Big blow to Khalistani separatism as terrorist Nijjar is gunned down in Canada

Yet another wanted Khalistani terrorist was gunned down today. Notorious radical separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was killed in a targeted shooting in Surrey city of British Columbia province in Canada last night. Nijjar, head of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara Sahib and chief of the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), was shot dead by two unidentified youths within the Gurdwara premises. Though investigation details are yet to emerge, highly placed sources claim that two youths have been apprehended by local police. As the news of Nijjar’s killing spread, hundreds of his followers reached the crime spot and raised anti-India slogans.

Interestingly, three prominent pro-Khalistan faces have died in around a month. First, Khalistan Commando Force chief Paramjit Singh Panjwar was shot dead in Pakistan, now KTF chief Hardeep Nijjar shot dead in Canada. Last week, Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) chief Avtar Singh Khanda died in a hospital owing to oncological complications. Interestingly the Khalistani circles have been abuzz with accusations of Nijjar being allegedly behind the ‘mysterious poisoning’ of Khanda and the Canadian police is probing these reports of rivalry suspecting his elimination to be revenge killing. Nijjar was also named as a suspect in the elimination of Sikh leader Ripudaman Malik in 2022.

46 year old Nijjar hailed from Bhar Singh Pura village in Jalandhar and was based out of Canada for decades. He was declared a wanted terrorist by the Indian government with a reward of Rs 10 lakhs attached to information leading to his arrest. Nijjar was the chief of the KTF and was also the director of banned terrorist outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ). He had played a key role in organising the Khalistan referendum in Brampton city.

He had recently visited Australia for referendum voting. Nijjar appeared in the 2018 list of wanted terrorists which was handed over for action by then Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh to Canadian PM Justin Trudeau. Nijjar, according to NIA, was actively involved in operationalising, networking, training, and financing Khalistanis across the globe. NIA had recently filed a chargesheet in a case against him .He  was also facing charges in various cases registered and being investigated by the Punjab Police, leading to a red corner notice being issued against him.

Nijjar rose in notoriety after he visited Pakistan in 2013-14 to meet with Jagtar Singh Tara of KTF, who was arrested from Thailand in 2015, and Pakistan’s ISI. He also organized a training camp for Khalistani militants in Missigen Hills in British Columbia in December 2015 in which small arms training was imparted. Nijjar was actively involved in training KTF militants and operationalizing them in India.Some reports also indicate that Nijjar along with another Canadian resident, Mandeep Singh was working to revive Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) by injecting funds into the organization.

Also read : NIA’s crackdown on Khalistan Tiger Force, raids in Punjab and Haryana