Surrey- Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canada-based pro-Khalistan leader declared a ‘wanted terrorist’ by the Indian government, was fatally shot by two unidentified gunmen in the parking lot of Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia. Nijjar, the gurdwara president, had affiliations with the banned separatist organisation Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) and played a prominent role in organising the Khalistan referendum in Brampton City.
About a conspiracy to murder a Hindu priest in Jalandhar, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) accused Nijjar last year. He was also wanted in various cases related to reviving terrorism in Punjab. The Indian government had urged Canadian authorities to take action against him.
Nijjar had been designated as an ‘individual terrorist’ by India’s Ministry of Home Affairs. The NIA stated that he was actively involved in recruiting, training, financing, and operating pro-Khalistan terrorist modules, spreading hatred and making inflammatory speeches on social media platforms.
This incident comes after the Punjab Police had sought Nijjar’s extradition, and a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh had been announced for the chief of the pro-Khalistani outfit Khalistan Tiger Force. Nijjar had also been accused of the murder of Ripudaman Singh Malik, who was acquitted in the 1985 Air India terrorist bombing case.
The shooting of Hardeep Singh Nijjar highlights the ongoing tensions surrounding the issue of Khalistan and its proponents, both within India and abroad.