Canada-based pro-Khalistan leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar was tragically shot and killed by two unidentified gunmen at the parking lot of Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara, situated in Surrey, a city in the British Columbia province. This incident sent shockwaves through the Punjabi community residing in the area. Nijjar, who held the position of president at the gurdwara, had been a controversial figure, and his involvement with the separatist organization Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) had drawn attention.
Nijjar, originally from a village in Jalandhar, India, had been associated with the banned organization SFJ, which advocates for an independent Sikh state known as Khalistan. He played a prominent role in organizing the Khalistan referendum in Brampton, a city in Canada with a significant Sikh population. The referendum aimed to gauge support for Khalistan among the Sikh diaspora.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had filed a charge sheet against Nijjar and three others in connection with a conspiracy to kill Hindu priest Kamaldeep Sharma in Jalandhar on January 31, 2021. The NIA’s investigation revealed that Nijjar, along with his associate Arshdeep Singh alias Prabh, both based in Canada, had planned the attack to disturb peace and create communal tension in Punjab by targeting a Hindu priest.
The Indian government had labeled Nijjar as a ‘wanted terrorist’ and had urged Canadian authorities to take action against him for his alleged involvement in terrorist activities in Punjab. The Punjab Police had also sought Nijjar’s extradition, as he was wanted in cases related to the revival of terrorism in the state. Lookout circulars and a red corner notice had been issued against him, emphasizing the seriousness of the charges.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) designated Nijjar as an ‘individual terrorist’ in July 2020. The NIA stated that Nijjar had been actively involved in recruiting, training, financing, and operating pro-Khalistan terrorist modules, aiming to spread terror in India. Additionally, he had used social media platforms to deliver inflammatory and hateful speeches, further fueling tensions.
In a separate case, the NIA had also attached Nijjar’s property in his village in Punjab. The Indian government had even announced a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh for information leading to the arrest of Nijjar, who was the chief of the pro-Khalistani outfit, Khalistan Tiger Force.
Notably, Nijjar had been accused of killing Ripudaman Singh Malik, a man acquitted in the 1985 Air India terrorist bombing case, in Surrey the previous year. This added another layer of complexity and controversy to Nijjar’s profile.
The assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar highlighted the ongoing tensions and conflicts surrounding the pro-Khalistan movement. It also emphasized the challenges faced by authorities in dealing with transnational extremist activities and the need for international cooperation in combating terrorism.
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