More Indian agents are likely to be arrested in the murder case of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. Canadian police have so far arrested 3 operatives of a “Hit Squad” working under the auspices of Indian foreign intelligence agency “RAW”. This network has been tracked in the investigation that has been going on for about 11 months.
It has been reported that this network of RAW is active in the Canadian state of British Columbia. Interrogation from the arrested members of hit squads also revealed that RAW has hired and trained few Sikh youngsters as well to perform tasks given by New Delhi.
No statement from New Delhi on this matter till now. The Indian high commissioner, Sanjay Kumar Verma, declined to comment on the arrests, calling them an “internal” matter for Canada. Rajnath Singh, Indian defence minister last month
acknowledged assassinations by Indian operatives on foreign soil.
Karanpreet Singh, 28, Kamalpreet Singh, 22, and Karan Brar, 22, are Indian citizens who entered Canada on student visas three to five years ago. None has permanent residency. They have been charged with first-degree murder and one count of conspiracy to commit murder in Nijjar’s death.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar moved to Canada in 1997 and was involved with Khalistan Movement. Nijjar was wanted in India in several cases including 2007 Shinghaar cinema hall bomb blast. At the Indian government’s request, two Interpol red notices were also issued against Nijjar, in 2014 and 2016.
Nijjar was also associated with Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), and spearheaded the group’s Khalistan Referendum 2020 campaign.
