In the case of a top Sikh separatist's murder in Canada, the police have reportedly identified three individuals for arrest and prosecution, sparking diplomatic tensions between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Indian government. The police have identified these three accused as Karanpreet Singh, Kamalpreet Singh, and Karan Brar, who allegedly collaborated to carry out the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a vocal advocate for Khalistan, a separate Sikh homeland.
The suspects' suspected ties to the Indian government are under investigation, further straining the already strained diplomatic relations between Canada and India, according to Canadian authorities. Prime Minister Trudeau blamed the Indian government for the shooting of Canadian national Nijjar outside a Sikh temple in British Columbia last June, an accusation the Indian government vehemently denied.
The diplomatic expulsions between the two countries followed Trudeau's pronouncement. In a separate case, US officials accused the Indian government of conspiring to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a known Sikh separatist, on US soil, while investigations continue into Nijjar's killing.
What happened in Nijjar's assassination has sent waves of chilling effects across the community of Sikh activists worldwide, who now have growing fears for their own safety. Dr. Pritpal Singh, an American Sikh leader, also applauded the Canadian police for their efforts in pursuing justice, asserting that the community will not succumb to fear and will persistently pursue justice for any such unacceptable act.
