Three individuals from India are in custody for the killing. for the killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, as questions about the Indian government persist.
The information comes from the BBC. as well as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The BBC stated that Nijjar's murder led to a major dispute between India and Canada.
Recently, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police made an announcement in a news release on May 3. The press release said, “Today the Integrated Homicide Investigative Team (IHIT) and the Federal Policing Program Pacific Region announced the arrests of three individuals for their alleged involvement in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar on June 18, 2023.”On June 18, 2023, Hardeep Singh Nijjar was killed in Surrey, according to a news release from the police.
This information comes from a government statement. The police said, “The first 911 call related to this incident came in at 8:27 p.m. The first officers arrived at the scene in under four minutes, with additional officers arriving shortly after.” Balpreet Singh, legal counsel and spokesman for the Canada-based World Sikh Organization, told Reuters, “We welcome the arrests but this leads to many more questions.”
He told Reuters,“The arrested individuals are part of a hit squad, but it’s evident that they were directed.”
Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau previously suggested that the Indian government could be linked to the murder. According to the BBC, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had previously insinuated the Indian government's potential involvement in the murder, though the press release about the arrests does not mention this aspect or a motive.
According to BBC, Nijjar, 45, “was shot dead last June by masked gunmen in a busy car park in a Vancouver suburb.”
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police expressed gratitude in the release, saying, “Arrests like these do not happen without countless hours of investigative work and strategic coordination. I want to express my sincere thanks to all employees and partners who have contributed to the investigation.”
The police emphasized, “The work doesn’t end here and, as the investigation continues, I will underscore that there are separate and distinct investigations ongoing. We hope this news brings a restored sense of safety and security to the community.”
There are reports that Canadian police are still examining the 'connections to the government of India'.
According to BBC, the three suspects are Karan Brar, 22, Kamal Preet Singh, 22, and 28-year-old Karan Preet Singh.
The suspects were residing in Edmonton, Alberta, and had been in Canada for “three to five years,” as per information from the BBC, citing the police.
Police informed the BBC that they were still probing “connections to the government of India.”
Assistant Commissioner David Teboul stated, according to BBC, “There are separate and distinct investigations ongoing into these matters. Certainly not limited to the involvement of the people arrested today.”
According to Reuters, Nijjar, a Canadian citizen, was advocating for the establishment of Khalistan, an independent Sikh homeland in India. The Indian government had labeled Nijjar as a terrorist, but according to the BBC, the Indian government has denied involvement in his murder.
Reboul, according to Reuters, stated, "We will continue to investigate. We know that others might have been involved in this murder, and we are still committed to locating and apprehending all of these people."
According to Reuters, the three men were arrested in Edmonton.
Three individuals from India are in custody for the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who is described as a Sikh separatist leader., the victim “Nijjar was a Canadian citizen campaigning for the creation of Khalistan, an independent Sikh homeland carved out of India.” The Indian government had labeled Nijjar a terrorist, Reuters reported, but, according to BBC, the Indian government has denied involvement in his murder.
“This investigation does not end here. We are aware that others may have played a role in this homicide and we remain dedicated to finding and arresting each one of these individuals,” said Reboul, according to Reuters.
Reuters reported that the three men were all arrested in Edmonton.
