After a considerable passage of time since the killing of Sikh extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the leader of the Khalistan Tiger Force, in Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has openly accused the Indian government of involvement in this fatal incident, according to a report by CBC News.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was a fugitive sought by the Indian authorities, met his demise when he was gunned down outside a gurdwara in a parking area in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18.
Originally hailing from Bharsinghpur village in Jalandhar, Punjab, Nijjar had established his base in Surrey, and he had been declared an “absconder” by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in India.
As reported by CBC News, Prime Minister Trudeau stated that national security officials in Canada had credible reasons to suspect that “agents of the Indian government” were responsible for the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen who also held the position of president at Surrey’s Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara.
Trudeau underscored the gravity of foreign government involvement in the killing of a Canadian citizen within Canada’s borders, vehemently asserting, “Any involvement of a foreign government in the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil is an unacceptable violation of our sovereignty. It is contrary to the fundamental principles that govern free, open, and democratic societies.”
Furthermore, Trudeau disclosed that Canada was actively engaged in collaboration and coordination with its international allies to address the pressing and intricate matter at hand.
Expressing his concern, Trudeau also called upon the Indian government to cooperate with Canada in conducting a thorough investigation, as reported by CBC News. He acknowledged the emotions within the Indo-Canadian community, stating that some individuals may be feeling anger and fear, and he emphasized the importance of unity and resilience.
Notably, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had, back in July of the previous year, announced a substantial cash reward of Rs 10 lakh for information leading to the apprehension of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. This reward was connected to Nijjar’s alleged involvement in a conspiracy orchestrated by the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) to assassinate a Hindu priest in Jalandhar.
The NIA had issued a formal statement at the time, asserting, “Hardeep Singh Nijjar is wanted by the National Investigation Agency in an NIA case related to the conspiracy hatched by the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), operating under Nijjar, to kill a Hindu priest in Jalandhar.”
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