Canada Alleges ‘Lawrence Bishnoi Gang’ Targeting Pro-Khalistani Elements Hours After India Pulls Diplomats

Moments after India withdrew its diplomats from Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) accused New Delhi of direct involvement in ‘serious criminal activity’ on its soil and said that ‘agents’ of the Indian government in Ottawa are allegedly working with Lawrence Bishnoi gang to target pro-Khalistani elements.

The allegations surfaced at a time when the Lawrence Bishnoi gang is under law enforcement lens in India for its alleged involvement in the killing of former Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Baba Siddique.

Addressing the media late Monday night, RCMP claimed that its probe into the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Khalistani terrorist shot dead in Canada last year, has revealed alleged links of the Indian government committing ‘violent’ acts in the North American country.

The presser was held after Canada accused Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Verma and other diplomats of being ‘persons of interest’ linked to the Nijjar murder investigation.

The Canadian government also expelled six Indian diplomats and linked them to an investigation into the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

“Evidence also shows that a wide variety of entities in Canada and abroad have been used by agents of the Government of India to collect information. Some of these individuals and businesses were coerced and threatened into working for the Government of India. The information collected for the Government of India is then used to target members of the South Asian community,” the RCMP statement read.

Canada Uses ‘Bishnoi Gang’ For Old Charge

When asked if members of the Sikh community, in particular, were being targeted by the Indian agents, Brigitte Gauvin, Assistant Commissioner of the RCMP said that the South Indian community is being targeted by these groups but pro-Khalistani elements in Canada are there ‘specific target.’

“What we have seen is, from an RCMP perspective, they use organised crime elements. It has been publically attributed and claimed by one organised crime group in particular – Bishnoi Group. We believe that the group is connected to agents of the Government of India,” Gauvin said.

Canada said last year there were credible allegations that India’s government had links to the assassination in Surrey of ‘Sikh activist’ Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India denied the charges calling it ‘absurd and baseless.’

Trudeau Levels Same Charge

Following the RCMP presser, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed the media and claimed that ‘agents’ of the Indian government are allegedly involved in threatening public safety on its soil.

In the ongoing investigation linked to Nijjar’s killing, the Canadian PM accused the Indian government of ‘not cooperating’ despite repeated requests to work together in this case.

The Indian government, however, has been charging Canada with making ‘baseless’ accusations without any evidence.

The ongoing diplomatic row between New Delhi and Ottawa was triggered when Canada levelled severe charges against the Indian High Commissioner and other diplomats on Monday morning.

Responding to the claims, the Ministry of External Affairs released a scathing statement, saying that Canada did not share a “shred of evidence of India’s involvement in Nijjar’s killing” despite repeated requests and accused Trudeau of doing vote bank politics and not doing enough to tackle separatist elements on Canadian soil.

India recalled its top envoy to Ottawa and expelled six Canadian diplomats from the country in tit-for-tat as the North American country expelled six Indian diplomats and linked them to an investigation into the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

India expelled six Canadian diplomats, including Acting High Commissioner Stewart Ross Wheeler, Deputy High Commissioner Patrick Hebert, and First Secretaries Marie Catherine Joly, Lan Ross David Trites, Adam James Chuipka, and Paula Orjuela. They have been given time till October 19 to leave India.