Hardeep Singh Nijjar has emerged the contemporary level of standoff between India and Canada months after he was gunned down exterior a Sikh cultural centre in Surrey, British Columbia. Since his killing in June, Canada has been investigating the case and now the Canadian authorities accused India of finishing up the killing. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed to have ‘credible allegations’ that Nijjar’s killing was linked to ‘brokers of the Authorities of India’. With this allegation, Canada additionally expelled a senior Indian diplomat. Canadian overseas minister Mélanie Joly accused the diplomat of being as the pinnacle of Analysis and Evaluation Wing (RAW) in Canada. Whereas India has rejected the allegation, in a tit-for-tat transfer, New Delhi additionally expelled a senior Canadian diplomat for interference in India’s inner issues and involvement in anti-India actions.
Who Was Hardeep Singh Nijjar?
Nijjar had affiliations with the banned Khalistani separatist group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), holding the ‘Quantity 2’ place after Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. Initially from Bharsingh Pura village in Jalandhar, he relocated to Canada in 1996 and pursued a profession as a plumber.
His affiliation with terrorism commenced throughout his membership in Babbar Khalsa Worldwide underneath the management of Jagtar Singh Tara. Subsequently, Nijjar based his personal group, Khalistan Tiger Drive (KTF). He performed a considerable function in figuring out, connecting, coaching, and financing Khalistani cells in India, leading to over 10 FIRs being filed towards him.
In 2014, Nijjar orchestrated the assassination of self-proclaimed religious chief Baba Bhaniara. Following this, in 2015, he organized a coaching camp in Canada to instruct Mandeep Singh Dhaliwal. Mandeep was later despatched to Punjab with the mission of focusing on Shiv Sena leaders and was apprehended in June 2016.
By November 2020, Nijjar had fashioned a partnership with fellow prison Arsh Dalla, who additionally resided exterior India. Collectively, they have been implicated within the homicide of Manohar Lal, a follower of the Dera Sacha Sauda, which occurred at Lal’s workplace in Bhagta Bhai Ka, Bathinda, in 2021.
Within the earlier 12 months, India declared a financial reward of Rs 10 lakh over Nijjar for his involvement within the homicide of a Hindu priest in Jalandhar. Moreover, Nijjar confronted accusations associated to the 2007 bombing of a cinema in Punjab. Hardeep Singh Nijjar discovered his identify on the Indian authorities’s “designated terrorists” listing in 2018, the place he was alleged to be related to plotting and supporting terrorist actions towards India.