The head of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police is calling on members of Canada’s Sikh community to come forward with information about allegations linking the Indian government to violent activities on Canadian soil, including homicides, extortion, and intimidation.
In an interview with Radio-Canada, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme said about the community’s cooperation: “If people come forward, we can help them. I ask them to come forward if they can. People come to Canada to feel safe, and our job as law enforcement is to make sure that they’re in a safe environment.”
Duheme’s remarks come in the wake of escalated relations between Canada and India over Ottawa’s unverified allegations that Indian government agents were responsible for the June 2022 killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a pro-Khalistan terrorist.
India has categorically denied these accusations, labeling them “unsubstantiated” and “vote-bank politics” in Canada as elections are due.
At an earlier news conference this week, Duheme accused the Indian diplomats and consular officials of being linked with organized criminal gangs in Canada, including the Lawrence Bishnoi gang blamed for a series of violent attacks. Of them, eight have been charged with murder and 22 others with extortion about the investigations. Still, no direct evidence has been made public linking the Indian government with the killing of Najjar.
Assistant Commissioner Brigitte Gauvin reported that 13 Canadians, since September 2023, have been warned they might be targets of harassment or threats from individuals linked to Indian agents.
India has strongly denied these allegations, termed them politically motivated. Sources in New Delhi denied that Canadian authorities had presented any evidence regarding Indian involvement in Nijjar’s murder. They criticized Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for allegedly catering to pro-Khalistan groups for domestic political gain.
In reaction to the diplomatic spat, India expelled six Canadian diplomats, including the High Commissioner, and reduced the country’s diplomatic presence in Canada. The diplomats are expected to leave by the weekend. India has also announced that it is pulling out its own High Commissioner from Ottawa.
To this date, however, and despite the boiling diplomatic crisis, the RCMP has shown no solid proof of the claims it made against the Indian officials while insisting that the police force investigation remains active and ongoing.
