Ottawa, Canadian authorities have detained a fourth individual, Amandeep Singh, on charges related to the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent advocate for the Khalistani movement.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Nijjar, who was a Sikh separatist leader calling for an independent state of Khalistan in India, was fatally shot by masked gunmen on June 18, 2023, outside the Sikh temple he led in suburban Vancouver. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) has charged Amandeep Singh with first-degree murder and conspiracy in connection with Nijjar’s death.
Amandeep Singh, a 22-year-old Indian national residing in Brampton, Surrey, and Abbotsford, was already detained in Ontario on unrelated firearms charges when arrested for Nijjar’s murder. Mandeep Mooker, the officer in charge of IHIT, emphasized that the arrest underscores the persistent efforts to bring to justice those involved in the crime.
Amandeep Singh joins three others Karan Brar, Kamalpreet Singh, and Karanpreet Singh, all charged with similar offenses in the ongoing investigation of Nijjar’s killing, which has strained India-Canada relations.