Hardeep Singh Nijjar trained youth to attack India : Intelligence sources

Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar who was killed at a parking lot in Canada in June, was involved in funding terror activities and was training youth to attack India, said sources. The killing has led to a major diplomatic row between India and Canada. This is because Canada’s PM Justin Trudeau pointed to “potential” involvement of Indian agents in Nijjar’s killing. The Indian government however has categorically denied all such charges.

Nijjar was a close aide of Gurdeep Singh alias Deepa Heranwala, who was involved in the killing of around 2000 people in Punjab in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Heranwala was a member of the Khalistan Commando Force which was a banned organisation. 

Nijjar had escaped to Canada in 1996 fearing arrest by the police. Once he reached Canada he got involved in drug smuggling and extortion to fund terrorist activities, said sources. He was also involved in training young people in terror camps to prepare them for attacks in India. These camps were being run in British Columbia. 

He was gunned down in a parking lot of a Gurdwara in British Columbia in June 2023.

Nijjar becomes chief of Khalistan Tiger Force

As time passed, Nijjar became the ‘Operation Chief’ of the Khalistan Tiger Force, the KTF which was also a banned terror group. In 2012 he travelled to Pakistan and met Jagtar Singh Tara who was the chief of Babbar Khalsa International, another banned terror group. 

Tara helped him with arms and trained him in assembling IED. He also sent US-based Harjot Singh Birring to Canada to train Nijjar in operating hand-held GPS device. In return Nijjar sent Tara 1 million Pakistani rupees. 

In 2014, Nijjar planned an attack on Dera Sacha Sauda headquarters in Haryana’s Sirsa. But his plan failed as he could not get an Indian visa. This attack was planned on directions of Tara, said sources. 

In 2020, the India government accused Nijjar of being involved in “operationalising, networking, training and financing” KTF members.

Nijjar in 2021 became the president of the local gurdwara in Surrey in Canada. But it is alleged that he took up this position  after forcibly deposing his cousin, Raghbir Singh Nijjar, the incumbent. He reportedly threatened his cousin. 

Nijjar was also the head of the Canada chapter of Sikhs For Justice, another banned terrorist organisation.

NIA case against Nijjar

The National Investigation Agency registered several cases against Nijjar. An Interpol Red Corner Notice was also issued against him for raising a terror module in Canada. This module also involved Khalistani separatist Mandeep Singh Dhaliwal. 

Canada however never complied with India’s demand to extradite Nijjar. 

Advisory for Indians in Canada

In view of the increasing tensions between India and Canada, the Indian government has advised all its nationals living in Canada and those contemplating travelling there to exercise “utmost caution” in view of growing anti-India activities and “politically-condoned” hate crimes as well as “criminal violence” in that country.