Who killed Hardeep Singh Nijjar? How Canada is one step closer to solving the murder

Khalistan terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was killed in Surrey, Canada in June. Now, six months later, it seems that the Canadian police are one step closer to arresting suspects involved in the murder.

A report by Canadian-based Globe and Mail has revealed that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) will apprehend two suspects in the murder of the Khalistani leader, whose death led to a diplomatic spat with India, within the next few weeks.

Reacting to the report, New Delhi has said it has assured Ottawa that it will “look into” whatever “specific and relevant information” is shared related to the investigation.

Here’s what we know of the investigations so far.

Canadian investigation in Nijjar murder

Canadian authorities are one step closer to arresting those involved in the murder of Khalistan leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Nijjar, 45, was murdered on 18 June outside a Sikh temple in Canada’s Surrey when he was shot multiple times in a gangland-style slaying.

Also read: Who killed Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar? The new ISI link, revealed

Months later, a Washington Post investigation had revealed that Nijjar had been killed in a coordinated attack by at least six men who arrived in two vehicles outside the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara. According to the report, two of the attackers had fired roughly 50 bullets, of which 34 hit Nijjar, killing him. Bystanders at the scene had then described the two men as running away on foot, reaching a waiting car, which was later described by the police as a 2008 Toyota Camry, that spirited them away.

And now, the Globe and Mail citing sources has said that the two men involved in the murder plot are under police surveillance and will be arrested in a matter of weeks. According to the daily, the two had never left the country and were in hiding all this time. However, officials had found them and were keeping close tabs on their movement.

Furthermore, on their arrest, the police will explain the alleged assassins’ involvement as well as that of the Indian government when charges are framed.

Nijjar killing and the diplomatic fallout

Nijjar’s killing in June led to diplomatic fallout between India and Canada when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in September stood up in Canadian parliament and accused the government of India of being behind the brazen shooting of Nijjar, a Canadian citizen.

India vehemently and repeatedly has denied the allegations, calling them absurd and has even asked Ottawa to share evidence on the matter. The accusation led to a series of unfortunate events; the suspension of free-trade discussions and a business trade mission by Ottawa. It also led to India suspending visa services for Canadians (it was later restored in November), and New Delhi revoking diplomatic protections for 41 Canadian diplomats in India.

India also accused the Canadian government of continuing to be soft on Khalistani elements, which have vandalised Hindu temples in Canada. Moreover, they have had a tableau depicting Indira Gandhi’s assassination and glorifying her killers in a procession at Brampton.

In November, Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma had also said that India had been “convicted” even before the investigation into the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. In an interview to CTV channel, he had said, “There are two points on that. One is that, even without the investigation being concluded, India was convicted. Is that a rule of law?

“If you look at the typical criminal terminology, when someone asks to cooperate, it means you have already been convicted and you better cooperate. So, we took it in a very different interpretation. But, we have always said that if there is anything very specific and relevant, and communicated to us. We will look into it,” the Indian envoy added.

However, Canada’s claims were bolstered in November when the United States announced that they had foiled a plan to kill a Canadian-Sikh activist, who was later identified to be Sikhs for Justice leader, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

An indictment in New York stated that Nikhil Gupta, who is now in a Czech prison, had allegedly arranged for the murder of Pannun. As per the indictment, Gupta had been recruited by an Indian government official to “orchestrate the assassination” of Pannun. US prosecutors alleged that this official paid a hitman $10,000 to kill Pannun in a deal that was brokered by Gupta.

India had then said that it was looking into the matter and as recently as 20 December, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an interview to Financial Times said, “If someone gives us any information, we would definitely look into it,” adding, “If a citizen of ours has done anything good or bad, we are ready to look into it. Our commitment is to the rule of law.”

India’s latest reaction

Reacting to the Globe and Mail report, India’s High Commissioner to Ottawa Sanjay Kumar Verma was quoted as telling the Hindustan Times, “We still don’t have any information on that so I’ll wait till the time the information is shared. But what we have been assuring at all levels is that if there is anything specific and relevant, we shall look into it. So, we’ll wait till the time the Canadian authorities approach us and share with us the information that they have and then we will evaluate the information and look into things.”

With inputs from agencies