Canadian police have charged three Indian men with the murder of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year and said they were probing whether the men had ties to the Indian government.

Surrey

Canadian authorities have announced the arrest and charging of three Indian nationals in connection with the assassination of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Nijjar, a prominent figure advocating for the creation of an independent Sikh state known as Khalistan, was killed outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, a city with a significant Sikh population, in western Canada. The incident, which occurred last year, has drawn scrutiny over potential links between the accused and the Indian government.

Hardeep Singh Nijjar, 45 at the time of his death, held Canadian citizenship and had been active in his campaign for Khalistan, a movement that seeks to establish an independent nation for Sikhs. Nijjar’s assassination spurred a diplomatic rift between Canada and India, especially after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau suggested the possibility of the Indian government's involvement in the murder. This assertion was firmly dismissed by New Delhi as baseless.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) have identified the suspects as Kamalpreet Singh, Gauran Brar, both aged 22, and Gauranpreet Singh, 28. Assistant Commissioner David Tabul underlined the complexities of the investigation, hinting at challenges in cooperation with Indian authorities but affirming the commitment to probe any governmental links thoroughly. Superintendent Mandeep Mukher disclosed ongoing investigations that could lead to further arrests, indicating a broad inquiry into the murder and its orchestrations.

This case has attracted international attention, with the White House recently voicing concerns over the alleged involvement of Indian intelligence in assassination plots within Canada and the United States. These developments come in the wake of U.S. claims of an Indian official's involvement in a separate plot against another Sikh separatist.

The broader Sikh community has reportedly provided significant support to the investigation, condemning the assassination as both "outrageous and reprehensible." Nijjar's activism and India's labeling of him as a terrorist underscore the contentious and strained relations stemming from the Khalistan movement's activities abroad, particularly in countries with considerable Sikh diaspora like Canada.



Canada police charge three with murder of Sikh leader

Three suspects have been arrested and charged. Canadian police arrested and charged three Indian men on Friday in the murder of Sikh separatist leader Hardip Singh Nijjar and said they're probing whether the men have links to the Indian government. The 45-year-old was shot dead last June outside a temple in the western Canadian city of Surrey, which has a large Sikh population. A few months later, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau cited evidence of Indian government involvement, prompting a diplomatic crisis. New Delhi had rejected Trudeau's claim as absurd. Here's Royal Canadian Mounted Police Assistant Commissioner David Tabul. There are separate and distinct investigations ongoing into these matters. Certainly not limited to the involvement of the people arrested today. And these efforts include investigating connections to the government of India. He added it's been difficult working with counterparts in India. Collaboration has rather challenging and difficult for the last several years. However, the RCMP is very committed to continuing to establish a working relationship from a law enforcement to law enforcement agency. So we're going to continue our efforts, but it's been difficult. Nijjar was a Canadian citizen campaigning for the creation of Khalistan, an independent Sikh homeland carved out of India. The presence of Sikh separatist groups in Canada has long frustrated New Delhi, which had labelled Nijjar a terrorist. Police said they had tremendous support from the broader community to investigate what they described as an outrageous and reprehensible murder. The men charged with it include two 22-year-olds Kamalpreet Singh and Gauran Brar and 28-year-old Gauranpreet Singh, RCMP Police Superintendent Mandeep Mukher. Currently, we believe that there may be others involved and therefore there may be potential arrests or charges for others as well. Last week, the White House expressed concern about the reported role of the Indian intelligence service in assassination plots in Canada and the United States. Last November, U.S. authorities said an Indian government official had directed the plot in the attempted murder of another Sikh separatist. The Indian mission in Ottawa did not respond to requests for comment.

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