Three Indian nationals have been arrested and charged in connection with the killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada, sparking a significant diplomatic dispute between the two nations.
The 45-year-old activist was fatally shot last June by masked gunmen in a busy car park in a Vancouver suburb.
The diplomatic tension escalated when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau suggested that the Indian government might have been involved, an accusation vehemently denied by his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi.
According to BBC reports, Superintendent Mandeep Mooker announced the arrests on Friday, identifying the three suspects as 22-year-old Karan Brar, 22-year-old Kamal Preet Singh, and 28-year-old Karan Preet Singh. They had been residing in Edmonton, Alberta, where they were apprehended. Court records show they have been charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
The police disclosed that the trio had been living in Canada for three to five years. Investigations, including into potential links to the government of India, are ongoing.
Assistant Commissioner David Teboul stated, “There are separate and distinct investigations ongoing into these matters. Certainly not limited to the involvement of the people arrested today.”
Collaboration with Indian counterparts has been challenging for several years, investigators noted. They also suggested the possibility of additional individuals being involved in the killing, hinting at further arrests or charges.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar was a prominent Sikh separatist leader advocating for Khalistan – the establishment of an independent Sikh homeland in the Punjab region of India.
The separatist movement, which emerged in the 1970s, was quelled by Indian authorities after claiming thousands of lives. In recent years, the movement has primarily found support among Sikh communities outside India.
India has labeled Nijjar a terrorist, alleging his leadership of a militant separatist group, claims disputed by his supporters who argue he faced threats due to his activism.
Nijjar was assassinated at the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, a city near Vancouver, on June 18 last year. Prior to his death, he reportedly received warnings from Canadian intelligence about being on a “hit list” and facing threats to his life.
Moninder Singh, a friend of Nijjar for 15 years, expressed the Sikh community’s relief at progress in the investigation but noted ongoing safety concerns and tensions.
Trudeau’s remarks in the House of Commons three months after the killing suggested Canada was examining “credible allegations potentially linking” the Indian state to the assassination.
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