Hardeep Singh Nijjar murder: Canada Police arrests 3 Indians, probes ‘possible ties’ with Modi govt | 10 points

Karan Brar, Kamalpreet Singh and Karanpreet Singh, the three individuals charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in relation to the murder in Canada of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in 2023

Canada Police has arrested three Indian men in connection with the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police named the three men as Karanpreet Singh, 28, Kamalpreet Singh, 22, and Karan Brar, 22. The police said they were probing whether the men had ties to the Modi government, Reuters reported.

Here are 10 updates on this big story:

• Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead in June outside a Sikh temple in Surrey in 2023.
• After a few months, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau cited evidence of Indian government involvement. Trudeau’s remark soared ties between the two countries. The presence of Sikh separatist groups in Canada has long frustrated India. Indian authorities in 2020 labelled Nijjar a “terrorist”.

Canada arrests suspects in killing of Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar

• According to the Canadian Police, more detentions are on the pipeline. “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,” Assistant RCMP Commissioner David Teboul told Reuters.
• Canadian police said they had worked with US law enforcement agencies in apprehending the three men. 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.

India summons Canadian envoy over ‘pro-Khalistan’ slogans

• The three Indian men were arrested in the city of Edmonton in Alberta on Friday. They are due to arrive in British Columbia by Monday.
• Canada had been pressing India to cooperate in its investigation in connection with Nijjar’s murder.
• Last November, US authorities said an Indian government official had directed the plot in the attempted murder on US soil of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Sikh separatist and dual citizen of the US and Canada.

Khalistani terrorist Prabhpreet Singh nabbed at Delhi airport by Punjab Police

• Last year, Indian national Nikhil Gupta was charged by federal prosecutors in connection with his involvement in a foiled plot to assassinate Pannun. Gupta has been charged that he was working with an Indian government employee and had agreed to pay an assassin $1,00,000 to kill Pannun.

Nijjar killing: Justin Trudeau blames previous Canada govt for ‘cosy’ India ties

• India had accused Nijjar of links to terrorism, but angrily denied involvement in the slaying. Indian authorities accused Nijjar of involvement in an alleged attack on a Hindu priest in India and announced a reward of about $16,000 for information leading to his arrest in 2022.
• Nijjar, an Indian-born citizen of Canada, was a plumber. He was a prominent member of a movement to create an independent Sikh homeland known as Khalistan.