..... 

Trudeau said that he brought up the links between Nijjar's murder and the Indian government with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G-20 last week "in no uncertain terms," adding that "any involvement of a foreign government in the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil is an unacceptable violation of our sovereignty."

 ..... 

The World Sikh Organization of Canada on Monday said that Canadian intelligence and law enforcement agencies were aware of threats to Nijjar and other Sikh activists in Canada, having been alerted of the dangers by a number of sources.

"Nijjar had publicly spoken of the threat to his life for months and said that he was targeted by Indian intelligence agencies," the organization said.

 ..... 

"I know many Canadians, particularly members of the Indo-Canadian community, are feeling angry, or perhaps frightened, right now," Trudeau added.

 ..... 

Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was gunned down outside a Sikh cultural center in British Columbia in June.

The victim, Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, was gunned down outside a Sikh cultural center in Surrey, British Columbia on June 18.

Nijjar was a strong supporter of an independent Sikh homeland known as Khalistan. ..... But the movement still has some support in countries like Canada and the United Kingdom, where sizable Sikh communities live.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canadian intelligence agencies are investigating allegations that the government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi may have played a role in Nijjar's assassination.

Trudeau told Parliament Monday he'd discussed the matter with Modi at the G-20 last week. He said he told Modi that any involvement would be unacceptable and that he asked for cooperation in the investigation.

 ..... 

"Canadians deserve to be protected on Canadian soil. We call on the Indian government to act with utmost transparency as authorities investigate this murder, because the truth must come out," Poilievre said.

Opposition New Democrat leader Jagmeet Singh, who is himself Sikh, called it outrageous and shocking.

"To all Canadians, this is my vow," Singh said. "I will leave no stone unturned in the pursuit of justice, including holding Narendra Modi accountable."

The Indian Embassy in Ottawa did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment on the matter.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Canadian PM Trudeau Expels Top Indian Diplomat Over Alleged Involvement in Sikh Activist's Murder

OTTAWA - Canada has taken a strong stance in response to credible allegations that the Indian government may have had links to the assassination of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil. ..... 

Trudeau further disclosed that he had personally confronted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the matter during the G-20 summit last week. ..... 

The Indian Embassy in Ottawa has yet to respond to requests for comment regarding the allegations. However, Trudeau made it clear that Canada has conveyed its deep concerns to the Indian government and is urging them to cooperate fully to uncover the truth. Trudeau assured the public that his government has been coordinating closely with Canada's allies and has declared its commitment to getting to the bottom of the matter. He also acknowledged the fear and anger within the Indo-Canadian community and called for calm.

 ..... LeBlanc emphasized that the investigation into Nijjar's murder is an active homicide investigation led by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).

 ..... 

The Khalistan movement, which seeks an independent Sikh homeland, is banned in India. Indian officials perceive the movement and its affiliated groups as a national security threat. However, the movement still garners support in northern India and among Sikh communities in countries such as Canada and the United Kingdom, which have substantial Sikh diasporas.

Trudeau's efforts to address the issue have extended beyond India. He also raised the matter with US President Joe Biden, emphasizing the seriousness of the allegations and the need for cooperation in the investigation. Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre, from the Conservative party, condemned the alleged involvement of the Indian government, calling it an outrageous affront to Canada's sovereignty.

As the investigation unfolds, Canadians are eagerly awaiting further developments and hoping for justice to be served in the tragic murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

OTTAWA - Canada has accused Indian government agents of being involved in the murder of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia in June. In response, Canada has expelled a senior Indian intelligence official, marking a significant deterioration in bilateral ties between the two countries. The Canadian government is already facing criticism from India for not cracking down on Sikh protesters advocating for an independent Sikh homeland.

 ..... Nijjar, a supporter of an independent Khalistani state, was shot dead outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia. In July 2020, he was designated as a “terrorist” by India. Canadian security agencies have been actively investigating credible allegations of a potential link between Indian government agents and Nijjar's death.

Trudeau, in an emergency statement to the House of Commons, said that Canada has expressed its deep concerns to the top intelligence and security officials of the Indian government. He personally raised the issue with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G20 summit, urging cooperation in the investigation.

India's high commission (embassy) in Ottawa has not responded to requests for comment. However, last week, Modi conveyed strong concerns about protests in Canada against India to Trudeau. Canada has a significant Sikh population, with approximately 1.4 million people of Indian origin residing in the country. This has led to frequent demonstrations in Canada that have irked India.

The two countries, who were previously in talks for a trade deal, have now frozen negotiations following the worsening of bilateral ties. Bilateral trade between Canada and India in 2022 amounted to just C$13.7 billion out of a total of C$1.52 trillion.

Although Trudeau did not directly accuse India of definite involvement in Nijjar's murder, Foreign Minister Melanie Joly used cautious language, saying that if the allegations were proven true, they would be unacceptable. Joly confirmed that Canada has expelled the head of Indian intelligence in the country but provided no further details.

Trudeau urged India to cooperate with Canada to uncover the truth in the matter. Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc stated that several senior Canadian government officials had visited India recently to express Ottawa's concerns.

In April, India had asked Britain to increase monitoring of UK-based supporters of the Sikh separatist movement after protesters carrying “Khalistan” banners detached the Indian flag from the diplomatic mission's building in London.

The investigation into Nijjar's assassination and the allegations of Indian government involvement are ongoing, with Canada demanding transparency and justice. Opposition leaders in Canada, Pierre Poilievre of the Conservative Party and Jagmeet Singh of the New Democratic Party, have also called for a thorough investigation and accountability if the allegations are proven true.

 ..... 

India's government strongly denied on Tuesday any involvement in the murder of a prominent Sikh leader in Canada and expelled a senior Canadian diplomat in a tit-for-tat response as tension between the two countries soars. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau drew India's ire by suggesting Indian officials could have had a role in the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

 ..... 

"We have seen and reject the statement of the Canadian Prime Minister in their Parliament... such unsubstantiated allegations seek to shift the focus from Khalistani terrorists and extremists who have been provided shelter in Canada and continue to threaten India's sovereignty," Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said Tuesday a statement posted on social media.

A second social media post shared by Bagchi said that the Canadian High Commissioner in India had been summoned and a senior Canadian diplomat had been expelled from the country in retaliation for Ottawa booting a senior Indian diplomat on Monday.

 ..... 

The Sikhs are a religious minority in India and Nijjar was a supporter of a separate state for the community. His killing sparked protests by Sikhs in Canada, who blame the Indian government for the murder.

The Khalistan movement that supports the creation of a new Khalistan state is a banned organization in India. Nijjar's name appeared on the Indian Home Affairs terror watch list prior to his shooting.

In August, Canadian investigators said they believed three suspects were involved in the shooting of Nijjar. They released security camera video of a car they believe was used by two gunmen to escape, aided and abetted by the vehicle driver.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Monday that "agents of the Indian government" carried out the killing of a Sikh community leader in British Columbia last June.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr. Trudeau said that he raised India's involvement in the shooting of Hardeep Singh Nijjar directly with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Group of 20 summit meeting earlier this month "in no uncertain terms." He said the allegation was based on intelligence gathered by the Canadian government.

 ..... Trudeau told lawmakers. He said Canada would pressure India to cooperate with the investigation into the killing.

 ..... 

Mr. Trudeau said that the large community of Canadians of Indian origin had been angered by the killing and in some cases feared for their personal safety. There are an estimated 1.4 to 1.8 million Canadians of Indian heritage, many of whom are Sikhs. Their numbers include Jagmeet Singh, the leader of the opposition New Democratic Party, which is keeping Mr. Trudeau's minority government in power.

The allegation that India's government was involved in a calculated killing in Canada is likely to further corrode the already strained relations between the two countries. Earlier this month, Canada suspended negotiations on a trade deal with India that were scheduled to have been concluded this year. and during the G20, Mr. Modi excluded Mr. Trudeau from the list of leaders with whom he held formal bilateral meetings.

Mr. Nijjar, 45, was shot near a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia. Investigators from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said he was ambushed by masked men, but would not reveal whether the attack appeared politically motivated.

But Mr. Nijjar was known for his advocacy of the creation of an independent Sikh nation, Khalistan, that would include parts of India's Punjab state, and India had declared him a wanted terrorist.

 ..... Our citizens must be safe from extrajudicial killings of all kinds, most of all from foreign governments."

Hardeep Singh Nijjar killed in British Columbia in June; Canada's PM Trudeau vows investigation.

 ..... 

"In view of growing anti-India activities and politically-condoned hate crimes and criminal violence in Canada, all Indian nationals there and those contemplating travel are urged to exercise utmost caution," the India Ministry of External Affairs said Wednesday in a statement.

"Recently, threats have particularly targeted Indian diplomats and sections of the Indian community who oppose the anti-India agenda," the statement continued without elaborating.

 ..... 

"Given the deteriorating security environment in Canada, Indian students in particular are advised to exercise extreme caution and remain vigilant," it also said.

 ..... 

India responded Monday by saying allegations of its "involvement in any act of violence in Canada are absurd and motivated."

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"We are a democratic polity with a strong commitment to rule of law," its Ministry of External Affairs added. ..... 

Fox News' Bradford Betz and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

Canada has flatly rejected an Indian travel advisory urging "utmost caution" when visiting the North American country, in the latest sign of escalating tensions.

On Wednesday, Canadian Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc responded to the travel alert shortly after it was announced, telling reporters, "Canada is a safe country."