India Canada Clash: Were Indian diplomats under “SURVEILLANCE” in Canada? | Hardeep Nijjar Killing
The dossier reviewed by TOI states that Nijjar ventured into gurdwara politics in Canadaand acquired Canadian citizenship, the circumstances of which are not clear, to “protect himself from the RCN and to prevent his extradition to India”.
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Over the past several years, Nijjar had been actively involved in advocating anti-India actions. In 2020, Nijjar’s name was added to the list of terrorists after facing charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for providing training and financial support to members of the KTF
According to officials, multiple separatist organizations supporting terror groups are operating freely in Canada, despite India’s requests for deportation. These organizations, including the World Sikh Organization, Khalistan Tiger Force, and Sikhs for Justice, are allegedly working on behalf of
Canadian PM Justin Trudeau accused Indian agents of involvement in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia. Who was he?
Nijjar is said to have forcefully become president of the gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia in 2021, by fighting and threatening his cousin and then gurdwara president Raghbir Singh Nijjar.Nijjar, however, used his religious identity to turn the gurdwara into a prominent centre of Khalistani activities and build a community of radically-inclined Canadian Sikhs. An old associate of Khalistan Commando Force militant Gurdeep Singh @Deepa Heranwala,who was involved in over 200 killings in Punjab during 1980s and 1990s, Nijjar came in touch with Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terrorist and later Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) chief Jagtar Singh Tara during his visit to Pakistan in April 2012.
Tara, as per the intelligence dossier, imparted arms and IED training to Nijjar during this visit. In 2013, Tara sent US-based Harjot Singh Birring to Canada to train Nijjar in operating hand-held GPS devices.
Nijjar started arranging funds for terror activities in India through his associates engaged in drugs and arms smuggling in Canada.
He reportedly sent Rs 1 million Pakistani currency to Tara. As part of a plan with Tara to execute a terror attack in Punjab, Nijjar raised a gang in Canada which included Mandeep Singh Dhaliwal, Sarbjit Singh, Anupveer Singh and Darshan Singh. They were imparted arms training in British Columbia, Canada in December 2015, states the dossier.
Who was Hardeep Nijjar, Canadian national and head of Khalistan Tiger Force?
In 2014, Nijjar had planned a terror strike on Dera Sacha Sauda headquarters in Sirsa, Haryana on the directions of Tara. However, it did not materialise as Nijjar was denied an Indian visa.
After the deportation of Tara to India in 2015, Nijjar assumed the role of KTF ‘Operations Chief’. NIA registered several cases against Nijjar and got an RCN issued against him for raising a module in Canada involving Mandeep Singh Dhaliwal.
Nijjar also worked with Punjab based gangster Arshdeep Singh Gill @ Arsh Dala to carry out terror activities in Punjab. He had tasked Arshdeep to murder father-son duo Manohar Lal Arora and Jatinderbir Singh Arora to avenge their “anti-Panthic activities” in 2020.
In the attack, Manohar Lal was shot dead in Bathinda on November 20, 2020 but his son escaped. Nijjar had sent money from Canada for their murder, according to the dossier. In 2021, Nijjar tasked Arshdeep to murder a priest in Bhar Singh Pura. However, the priest survived.
Hailing from village Bhar Singh Pura in Jalandhar, Nijjar was introduced to gangster life by Gurnek Singh@ Neka. After his name cropped up in many terrorism cases, Nijjar escaped to Canada in 1997 on a forged passport. He applied for asylum in Canada by claiming that he feared persecution in India. However, his asylum was rejected on the grounds of fabricated narrative.
Just 11 days later, he entered into a ‘marriage’ agreement with a lady who sponsored his immigration. His fresh application was also rejected by Canadian immigration officials as his ‘wife’ had also arrived in Canada in 1997 on sponsorship by a different ‘husband’. Nijjar appealed against the rejection in courts of Canada and was later granted Canadian citizenship.
Watch Canada’s inaction on Khalistan separatists, fugitive NRIs sparked diplomatic row with India
