Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, gunned down on the premises of a gurdwara in Canada’s Surrey last year, was a top Khalistan Tiger Force commando and key to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s campaign to sustain his Sikh support in his home country.
According to intelligence sources, Trudeau started the “Khalistan narrative” well in time for the elections next year and Nijjar’s profile is ideal to keep the pot boiling. This is another proof he is playing with pro-Khalistan elements and Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), they said.
The top sources said there are several cases against Nijjar in various terror activities, and his extradition was sought many times, not only recently but even in the past. A ‘lookout circular’ was issued against him in 2015 followed by a ‘red corner notice’ in 2016.
He started with the Babbar Khalsa International and later made his own organisation, Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF). His main job was to identify youngsters born after 1984 and radicalise them to be used for terror activities, the sources said.
There are more than 10 FIRs pending against him in Punjab, and those registered by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Here is all you need to know:
- In 2014, he allegedly masterminded the attempted assassination of Dalit religious leader Baba Bhaniara.
- In December 2015, he reportedly organised an arms training camp in Canada’s Mission Hills, British Columbia.
- In 2016, he trained and sent a man identified as Mandeep Singh Dhaliwal to kill RSS leaders. Dhaliwal received training to use AK-47 assault rifles, sniper rifles and pistols. He was sent to Punjab in January 2016 to carry out targeted killings, but was arrested in June before he could execute the plan. In his testimony, he has disclosed how Nijjar gave him arms training in Canada.
- According to the Punjab police dossier, in 2020, Nijjar in association with alleged gangster Arshdeep Singh Dalla of Moga (now hiding in Canada) raised a four-member KTF module in the state. With Dalla’s help, he killed Manohar Lal.
- In January 2021, they attempted an attack on Hindu priest Pragya Gyan Muni. Later, they tried to kill Shakti Singh, accused in a sacrilege case.
- He is accused of sending tiffin bombs with Dalla’s help for nationwide attacks. These were recovered.
- According to intelligence agencies, he was closely working with Pannun and providing him support in carrying out terror activities.
- Main cases against him are waging war against the country and reviving terrorism. He was declared a ‘designated terrorist’ in 2020.
- The NIA has highlighted Nijjar’s anti-India activities in Canada. He is suspected to be behind the killing of a Sikh leader Ripudaman Singh Mallik in Surrey on July 14.
- The NIA dossier said to reach the truth of Mallik’s murder, the Canadian police need to thoroughly interrogate Nijjar and his associates.
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