CHANDIGARH: Canada-based pro-Khalistan leader and a designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead at the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in the Punjabi-dominated Surrey city of British Columbia province reportedly by two unidentified assailants.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was the president of Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, was declared a ‘wanted terrorist’ by the Indian government due to his involvement in various acts of violence and subversive activities.
Nijjar was currently wanted in at least four NIA cases pertaining to Sikh radicalism, including a conspiracy to kill a Hindu priest at Phillaur in Punjab. The National Investigation Agency also declared Rs10 lakh cash reward on him in July.
The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) is investigating the matter. Sources said that eye witnesses told the law enforcement authorities that Nijjar was shot dead by two unidentified gunmen and they fled after the shooting.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the chief of a pro-Khalistani outfit Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), was responsible for promoting the secessionist and terror agenda of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun-run ‘Sikhs for Justice’ (SFJ). It was after he established himself as a rogue element involved in terror activities in India, Pannun appointed him his separatist organisation SFJ’s representative in Canada tasking him with promoting the ‘Referendum-2020 campaign’.
Even though he claimed to be earning a livelihood by doing "hard work as a plumber", the fact is he forcibly occupied Surrey’s Guru Nanak Sikh temple to become its president. In the last couple of years, he was regularly seen as part of protests in front of the Consulate General of India in Vancouver.
Sources claimed that Najjar became friendly with people like separatist Moninder Boyle, an educated Canada-born Sikh. Boyle, till recently, was the president of another gurdwara in Surrey – Sri Dashmesh Darbar.
Both the gurdwara, Guru Nanak Sikh Temple and Sri Dashmesh Darbar – are allegedly known for promoting anti-India Khalistani elements.