Canadian police have arrested members of an alleged Indian hit squad believed to be tasked by the government of India with killing prominent Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, B.C. last June, according to sources close to the investigation. The suspects, identified as Indian citizens who arrived in Canada on temporary visas after 2021, were apprehended during police operations in at least two provinces on Friday.
Investigators have been actively monitoring the alleged hit squad members for several months, suspecting their involvement in Nijjar's killing at the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey.
The suspects are said to have played different roles, including shooters, drivers, and spotters during the coordinated attack.
Additionally, police are investigating possible links to three other murders in Canada, including the shooting death of an 11-year-old boy in Edmonton. None of the arrested individuals are believed to have pursued education while in Canada, and none have obtained permanent residency. They are alleged associates of a criminal group in India associated with notorious pro Hindutava right- wing Indian gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who has close ties with prominent politicians in India .
The arrest comes after Canadian officials informed representatives of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government last August about intelligence linking them to Nijjar's killing. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in a statement to the House of Commons on Sept. 18, 2023, condemned any involvement of a foreign government in the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil, calling it an unacceptable violation of sovereignty.
Indian officials, including Foreign Minister Jaishankar, have denied government involvement, stating that it is not India's policy. However, a U.S. indictment accused an unnamed Indian government employee of involvement in a murder-for-hire plot, prompting the Indian government to acknowledge involvement but claim the operatives were rogue.
The investigation into Nijjar's killing and possible government involvement is ongoing, with police expected to announce the arrests and share details of their investigation later Friday.