Canadian police have charged three members of an alleged hit squad for their role in the assassination of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the first arrests in a high-profile killing that officials believe was masterminded by India. Nijjar was killed in the parking lot of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara on 18 Jun 2023 in Surrey, British Columbia. The three Indian citizens Karanpreet Singh, 28, Kamalpreet Singh, 22, and Karan Brar, 22, have been charged with first-degree murder and one count of conspiracy to commit murder. Arrested on 3 May, they were living in Edmonton, Alberta, and will face charges in British Columbia. The arrests coincided with the release of a public inquiry report into foreign interference. In her report, Canadian judge Justice Marie-Josée Hogue noted that Indian officials depend on networks of proxies to ‘liaise and work with Indian intelligence officials in India and Canada, taking both explicit and implicit directions from them.’ Canadian media states the proxy in this case could be Indian gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, currently in prison in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. In March 2023, in two interviews from jail, Bishnoi stated he is now a Hindu nationalist. Noticeably, the internet has been wiped clean of Bishnoi interviews and all related stories on their content. Canadian politician Jagmeet Singh alleged the Indian govt. was behind the killing, which India continues to deny. Indian high commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma declined to comment on the arrests, calling them an ‘internal’ matter for Canada. Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar reiterated India is awaiting credible evidence (SDW Vol. 2 Issue 18, Story 1).
Like what you're reading? Subscribe to our top stories.
Liv Forum provides a digest of analysis on major issues facing Indian (East) Panjab and Sikhs globally.
In accordance with our Privacy Policy, we will never share or sell the information of our subscribers.
