In a shocking revelation on Monday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused government agents from India of being involved in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh community leader in British Columbia. These allegations have further widened the growing rift between Canada and India, intensifying a political dispute between the two nations. The incident sheds light on the life of Hardeep Singh Nijjar and the circumstances surrounding his death.

Hardeep Singh Nijjar, 45, was born in Punjab, a North Indian state. He moved to Canada in the mid-1990s after facing difficulties gaining entry due to the Indian government's crackdown on the Sikh separatist movement. Nijjar worked as a plumber in Canada, got married, and had two sons. He became a Canadian citizen in 2015 and served as the president of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara, a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia, in 2020. Nijjar was known for his strong advocacy for a Sikh homeland called Khalistan, which would be formed from part of Punjab State.

However, the Indian government declared Nijjar a terrorist in 2020, accusing him of planning a violent attack in India and leading a banned terrorist group called the Khalistan Tiger Force. Nevertheless, many locals in Punjab expressed ignorance about Nijjar and his movement, casting doubt on the validity of these charges.

In June, Nijjar was shot near the Sikh temple he led. While the Royal Canadian Mounted Police confirmed that he was ambushed by masked men, they did not disclose whether the attack was politically motivated.

Prime Minister Trudeau addressed the issue on Monday, revealing that government agents from India were linked to Nijjar's killing on Canadian soil. Trudeau stated that the evidence of the ambush was based on intelligence gathered by the Canadian government. He also expressed his strong disapproval, stating that any involvement of a foreign government in the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil is an unacceptable violation of sovereignty. Trudeau announced that Canada would pressurize India to cooperate with the investigation into Nijjar's death. As a response, Canada's foreign minister, Melanie Joly, announced the expulsion of an Indian diplomat, whom she described as the de facto head of India's intelligence agency in Canada.

In a tit-for-tat move, India denied the allegations and expelled a senior Canadian diplomat in India. The Indian government accused Canada of harboring Sikh terrorists and supporting the creation of Khalistan. India also accused Canada of sheltering extremists and terrorists who pose a threat to India's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Prime Minister Trudeau rejected India's denial, emphasizing that Canada wants to work with the Indian government and is not seeking to provoke or escalate the situation.

The killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar has ignited a major diplomatic dispute between Canada and India. Nijjar's advocacy for an independent Sikh nation, Khalistan, has long been a contentious issue between the two countries. While the Indian government declared Nijjar a terrorist, many in Punjab claim to be unaware of his existence. The accusations and counter-accusations have further strained the relationship between Canada and India, with both countries taking diplomatic actions against each other.

As the investigation into Nijjar's death continues, his family and the Sikh community mourn the loss of their leader. Balraj Singh Nijjar, his son, called on Prime Minister Trudeau to rally with allies and increase pressure on the Indian government. The death of Nijjar remains a painful and shocking event for his family, who remember him as a loving father who had called home just moments before his tragic demise. The future of relations between Canada and India hangs in the balance as the truth behind Nijjar's killing unfolds.