Canada Receives List of 7 Indian-Origin Punjab Gangsters for Extradition

Canada has received a list of 7 Indian-origin Punjab gangsters from India for extradition, allegedly linked to the Khalistan movement. One of the individuals on the list is Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian-Sikh separatist leader who was shot and killed in June 2023 in British Columbia. Nijjar was a prominent figure in the Khalistan movement, which calls for an independent Sikh state.

Why this matters: This extradition request highlights the ongoing tensions between India and Canada over the Khalistan movement, which has significant implications for international relations and global security. The allegations of Indian government involvement in Nijjar's killing also raise concerns about state-sponsored violence and its potential consequences for human rights and democracy.

The Indian government accused Nijjar of being a criminal and terrorist affiliated with the militant Khalistan Tiger Force, while Sikh organizations viewed him as a human rights activist. Nijjar was killed in a parking lot of a Sikh temple in British Columbia, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated that "Canadian intelligence agencies were pursuing credible allegations of a potential link between Indian government agents and the assassination of Nijjar."

Three people have been arrested in connection with Nijjar's killing, allegedly members of a hit squad that killed him on the orders of the Indian Government. The Indian government has denied involvement in the killing and expelled a top Canadian diplomat in a tit-for-tat move.

Nijjar was born in India in 1977 and migrated to Canada in the mid-1990s. He was arrested in India in 1995 amidst a crackdown on an armed insurgency in Punjab and later arrived in Canada using a fraudulent passport. Nijjar became a Canadian citizen in 2007 and operated a plumbing business in Surrey, British Columbia. He was a leader of the local Sikh community and became the president of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey in 2018.

Nijjar was a key figure in the Khalistan Referendum 2020 campaign and advocated for peaceful means to create an independent Sikh state. In 2012, he circulated petitions calling on the United Nations to recognize anti-Sikh violence in India in 1984 as a genocide. In 2019, Nijjar became an advocate of Sikh separatism and organized an unofficial referendum among the Sikh diaspora.

The extradition request from India for the 7 Indian-origin Punjab gangsters, including the now deceased Nijjar, highlights the ongoing tensions between India and Canada over the Khalistan movement. The arrests made in May 2024 of three individuals allegedly linked to Nijjar's killing, and Prime Minister Trudeau's statement about pursuing allegations of Indian government involvement, underscore the complex and sensitive nature of this case that spansinternational borders.

Key Takeaways

• Canada receives extradition request from India for 7 Punjab gangsters linked to Khalistan movement.
• Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian-Sikh separatist leader, was killed in June 2023 in British Columbia.
• India accused Nijjar of being a criminal and terrorist, while Sikh organizations viewed him as a human rights activist.
• Three people arrested in connection with Nijjar's killing, allegedly on orders of Indian Government.
• Extradition request highlights ongoing tensions between India and Canada over Khalistan movement.