NEWS DESK (MNN); Sikh advocacy organisations in Canada have expressed serious concern over a newspaper report alleging that Indian consular officials in Vancouver were connected to the 2023 killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
The World Sikh Organization of Canada said it was “deeply disturbed” by a report published in The Globe and Mail, which claimed that Indian consular staff had provided information that helped facilitate Nijjar’s assassination.
Citing two unnamed sources from law enforcement and national security agencies, the newspaper reported that a visa officer at the Indian consulate in Vancouver — allegedly linked to India’s external intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) — gathered intelligence about Nijjar. The information was reportedly passed to another RAW officer in New Delhi, who then communicated with a criminal network known as the Bishnoi gang.
According to the report, a Canada-based member of the gang assisted in arranging Nijjar’s killing. He was shot dead outside a Sikh gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, in June 2023.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs and its consulate in Toronto did not immediately comment on the report. However, Periasamy Kumaran, a senior official in the ministry, rejected the allegations, stating that India “categorically denies involvement in transnational violence or organised crime.” He described the claims as politically motivated and lacking credible evidence.
The World Sikh Organization termed the allegations a “serious violation of Canadian sovereignty” and urged Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to ensure that the investigation extends beyond the suspected gunmen to those who allegedly directed the attack, including officials within the Government of India.
The appeal coincided with Carney’s visit to India, where he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi as part of efforts to diversify Canada’s trade partnerships amid tariff pressures from US President Donald Trump. The trip drew criticism from Sikh activists who accused the Canadian government of sidelining human rights concerns for economic interests.
The controversy resurfaced after a senior Canadian official suggested that India was no longer believed to be involved in violent incidents in Canada. Sikh groups rejected that assessment, citing continued threats against pro-Khalistan activists.
Nijjar, who served as president of the gurdwara where he was killed, was a prominent advocate of the Khalistan movement, which seeks an independent Sikh state in India’s Punjab region. Months after his death, former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau revealed that Canada was investigating credible allegations of a possible link between India and the killing, triggering a diplomatic rift between Ottawa and New Delhi.
India has consistently denied any role in Nijjar’s death and has accused Canada of failing to curb the activities of the Khalistan movement, which it considers a national security threat.
In 2024, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) confirmed it was probing alleged involvement of Indian government agents in serious criminal activities in Canada, including extortion and homicide. The RCMP also reported multiple credible threats against pro-Khalistan activists.
Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand said Canada and India would continue cooperation on national security and law enforcement matters. She noted that the Bishnoi gang has been designated as a terrorist organisation in Canada and that authorities are addressing foreign interference concerns.
However, Anand declined to comment specifically on the Nijjar case, citing the ongoing criminal proceedings. She emphasised that it would be inappropriate to discuss details while the investigation remains active.
