Title: Canadian Sikh Separatist Leader’s Assassination Reveals Organized Operation
Subtitle: Authorities investigate credible allegations of Indian government involvement
Date: [Date]
SURREY, British Columbia — New details have emerged regarding the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the Sikh separatist leader who was killed outside his place of worship on June 18. Video evidence reviewed by The Washington Post and witness accounts suggest a larger and more organized operation than initially reported, involving at least six men and two vehicles.
Members of the local Sikh community claim that authorities have not provided them with sufficient information regarding the investigation. Police were slow to arrive at the scene, and disagreement between agencies led to further delays. Several neighbors residing near the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara assert that investigators have failed to reach out for information or request security footage.
In a startling revelation, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau informed the House of Commons last week that authorities were pursuing “credible allegations” pointing to the involvement of agents from the Indian government in Nijjar’s killing. The allegations were based, in part, on intelligence gathered by one of Canada’s partners in the Five Eyes alliance.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, 45, was the president of the gurdwara and a prominent figure in the Khalistan movement, seeking to establish an independent Sikh state in the Punjab region of India. He had been receiving death threats, according to his family. The Khalistan movement is considered unlawful in India, and Nijjar himself was labeled a “fugitive terrorist” by India’s National Investigation Agency in July 2022. However, the Indian government, led by Narendra Modi, strongly denies any involvement in Nijjar’s death, dismissing Trudeau’s comments as an attempt to distract attention from Canada harboring individuals viewed as terrorists by India.
The incident was captured by a gurdwara security camera, with the video shared with investigators. Based on a 90-second recording reviewed by The Washington Post, Nijjar’s gray pickup truck is seen leaving a parking space, followed by a white sedan that pulls up alongside it. The vehicles drive side by side for a while before the sedan strategically blocks the truck’s path. Two individuals wearing hooded sweatshirts then emerge from a covered area, aiming firearms at the truck’s driver. After the assailants flee, witnesses report finding Nijjar with 34 gunshot wounds.
Eyewitnesses reveal that it took between 12 and 20 minutes for the first police officers to arrive, which community members find shocking, given the area’s regular police presence. A delay allegedly occurred due to a dispute between the Surrey police and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) regarding who should lead the investigation.
Authorities have launched public appeals to identify the two gunmen involved in the attack and a silver 2008 Toyota Camry used in the getaway. However, many businesses and residents along the escape route claim they have not been contacted by investigators. Additional witnesses have reported seeing a white sedan and two unidentified individuals waiting in a silver car, although these details have not been publicly addressed by authorities.
There are growing concerns among community members about the lack of protection provided to Nijjar leading up to the assassination and the subsequent lack of information shared by authorities. His son, Balraj Singh Nijjar, recalls his father’s request for increased police surveillance around the gurdwara, which seemingly went unaddressed.
Canadian authorities have relied on intelligence, including intercepted communications of Indian diplomats, to support their claims of Indian government involvement, according to reports. Nijjar’s mechanic found a tracker in his truck’s wheel well, underscoring the security threats faced by members of the Sikh community. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service and federal authorities have not commented on whether they have shared this information with local authorities.
Yet, following Prime Minister Trudeau’s announcement, community members are hopeful that progress will be made in uncovering the truth. Malkit Singh, a witness to the incident, expressed renewed faith in the investigation and hopes for answers about Nijjar’s assassination.
Contributors to this report: Jasminder Singh, Amanda Coletta, Sarah Cahlan, Jan Ludwig, and Jon Swaine.