Arrests Made in Assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar

The individuals suspected of assassinating Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian Citizen living in British Columbia, have been apprehended in Alberta and Ontario, as per news reports.

Arrested by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) on Friday morning, the Indian nationals were detained nearly a year after Nijjar was fatally shot at the Guru Nanak Sikh Temple in Surrey, British Columbia.

Initial reports suggest the suspects entered Canada on student visas but are believed to have operated under the guidance of Indian intelligence when carrying out the attack on Nijjar.

Allegations raised indicate a potential involvement of the Indian government in targeting leaders associated with a separatist movement.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau previously implicated the administration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, citing ongoing investigations into credible leads linking Indian agents to the incident.

Although India denied any responsibility, Trudeau’s statements strained diplomatic ties, leading to the expulsion of respective diplomatic representatives by Ottawa and New Delhi.

The RCMP’s ongoing inquiry is examining whether Nijjar’s murder was orchestrated by an Indian intelligence operation headquartered in New Delhi, utilizing Indian nationals posing as international students.

Nijjar, a plumber and temple president aged 45, had been the subject of Indian allegations linking him to the separatist moment, which he consistently refuted, facing no charges in Canada.

Colin P. Clarke, research director at The Soufan Group, highlighted impunity as a driving force behind such actions, emphasizing the lack of accountability for targeting diasporic communities, which emboldens governments to act with impunity.