NIA chargesheets 5th accused with Canada link in terror killing of Hindu priest in Punjab

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a supplementary ‘challan’ in the designated court at Mohali in the case of the targeted killing of a Hindu priest by terrorists in Phillaur tehsil of Jalandhar district in January 2021.

The anti-terror agency has in its charge sheet named one Gagandeep Singh alias Gaggu resident of Meerut, Uttar Pradesh who is a member of banned Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) led by Canada-based Hardeep Nijjar. Gaggu, on the instructions of Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh, an associate of Nijjar, extended help to other assailants in executing the plan for the targeted killing.

Gaggu was the supplier of arms and ammunition to the gang members who were charge-sheeted in July 2022. Those charge-sheeted earlier were Kamalpreet Sharma and Ram Singh besides Canada-based masterminds Hardeep Nijjar and Arshdeep Singh Arsh.

The KTF wanted to disturb the communal harmony in Punjab by targeting a Hindu priest, Kamaldeep Sharma. He was shot and injured but later he succumbed to his injuries.

Nijjar and Arsh have been declared as proclaimed offenders since they could not be arrested as they are residing in Canada. The NIA has announced an award of Rs 10 lakh on the head of Nijjar. A red corner notice has been issued asking Interpol to arrest Nijjar who heads the management of a Gurdwara in Surrey, BC, Canada.

It is common knowledge that Nijjar and Arsh move around freely in Canada carrying out their daily anti-India activities but still Interpol is unable to arrest them.

The 2 key founders-cum-directors of KTF are also wanted by the Punjab police in several cases of terrorism and supplying arms and ammunition to their gang members. In 2020, Nijjar in association with Arshdeep Singh Arsh who originally hailed from Moga raised a four-member KTF module in Punjab. The module succeeded in killing Manohar Lal, a Dera Sacha Sauda follower in Bhagta Baika village in Bathinda district on November 20, 2020.

They also killed Shakti Singh, a resident of village Dagu Romana in Faridkot district, in July 2021, and Tejinder Pinka, owner of Sunshine Cloth Store in Moga on July 14, 2021. Three members of the module were arrested with arms and ammunition and are in jail now facing trial.

Also Read: Punjab police seeks extradition of Canada-based Khalistani Hardeep Nijjar