Toronto, Canada – Three Indian nationals have been arrested and charged with the killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada, resulting in a significant diplomatic dispute between the two nations.
Nijjar, 45, was fatally shot by masked gunmen in a Vancouver suburb last June, prompting Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to suggest India’s government may have been involved, sparking vehement denial from Delhi.
The arrests of Karan Brar, Kamal Preet Singh, and Karan Preet Singh in Edmonton, Alberta, on charges of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder refueled speculation about potential ties to the Indian government.
While investigations continue into possible connections to India, law enforcement authorities disclosed that additional arrests or charges might follow in the case of Nijjar’s murder at the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia.
Sikh separatist movements, particularly advocating for Khalistan, an independent Sikh homeland in India’s Punjab region, have historical roots in 1970s insurgency that subsequently waned but continue to resonate in global Sikh communities.
Supporters of Nijjar, labeled a terrorist by India but defended by allies as a victim of state persecution, express relief at investigative progress while maintaining concerns over ongoing safety threats and tensions within the Sikh diaspora.
With Canada and India locked in a diplomatic clash over allegations and denials of state involvement in Nijjar’s assassination, uncertainties persist over the resolution and implications of the high-profile case on bilateral relations between the two nations.