“From Canada to America: The Twists and Turns of the Nijjar Murder Investigation”
According to police, In Nijjar Murder three people have been arrested in Canada on suspicion of involvement in the killing of a prominent Sikh separatist, and charges have been filed against them, a case that has strained relations between the Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, and the Indian government, which has strongly opposed it.
Suspects have been identified in court filings as Karnpreet Singh, Kamalpreet Singh, and Karan Barad. According to the filings, these individuals are accused of “conspiring with others to murder Hardeep Singh Nijjar (Sikh separatist)” on or around June 18, 2023, and are also accused of using a firearm “to commit first-degree murder” for the second time.
Police said in a press conference on Friday that all three suspects are Indian citizens and temporary residents of Canada. Officials are currently investigating whether they have connections to the Indian government – the latest development in a long-standing conspiracy that has escalated tensions between Canada and India.
- Behind Closed Doors: The Intrigue Surrounding Nijjar’s Murder Investigation
Nijjar, a Canadian citizen, was shot dead by masked individuals outside a Sikh temple in Surrey,
British Columbia, last June. He was a prominent advocate for a separate Sikh homeland outside India, known as Khalistan, which would include parts of India’s Punjab state.
Nijjar's Assassination: The Gupta Link and International Law Enforcement
Last September, Trudeau said he had credible information about Nijjar’s killing being related to the Indian government. India reacted angrily to the allegation and dismissed it as “baseless,” resulting in the expulsion of senior diplomats from both countries.
The Nijjar Case Unraveled: Allegations of International Intrigue and Assassination
Officials did not disclose who allegedly conspired with the suspects, but said separate investigations are underway into Nijjar’s death.
The campaign for Khalistan in India has long been illegal,
where violent uprisings by some Sikh separatists continue to haunt many.
However, it garners sympathy among some Sikh diaspora abroad,
where activists protected by free speech laws can openly advocate for separation from India.
Just weeks after Trudeau’s announcement:
the United States accused another Sikh separatist, American citizen Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, of involvement in a plot to kill Nijjar on American soil.
In November, an Indian citizen, Nikhil Gupta, was charged in an open American indictment with attempting to murder Pannun, who is a wanted man in India and considered a terrorist by the government.
American prosecutors say Gupta was working on behalf of an unknown Indian government official. The Indian government has denied any involvement in the alleged plot to kill Pannun.
In Canada, just a day after Nijjar’s murder, American prosecutors claim that Gupta allegedly identified a secret law enforcement officer as a hitman and stated that Nijjar was also on his target.
Gupta purportedly said, “We have many targets.”
The killing of Nijjar has stirred up controversy among Sikh activists living abroad. Dr. Pritpal Singh, the head of the American Sikh Caucus Committee, told CNN that after the murder of a Canadian citizen, they were alerted by the FBI about the danger to their lives as a “duty to warn.”
In a statement, he praised Canadian law enforcement for their dedication to
“maintaining justice by taking firm action against those responsible for these crimes”
and said, We, as a community, are committed to demanding accountability and will continue to advocate for justice to ensure that such reprehensible crimes are addressed. Actions are specifically addressed to those responsible.
