Canada's Parliament marked the one-year anniversary of the Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar's death by holding a moment of silence in the House of Commons on Tuesday.
Nijjar, the chief of Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), was killed in a targeted shooting in Canada's Surrey, outside British Columbia's Gurudwara, on June 18 last year. His name was on the list released by the Indian government with 40 other 'designated terrorists'.
Four Indian nationals, including Karan Brar, Amandeep Singh, Kamalpreet Singh, and Karanpreet Singh, are accused of killing Nijjar.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar's murder, in which Canada claimed the Indian government's role, has been a thorn in bilateral ties.
However, earlier this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Italy. Speaking about the meeting, Trudeau said that he sees an "opportunity" to engage with the new government, including economic ties, and national security.
WHO WAS HARDEEP SINGH NIJJAR?
After moving to Canada in 1997 under a fake passport, Nijjar's refugee claim was rejected, following which he married a woman who sponsored him for immigration, which too was rejected, the Global reported.
However, soon after his death, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called him a Canadian national in Parliament.
Nijjar, according to the security agencies, was actively recruiting and training people for KTF, a banned terrorist organisation. He was also a part of the separatist outfit Sikhs of Justice, which held a Khalistan referendum on September 10.
Over the years, India has several times conveyed its concern regarding Nijjar's activities. In 2018, ex-Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh gave a list of wanted persons to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau with Nijjar's name on it.
In 2022, the Punjab police sought Nijjar's extradition as he was wanted in cases of spreading terrorism in the state.
He was wanted in various cases, including the 2017 Ludhiana blast, which claimed the lives of six people and left 42 injured.
Earlier, the Punjab police registered a case against Nijjar for his alleged role in the bomb blast near a temple in Patiala.
