Hundreds of individuals congregated outside the Consulate General of India office in Vancouver on Saturday for a rally. Sikh protesters and activists organized the gathering to express their concerns that the Indian government may be responsible for the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Nijjar, the president of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, was fatally shot on June 18. The Sikh community believes that this act of violence was predictable and unacceptable.
Jatinder Singh Grewal, director of Sikhs for Justice, stated that Nijjar had informed him about threats to his life from the RCMP and CSIS a week prior to his murder. Grewal further emphasized that Nijjar had no enemies except for his involvement in Khalistan activities. The group believes that the Indian government is responsible for labeling Nijjar as a terrorist without providing any evidence to warrant his extradition.
Global News attempted to reach out to the Consulate General of India in Vancouver for comment, but received no response. Gurpreet Singh, a radio host who interviewed Nijjar, revealed that Nijjar had been vocal about discreet threats against him. Singh criticized the law enforcement and CSIS for not doing enough to protect Nijjar, especially considering his public statements about being on a hit list.
In 2016, an Indian media report accused Nijjar of running a terror training camp in Mission, but the RCMP found no evidence to support these claims at the time. In 2018, India filed a First Information Report against Nijjar, alleging that he was planning a major terrorist attack in Punjab. Nijjar denied these accusations, stating that they were baseless and fabricated.
The investigation into Nijjar’s murder is ongoing, with police searching for two suspects described as heavier-set males wearing face coverings who fled the scene on foot. Police believe that the suspects may have had a vehicle waiting for them in the vicinity. The Sikh community in Surrey has been assured that there is no reason to believe they are at risk, as this was a targeted incident.
The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) is urging any witnesses or individuals with dashcam footage from the vicinity of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara parking lot on June 18 to come forward with information. IHIT will also investigate reports of prior threats against Nijjar, utilizing its resources and relationships with other intelligence and law enforcement agencies if necessary.
The World Sikh Organization of Canada has called for a full investigation into Nijjar’s killing, including potential foreign interference from India. Balpreet Singh, legal counsel for the organization, stated that it is crucial to determine who ordered the attack.
Anyone with information regarding the incident is urged to contact IHIT’s information line. Additionally, individuals seeking mental health support can reach out to Crisis Centre BC for confidential, non-judgmental assistance.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
