Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar shot dead in Canada

Hardeep Singh Nijjar, president of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara Sahib and chief of the Khalistan Tiger Force, was shot dead within the Gurdwara Sahib premises in the Punjabi-dominated Surrey city of British Columbia province. The union government claims that Nijjar, 46, a resident of Jalandhar's Bhar Singh Pura village, was actively involved in operationalising, networking, training, and funding KTF members. 

Nijjar was associated with the separatist organisation, Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), which is banned in India. He had been crucial in the planning of the Khalistan referendum in Brampton. He is the second Khalistani leader to be shot dead in last 10 days.

He had a significant part in the planning of the Khalistan referendum in the Canadian city of Brampton. Over one lakh people allegedly participated in this separatist activities. India had complained to the Canadian authorities for tolerating this anti-Indian action on their territory.

India had asked Canadian authorities to take action against Nijjar for his alleged involvement in terrorist acts in Punjab.

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In an earlier case involving a plot to conduct terrorist activities against India, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had also submitted a chargesheet against Nijjar. In 2022, the NIA had declared a Rs 10 lakh reward after he was accused of conspiring to kill a Hindu priest in Punjab's Jalandhar. 

The conspiracy to kill the priest was hatched by the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF). Nijjar, who was based in Canada, was the chief of the KTF.

Recently, Nijjar's name was also featured on a list released by the Indian government, naming 40 other designated terrorist

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