The assassination of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar has again come into the limelight. Reports say that the UK’s intelligence intercepts had helped Canada to establish India’s link to Nijjar’s killing.
The intelligence reportedly contained the summary of a conversation between individuals allegedly working for the Indian government.
A Bloomberg investigation claims that Nijjar's name was among the three names the UK shared with Canada under an intelligence agreement.
Five-eyes
The UK, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand have an intelligence sharing agreement called the ‘Five-Eyes.’
The report said that the UK intelligence intercepted calls discussing three potential Khalistani targets. Those were UK-based Avtar Singh Khanda, US-based Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and Nijjar.
Khanda, a British Sikh pro-Khalistani activist, died in a hospital in the West Midlands region of England in Birmingham in June 2023. He was terminally ill. The British authorities at that time dismissed any foul play in his death.
Meanwhile, US-based Pannun, designated a terrorist by India for his Khalistani extremism, is interviewed in the Bloomberg documentary surrounded by armed bodyguards and claims to be in fear for his life.
Nevertheless, the Bloomberg report has now created a stir in the UK.
The Sikh Federation UK said that it has written to the country’s security minister, asking him why the July 2023 intel was not shared when MPs from the Sikh community had specifically asked for it.
India denies involvement
New Delhi has repeatedly denied India’s involvement in the killing of Nijjar, calling the allegations ‘absurd and politically motivated’.
The killing of Nijjar in July 2023 also triggered a diplomatic row between India and Canada.
Following Canada’s allegations, India in October 2024 recalled its high commissioner and five other diplomats from Canada.
India also expelled an equal number of Canadian diplomats.
The tensions began to soften only in May this year after the Liberal Party came to power, with both nations reinstating envoys in each other’s capitals.
