Three Indians have been detained by the Canadian police, who said on Friday that they believe were a part of the hit team that killed Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in the previous year.Following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s accusations of “Indian agents” playing a role in Nijjar’s murder last year, the killing had become the focal point of a diplomatic spat between India and Canada. The accusation was dismissed by India as “absurd” and “motivated”.
The three arrested Indians – Karan Brar, 22, Kamalpreet Singh, 22, Karanpreet Singh, 28 – were living as non-permanent residents in Alberta for three to five years, said Superintendent Mandeep Mooker, who leads the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team. The police have also released their photos.
They have been charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder, showed court documents.
“There are separate and distinct investigations ongoing into these matters, certainly not limited to the involvement of the people arrested today, and these efforts include investigating connections to the government of India,” CTV News quoted him as saying.
On June 18, 2023, Nijjar, a Canadian citizen wanted in India on a number of terror-related charges, was shot and killed outside a Surrey gurdwara. Later that year, a major dispute erupted over Trudeau’s accusation against India, leading to the expulsion of diplomats from both nations.