Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced that Canadian security agencies are actively investigating a potential link between the Indian government and the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar earlier this year.
Trudeau made this statement during a session at the House of Commons in Ottawa, where he expressed concerns about the situation. Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a wanted individual by the Indian government, was fatally shot in a targeted attack on June 18, 2023, outside a gurdwara in Surrey.
The Canadian Prime Minister revealed that he had raised the matter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the G20 Summit. Trudeau emphasized that Canada had conveyed its deep concerns to senior intelligence and security officials within the Indian government. At the G20 Summit, he personally and directly discussed the matter with Prime Minister Modi.
Trudeau urged the Indian government to collaborate with Canada to thoroughly investigate this issue and reiterated Canada’s stance against “extra-judicial operations” in foreign countries.
During their meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit, Prime Minister Modi had expressed his concerns to Trudeau regarding “anti-India activities” carried out by “extremist elements” in Canada. These elements were said to be promoting secessionism, inciting violence against Indian diplomats, causing damage to diplomatic facilities, and posing threats to the Indian community in Canada and their places of worship. The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) of India also highlighted the potential association of these extremist groups with organized crime, drug syndicates, and human trafficking, which raised further concerns for Canada.
In response to Trudeau’s speech in the House of Commons, Canada took the step of expelling an Indian diplomat. Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly confirmed that the head of Indian intelligence in Canada had been expelled, pending the investigation’s outcome.
It’s worth noting that in 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in India announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh for information leading to the capture of Nijjar. He was accused of conspiring to murder a Hindu priest in Jalandhar. Nijjar, based in Canada, was identified as the leader of the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), an organization allegedly involved in the priest’s killing. Additionally, the NIA had previously filed charges against Nijjar in a case related to conspiracy to commit terrorist acts against India.
