Three accused in Hardeep Nijjar murder appear in court.
The three Indian nationals accused of gunning down Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada last year appeared for their first court hearing amid protests. Karmanpreet Singh, 28, Kamalpreet Singh, 22, and Karan Brar, 22, were arrested from Edmonton last week for the brazen daylight murder outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia.
Dressed in orange jumpsuits, the trio were produced before the Surrey provincial court through video-link on Tuesday. Pro-Khalistani groups gathered outside, chanting slogans and blaming India for the hit job.
Najjar, designated a terrorist by India, was shot dead in June 2023, weeks after the controversial visit of PM Modi to Canada angered Sikh hardliners.
Questions have surfaced about the visa and travel history of key accused Brar. Social media posts show he arrived in Canada on a student permit in 2020 and enrolled at colleges in Calgary and Edmonton.
However, Immigration authorities have declined to comment on queries pertaining to the visa’s issuance. Brar had reportedly secured it within days through a Punjab-based agency in 2019.
Tensions between India and Canada escalated over PM Justin Trudeau’s accusations of Indian agents being involved, which New Delhi dismissed as motivated.
Meanwhile, the Sikh community from BC packed the court seeking justice as police continued probing alleged links in the meticulously planned killing. The developments have further complicated Indo-Canadian relations.
