Three Indian Men Charged with Murder of Sikh Leader in British Columbia: Diplomatic Tensions Continue
Three Indian men have appeared in court in Canada, charged with the first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia.
The arrests and charges came after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated there were "credible allegations" of Indian involvement.
The investigation into any potential ties to the Indian government is ongoing.
Nijjar, 45, was shot and killed last June outside the Sikh temple he led.
A Canadian man of Indian origin, who owned a plumbing business and was a prominent figure in the movement for a Sikh homeland, was designated as a terrorist by India in 2020.
He was wanted by India for his alleged involvement in an attack on a Hindu priest.
India denied any involvement in the man's killing.
In response to India's allegations, India asked Canada to expel 41 of its diplomats from the country.
Tensions between the two countries have since eased somewhat.
Three men, Kamalpreet Singh (22), Karan Brar (22), and Karanpreet Singh (28), appeared in court in Canada on Tuesday via video link and agreed to a trial in English.
They were ordered to appear in court again on May 21.
Two suspects, Brar and Kamalpreet Singh, appeared in court in the morning, while Kamalpreet's appearance was delayed until the afternoon to speak to a lawyer.
The courtroom was crowded with spectators, and some watched via video in an overflow room.
Defense lawyer Richard Fowler stated that the case would eventually be moved to the Supreme Court and combined with another.
Approximately 100 people protested outside the courthouse, waving yellow flags and holding photos of Indian government officials they accused of involvement in a killing.
The three suspects had been living in Canada as non-permanent residents.
In the 1970s and 1980s, a violent Sikh insurgency took place in north India, leading to a decade-long conflict that resulted in thousands of deaths, including that of prominent Sikh leaders.
The Khalistan homeland movement, which aimed for a separate Sikh state, has since lost political power but still has supporters in Punjab, India, and among the large Sikh diaspora.
Despite the end of the active insurgency, the Indian government continues to warn of Sikh separatist attempts to regain power.
The investigation into any potential ties to the Indian government is ongoing.
Nijjar, 45, was shot and killed last June outside the Sikh temple he led.
A Canadian man of Indian origin, who owned a plumbing business and was a prominent figure in the movement for a Sikh homeland, was designated as a terrorist by India in 2020.
He was wanted by India for his alleged involvement in an attack on a Hindu priest.
India denied any involvement in the man's killing.
In response to India's allegations, India asked Canada to expel 41 of its diplomats from the country.
Tensions between the two countries have since eased somewhat.
Three men, Kamalpreet Singh (22), Karan Brar (22), and Karanpreet Singh (28), appeared in court in Canada on Tuesday via video link and agreed to a trial in English.
They were ordered to appear in court again on May 21.
Two suspects, Brar and Kamalpreet Singh, appeared in court in the morning, while Kamalpreet's appearance was delayed until the afternoon to speak to a lawyer.
The courtroom was crowded with spectators, and some watched via video in an overflow room.
Defense lawyer Richard Fowler stated that the case would eventually be moved to the Supreme Court and combined with another.
Approximately 100 people protested outside the courthouse, waving yellow flags and holding photos of Indian government officials they accused of involvement in a killing.
The three suspects had been living in Canada as non-permanent residents.
In the 1970s and 1980s, a violent Sikh insurgency took place in north India, leading to a decade-long conflict that resulted in thousands of deaths, including that of prominent Sikh leaders.
The Khalistan homeland movement, which aimed for a separate Sikh state, has since lost political power but still has supporters in Punjab, India, and among the large Sikh diaspora.
Despite the end of the active insurgency, the Indian government continues to warn of Sikh separatist attempts to regain power.
Translation:
Translated by AI
