Who was Hardeep Nijjar? Sikh separatist leader mentioned by Trudeau in Canadian Parliament

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau levelled a massive allegation against India on Monday in connection with the killing of wanted Khalistani terrorist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, sparking fresh tensions between both nations. Addressing the Canadian Parliament, Trudeau said that India's government may have had links to the assassination in Canada of a Sikh activist. 

He added that Canadian intelligence agencies have been looking into the allegations after Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a strong supporter of an independent Sikh homeland known as Khalistan, was gunned down on June 18 outside a Sikh cultural centre in Surrey, British Columbia. The statement of the Canadian PM led to the expulsion of an Indian diplomat from Canada.

Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the chief of Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) and wanted by the Indian government, was shot dead in Canada's Surrey. He was gunned down by two armed men in Punjabi-dominated Surrey city of British Columbia province. 

Nijjar's ties with SFJ

Nijjar was associated with the separatist organisation, Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), which was banned under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for anti-India activities by the government of India in 2019. Taking cognisance of his several terrorist activities in Punjab, the Indian government had earlier asked Canadian officials to take action against him. 

Due to his association with violent activities, the Indian government officially labelled him as a 'wanted terrorist.' Nijjar's name prominently featured among the 40 individuals designated as terrorists in the government's most recent release in 2020. 

10 lakh reward on Nijjar

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh for any information that could lead to the apprehension of Nijjar in 2022. This stringent action against him, aimed at curbing his violent activities in India, was initiated following allegations of his involvement in a conspiracy to assassinate a priest in Punjab, which resulted in the filing of a chargesheet against him. Despite these developments, Nijjar had managed to elude the authorities.

Nijjar was a wanted fugitive in numerous cases, notably for his alleged involvement in the 2007 explosion that resulted in six fatalities and 42 injuries in Ludhiana, Punjab. Additionally, in 2010, the Punjab Police lodged a case against this Khalistani extremist, connecting him to a bomb blast near a temple in Patiala. Another wanted terrorist, Paramjit Singh Pamma, based in the UK, was identified as one of the primary suspects in that incident. A Look Out Circular (LOC) and a Red Corner Notice (RCN) were also issued against the Nijjar in 2015 and 2016.