Nijjar killing: A timeline of the murder case as Canadian police arrests three Indian nationals

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The Canadian police on Friday arrested three Indian nationals in connection with the killing of Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The police authorities claimed that the investigation has not concluded yet and “others” played a role in the homicide.

The three accused arrested in the murder case of the Khalistani separatist have been identified as Karan Brar, 22, Kamalpreet Singh, 22, and Karanpreet Singh, 28, according to reports.

They were residing in Edmonton and have been charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit the crime, PTI reported.

They are believed to be members of an alleged hit squad. Nijjar, 45, a Canadian citizen was murdered outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18 last year.

The three of them were arrested on Friday morning by Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) investigators, with the help of members from the British Columbia and Alberta Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Edmonton Police Service.

In September last year, ties between India and Canada came under severe strain after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau‘s allegations of the “potential” involvement of Indian agents in Nijjar’s killing. However, India dismissed his charges as “absurd” and “motivated.”

Here’s a complete timeline of major events that led to the arrests in the case:

June 18, 2023: Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, a Vancouver suburb known for its large Sikh population. The Canadian citizen had been advocating for the establishment of a separate Sikh homeland.

September 1, 2023: Canada unexpectedly announced it had paused talks on a proposed trade treaty with India. The decision came hardly three months after the two nations expressed their intentions to seal an initial agreement within the year.

September 10, 2023: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Justin Trudeau on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in New Delhi. He conveyed the country’s strong concerns about continuing anti-India activities of extremist elements in Canada.

September 18, 2023: Justin Trudeau told the House of Commons that the country was “actively pursuing credible allegations” linking the government of India’s agents to the killing of Nijjar.

September 19, 2023: India officially dismissed Justin Trudeau’s assertion as “absurd”. During the same period, both the countries expelled diplomats in retaliatory actions. While Canada removed India’s top intelligence officer, India expelled the Canadian counterpart.

September 22, 2023: India suspends issuance of new visas for Canadians. Further, it requests Ottawa to decrease its diplomatic representation in the country. India resumed issuing visas after two months.

October 19, 2023: Canada’s foreign minister said the country recalled 41 of its diplomats from India as the government said it would revoke their diplomatic immunity.

October 29, 2023: Thousands of Sikhs gather in Surrey at the same gurdwara where Nijjar was killed. They participated in an unofficial referendum related to the establishment of an independent Sikh state.

November 21, 2023: India’s anti-terror agency files case against Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. It stated that Pannun had warned Air India passengers in video messages shared extensively on social media platforms that their lives were in danger.

November 22, 2023: A senior official from the Joe Biden-led administration in the US claimed that the authorities had foiled a plot to assassinate Pannun within the country.

February 5, 2024: The Indian High Commissioner in an interview with Canada’s Globe and Mail newspaper noted that New Delhi will not provide information to the Canadian investigators regarding Nijjar’s killing until the country shares evidence.

April 30, 2024: The White House called a Washington Post report a serious matter. It had suggested that an officer from India’s intelligence service played a direct role in the Nijjar murder case and the failed attempt to kill Pannun in the United States.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow