Canadian police have arrested three members of an alleged hit team for their role in the assassination of Sikh activist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
This is the first arrest in a high-profile killing which officials believe was masterminded by India.
The arrest, first reported by the Canadian news agency, comes nearly a year after the prominent activist was killed.
Nijjar was fatally shot on June 18, 2023, outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, a city in Canada’s westernmost province of British Columbia, spurring widespread condemnation.
According to court documents, Karanpreet Singh, Kamalpreet Singh and Karan Brar have been charged with first-degree murder and one count of conspiracy to commit murder in Nijjar’s death.
“Sources said investigators identified the alleged hit squad members in Canada some months ago and have been keeping them under tight surveillance,” the Canadian broadcaster said.
The men arrested on Friday, May 3, 2024, are reportedly Indian citizens who came to Canada after 2021 and some used student visas.
It was reported that none pursued education while in in the country and none have permanent residency.
Investigators say that the group could also be tied to three other murders in Canada, including the “sick and twisted” killing of an 11-year-old boy in the city of Edmonton.
Members of the group, alleged to be the gunmen and drivers responsible for the brazen 18 June killing of Nijjar, were arrested in police raids in at least two provinces.
Court documents naming the individuals say that the conspiracy to murder Nijjar took place from May 1 to June 18 last year, at or near Surrey and Edmonton.
In September, 2023, Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, told parliament that his government had “credible allegations” that India was behind the killing, calling the death of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil an “unacceptable violation of our sovereignty.”
India has denied direct involvement in the killing of Nijjar.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has long faced allegations of targeting political opponents, journalists and religious minorities, including Muslims and Sikhs, in what rights groups have said is an ongoing effort to stifle dissent.
However, the fallout from Nijjar’s murder has chilled relations between Canada and India and exposed what officials say is a transnational campaign of violence by India, meant to target dissidents abroad.
Ongoing Police Operation
Asked to comment on Friday’s reports that arrests were made in the case, Canada’s Public Safety Minister, Dominic LeBlanc referred reporters’ questions to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
“You’ll understand that the developments with respect to the murder of a Canadian citizen, Mr Nijjar, are part of an ongoing police operation,” LeBlanc stated.
“This operation started today. It is still an active police operation,” he added.
Meanwhile, Nijjar’s killing continues to raise questions around allegations of Indian foreign interference, particularly within Sikh diaspora communities in Canada, the United States and other countries.
Reacting to the news, B.C. Gurdwaras Council Spokesperson, Moninder Singh, said, “After 10 months of waiting for the family and the community, it’s a very positive step.”
He noted, “We’ve been waiting for this day to better understand what has been happening.”
Singh stated that he was told by police that the three men arrested are all Indian nationals living in Edmonton.
“There’s some relief but there are a lot of questions still, particularly around … who ordered [the killing], where does this connect back to India and who was involved,” Singh added.
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