India accused Canada on Monday of targeting its diplomats as “persons of interest” in the investigation into the 2023 killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh separatist leader. The incident has fueled diplomatic tensions since Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed there were “credible allegations” implicating Indian intelligence in Nijjar’s murder.
Nijjar, a Canadian citizen and advocate for the creation of Khalistan—a proposed Sikh state in India—was shot dead in June 2023 at a Sikh temple parking lot in Vancouver. The Indian government dismissed accusations of its involvement as “preposterous,” alleging that Canada was using the situation for political purposes.
India’s foreign ministry said it received a diplomatic communication suggesting that the Indian high commissioner and other diplomats were considered “persons of interest” in the ongoing probe. The ministry warned of potential further actions in response to what it described as attempts by Canada to “concoct allegations” against its diplomats.
The dispute has already led to the reduction of visas for Canadian citizens and demands for the withdrawal of Canadian diplomats from India. Four Indian nationals have been arrested in connection with Nijjar’s murder.
Canada has a significant Sikh population, estimated at 770,000, with some members advocating for an independent Khalistan. The situation escalated further in November 2023 when the U.S. Justice Department charged an Indian citizen with allegedly plotting a similar assassination on American soil, involving an Indian official.
