Three Men Arrested for Murder of Sikh Leader in Canada, Tensions Rise Between Canada and India

Three men have been arrested in Canada for the murder of a Sikh leader almost a year ago. He was shot dead by masked men in the parking lot of a Sikh temple near Vancouver. After that murder, a diplomatic dispute erupted between India and Canada.

The victim, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, was considered a terrorist by the Indian government because he was fighting for a separate state for Sikhs in northern India. So the followers of the religious leader turned their attention to India after the assassination. The Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau he went a step further in September: he said in parliament that there were “credible allegations” that India was involved in the massacre.

These statements caused great tension between Canada and India. Delhi spoke of absurd and baseless allegations. As a result of the tension, Canada removed dozens of diplomats. India, in turn, tightened its travel advisory for Canada due to “increased activities against India”.

The men who have now been arrested are of Indian origin and between 22 and 28 years old. They lived in Canada for three to five years and stayed in the city of Edmonton, more than 500 miles as the crow flies from the scene of the murder. All three have been charged with murder.

Canadian police are continuing to investigate the case and are also looking for links between the suspects and the Indian government.

Canada has the largest Sikh community outside of India. About 770,000 Sikhs live in the country of North America.