2023-09-18 22:27:00
(CNN) — There are “credible accusations” linking the Government of India to the murder of a Canadian citizen and prominent Sikh leader, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau denounced this Monday.
“Over the past few weeks, Canadian security agencies have been actively seeking credible allegations of a possible link between agents of the Government of India and the murder of a Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar,” Trudeau said. He then added that his government would take all necessary measures “to hold the perpetrators of this murder accountable.”
Nijjar was a prominent Sikh leader in the province of British Columbia. According to local police, he died in June when two masked men shot him in his truck outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia.
His death shocked and outraged Canada’s large Sikh community, which now numbers hundreds of thousands of members.
India labeled Niijar a terrorist threat several years ago, labeling him as part of a separatist movement from Sikhism.
“Canada has expressed its deep concerns to the highest intelligence and security officials of the Government of India. Last week, at the G20, I expressed them personally and directly to Prime Minister Modi in unequivocal terms. Any involvement of a foreign government in “The murder of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil is an unacceptable violation of our sovereignty,” Trudeau said during his speech in Parliament, calling it an “extremely serious matter.”
Police in Canada have not arrested anyone in connection with Niijar’s murder, but in an update in August, authorities issued a statement saying they were now investigating three possible suspects and released the description of a possible getaway vehicle, asking the help of the public.
CNN contacted the Indian High Commission in Ottawa for comment but has not received a response.
Canada expels diplomat from India
Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly confirmed this Monday that her government expelled a senior Indian diplomat from Canada as a “consequence” of credible allegations regarding Nijjar’s murder.
“Today we acted by expelling a key diplomat, but we will get to the bottom of the matter,” Minister Joly said at a briefing with reporters in Ottawa on Monday.
Joly confirmed that the expelled diplomat was the head of the Indian intelligence agency in Canada.
He also revealed that Trudeau raised this issue with both US President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Canadian ministers have asked their Indian counterparts to cooperate with the investigation.
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