Three young men have been arrested and charged with the murder of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Nijjar, 45, was shot to death in the parking lot of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, Canada, last June. Police announced in a press conference Friday, May 3, that they had arrested the three men in connection with Nijjar’s death, CNN reports. Court filings identified the suspects as Karanpreet Singh, Kamalpreet Singh, and Karan Brar.
All three suspects are Indian nationals and non-permanent residents of Canada. They have been charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
“We’re investigating their ties, if any, to the Indian government,” Mandeep Mooker, a Royal Canadian Mounted Police superintendent, said during the press conference, according to Reuters.
The suspects were arrested in Edmonton, Alberta, a province in Canada, where they were living. According to BBC, police say they have been living in Canada for 3 to 5 years.
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Nijjar was a prominent leader within the Sikh community in Surrey and a strong supporter of the Khalistan movement. The movement calls for an independent Sikh state in Punjab, a northern region in India.
Many within the Khalistan movement believe Nijjar was murdered for his activism.
“We welcome the arrests but this does lead to a lot more questions,” Balpreet Singh, legal counsel and spokesperson for the Canada-based World Sikh Organization advocacy group, told Reuters.
“Those who have been arrested are part of a hit squad but it’s clear that they were directed,” he added.
Sikh activists have questioned the role the Indian government may have played in Nijjar’s death. Three months after Nijjar’s killing, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau formally accused India of being involved.
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