Three suspects have been arrested in the slaying of a Sikh separatist leader last June in suburban Vancouver that became the center of a diplomatic spat with India.
Canadian police have made three arrests in the slaying of a Sikh separatist leader last June in suburban Vancouver that became the center of a diplomatic spat with India.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Assistant Commissioner David Teboul said Friday that three suspects have been arrested and charged in the slaying of 45-year-old Hardeep Singh Nijjar by masked gunmen in Surrey outside Vancouver.
But he said police could not comment on the nature of the evidence or the motive. "This matter is very much under active investigation," Teboul said.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sparked a diplomatic feud with India when he said in September that there were "credible allegations" of Indian involvement in the slaying of Nijjar.
India angrily denied involvement.
The arrests come after a year-long investigation into the killing of Nijjar, who was shot multiple times in his driveway in Surrey on June 14, 2022.
Police said Nijjar was the target of a targeted shooting and that the motive was likely related to his political activities.
Nijjar was a prominent member of the Sikh separatist group Babbar Khalsa International, which is banned in India. He had been living in Canada for several years and was a Canadian citizen.
The killing of Nijjar sparked outrage in the Sikh community in Canada and India. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the killing and called for those responsible to be brought to justice.
The Canadian government has said that it is committed to investigating the killing of Nijjar and bringing those responsible to justice.
The arrests of the three suspects is a significant development in the case and could help to shed light on the motive behind the killing.
Police have not released the names of the suspects or the charges they are facing.
The investigation into the killing of Nijjar is ongoing.
