Watch: Trudeau Claims India May Be Behind Khalistani Terrorist's Killing In Canada

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Tuesday that the country's security agencies are actively investigating a potential link between the Indian government and the assassination of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar earlier this year.

Addressing the House of Commons in Ottawa, Trudeau stated, "Canadian security agencies have been actively pursuing credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the Government of India and the killing of a Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar." Nijjar, who was wanted by the Indian government, was killed in a targeted shooting outside a gurdwara in Surrey on June 18 of the current year.

Trudeau also revealed that he had raised the matter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the G20 Summit. "Canada has declared its deep concerns to the top intelligence security officials of the Indian government. Last week, at the G20, I brought them personally and directly to Prime Minister Modi in no uncertain terms," emphasized the Canadian Prime Minister.

In his statement, Trudeau urged the Indian government to cooperate with Canada in thoroughly investigating this matter and reiterated Canada's stance on "extra-judicial operations" conducted in another country.

During a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit, Prime Minister Modi conveyed his deep concerns to Justin Trudeau regarding ongoing "anti-India activities" perpetrated by "extremist elements" in Canada. The Indian Prime Minister's Office (PMO) noted that these elements were promoting secessionism, inciting violence against Indian diplomats, vandalizing diplomatic facilities, and posing threats to the Indian community in Canada and their places of worship. The PMO further underscored the worrisome association of these extremist forces with organized crime, drug syndicates, and human trafficking.

In response to Trudeau's speech in the House of Commons, Canada took the extraordinary step of expelling an Indian diplomat. Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly explained, "If proven true, this would be a great violation of our sovereignty and of the most basic rule of how countries deal with each other." As a consequence of these allegations, the head of Indian intelligence in Canada was expelled.

It is worth noting that in 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh on Nijjar after he was accused of conspiring to assassinate a Hindu priest in Jalandhar. Nijjar, who resided in Canada, was the leader of the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), an organization accused of orchestrating the priest's murder. The NIA had previously filed a chargesheet against Nijjar in a case involving conspiracy to commit terrorist acts against India.