NEW DELHI: The apprehension of three Indian nationals by Canadian law enforcement for their alleged involvement in the assassination of Khalistani operative Hardeep Singh Nijjar appears to substantiate the analysis of Indian authorities. They assert that Nijjar's demise was a direct consequence of gang warfare and an ongoing struggle for dominance over the prosperous gurdwaras of Canada. For the past year, the Canadian government under Justin Trudeau, succumbing to pressure from extremist Sikh and Khalistani factions, has alleged that Nijjar was eliminated by operatives of Indian intelligence.
Nijjar was deeply connected to terrorist organizations. Aside from leading the Khalistan Tiger Force, a group outlawed by the Government of India, he was also a prominent figure within Sikhs For Justice, another banned terrorist entity. Moreover, he served as president of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. Following his death, videos and images surfaced depicting him brandishing automatic assault rifles and participating in tactical training exercises.
Sikh gurdwaras amass substantial donations from diverse sources. A portion of these funds is occasionally distributed to local politicians by gurdwara office bearers as a means to secure favorable relations. Such individuals are, in turn, bestowed with preferential treatment by local politicians due to their significant influence over the Sikh voting bloc.
Apart from overseeing gurdwara affairs, these officeholders often manage their own enterprises, which sometimes include the mediation of disputes between feuding parties.
On Friday night, the Canadian police released a statement announcing the arrest of 22-year-old Karan Brar, Kamal Preet Singh, and 28-year-old Karan Preet Singh, all residing in Edmonton, Alberta.
Local sources within Ottawa confided to The Sunday Guardian that these three individuals formed part of a hit squad responsible for a series of similar murders over the past year.
All three entered Canada at different intervals since 2021 under the guise of being "international students," subsequently engaging in criminal activities.
Sources further revealed that these three individuals are suspected of involvement in a November 2023 shootout in Edmonton. Tragically, this incident claimed the lives of 41-year-old Harpreet Singh Uppal, a high-ranking figure within a criminal syndicate engaged in the drug trade, and his 11-year-old son. In October 2021, Uppal narrowly survived a similar attack when unknown gunmen opened fire on him and his family while they were dining at a restaurant in Edmonton.
Just a day prior, on November 8th, 27-year-old Parmvir Singh Chahil, a member of the "United Nations group" founded in 1979, was fatally shot in Toronto.
On September 20th, Sukhdool Singh Gill, alias Sukha Duneke, a Canada-based gangster who had absconded from India in 2017, was gunned down in Winnipeg. Gill was a senior member of the Davinder Bambiha gang and a close associate of Arshdeep Singh, known as Arsh Dala. Bambiha, aged 25, was killed in a police encounter near Rampura, Bathinda, in September 2016. Despite his demise, his gang members remain active and operational across Canada and the United States.
A relentless feud for supremacy and vengeance has raged between the Bambiha gang and a criminal syndicate headed by Lawrence Bishnoi, a gangster in the custody of Indian authorities since 2014.
Members of both gangs have forged alliances with local criminal networks in their respective countries, consolidating their resources. They prey upon the vast numbers of Punjabi youth migrating to Canada, viewing them as easily exploitable recruits for lower-level operations. These young individuals are enticed with promises of wealth, narcotics, and access to sex workers.
While Canadian police remain noncommittal regarding whether the four killings—of Nijjar, Uppal, Gill, and Chahil—can be attributed to the same group arrested on Friday, reliable sources indicate that all the murders are connected and stem from turf wars and retaliatory violence.
Inquiries directed to Canadian officials, seeking confirmation on their ability to establish links between the four murders, have received no response at the time of publication.
In 2023, Edmonton witnessed over 200 shooting incidents, the majority of which were targeted attacks–a staggering increase of over 50% compared to 2022.
