant dispute.

Importantly, police said both the landlord and the tenants had contacted officers for assistance at different times, indicating that complaints were not coming solely from one side.

Police also rejected claims circulating on social media that the dispute or arrest was connected to the cooking of beef or had a religious or ideological motive.

The force said the arrest had nothing to do with beef, meat, religion or ideology.

One of the final videos posted by the tenant shows police arriving at Tiwana’s home.

Officers ask her to step outside with her phone and keys.

“Raj, right now, you’re under arrest,” an officer can be heard telling her.

Tiwana appears surprised and asks to call her daughter and her lawyer before officers handcuff her and escort her to a police vehicle.

During the exchange, police tell Tiwana that the tenant still has belongings inside the rental unit. She responds that the tenants had left and had not left anything behind.

The tenant then tells officers that some of his possessions, including shirts and shoe boxes, remain inside.

Surrey Police subsequently confirmed the arrest but said no charges had yet been approved. Police did not officially identify the person arrested.

The force said the investigation remained ongoing. It also said the tenants no longer live at the property and police are no longer receiving calls about disputes between the two sides.

The tenant later urged social media users not to threaten or harm anyone involved, saying his page was intended to raise awareness.