India has firmly rejected Canada’s accusations regarding its involvement in the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the leader of the Khalistan Tiger Force and a designated terrorist. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a statement dismissing the claims made by the Canadian Prime Minister and Foreign Minister in their Parliament, deeming them unfounded and driven by ulterior motives.
The MEA emphasized that any allegations of India’s complicity in acts of violence in Canada are baseless and lack credibility. These allegations had previously been raised by the Canadian Prime Minister with India’s Prime Minister but were categorically denied.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the head of the banned Sikh extremist organization Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) and designated as a terrorist by India, was fatally shot under suspicious circumstances in Surrey, Canada, in June 2018. Speculation in Canadian media suggested that he might have been eliminated by former associates who had turned against him. The assailants responsible for his death remain unidentified, and the shooting occurred in the parking lot of Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey.
India had designated Hardeep Singh Nijjar as a ‘terrorist’ under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in July 2020, and his assets in the country were seized by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in September 2020. The extremist organization KTF had also been banned by India’s Ministry of Home Affairs, with the ministry asserting that KTF aimed to rekindle terrorism in Punjab, challenging India’s territorial integrity, unity, national security, and sovereignty while promoting acts of terrorism, including targeted killings.
In addition to India’s actions, an Interpol Red Corner Notice had been issued against Nijjar in 2016. Local police in Surrey had temporarily placed him under house arrest in 2018 due to suspicions of his involvement in terrorism, but he was later released.
Nijjar, originally from Jalandhar, Punjab, had been involved in Khalistan militancy since relocating to Canada in 1995. He transitioned from being associated with Babbar Khalsa to joining the newly formed KTF under Jagtar Singh Tara’s leadership. Allegedly, he received training in the manufacture of IEDs and handling advanced firearms during visits to Pakistan, where he also provided financial support to Tara. Nijjar vehemently opposed Tara’s deportation from Thailand in 2014 and was accused of training Sikh youths in the use of firearms before sending them to India for specific targets.
Furthermore, Nijjar collaborated with Punjabi gangster Arshdeep Singh Gill (alias Arsh Dala) and engaged in organized financial crimes in Punjab and Canada to fund his terrorist activities, making him a target of criminal gangs in the Surrey-Delta region.
Nijjar was also involved in a campaign against Jathedar Akal Takht, Giani Harpreet Singh, forcing the cancellation of the latter’s visit to Canada. Nijjar was suspected in the assassination of Ripudaman Malik as well. He was wanted for his involvement in various violent terrorist incidents in both India and Canada, with a substantial cash reward offered for his capture.
Additionally, there had been recurring allegations that funds from the Surrey shrine were being misappropriated to finance terrorism activities in Punjab.
Also Read: Canada expels diplomat after PM Trudeau claims Indian hand in killing of Khalistani leader
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