Canadian law enforcement officials have charged two teenagers in connection with a shooting incident targeting the residence of an associate of pro-Khalistan figure Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was killed in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Surrey detachment announced on Tuesday that investigators have not found any links to foreign interference in the matter.
Speculation had circulated suggesting foreign involvement, particularly from Bharat, in the shooting at the home of Simranjeet Singh on February 1. Singh had recently organized a protest outside the Indian consulate in Vancouver on January 26, leading pro-Khalistan groups like Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) to point fingers at Bharat. Moninder Singh, a spokesperson for the British Columbia Gurdwaras Council, expressed concerns that the attack might be an attempt to intimidate activists. Additionally, Singh’s association with Hardeep Singh Nijjar was considered a potential factor.
The two 16-year-olds involved in the shooting have not been publicly named due to their status as minors. They were arrested on February 12, and charges of Discharging a Firearm into a place and Possessing a Loaded Prohibited Firearm have been approved against them by the British Columbia Prosecution Service. Currently, they are held in custody awaiting their next court appearance, according to Surrey RCMP spokesperson Cpl Sarbjit K Sangha.
Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) also accused Bharat of being behind another shooting incident on February 12 in Brampton, Greater Toronto Area (GTA), targeting a house belonging to Inderjeet Singh Gosal, who was involved in organizing the Khalistan Referendum in Surrey. However, there have been no updates on the investigation into this particular episode. Meanwhile, incidents of drive-by shootings, often linked to extortion attempts, have been increasing in both the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia and the GTA.
Relations between Bharat and Canada have been strained since Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s remarks in the House of Commons on September 18 last year. Trudeau suggested “credible allegations” of a potential link between Indian agents and the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) is currently probing Nijjar’s case, which further adds to the complexity of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
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