Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the chief of banned Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) and a designated terrorist, was shot dead in the parking lot of a gurdwara in Surrey, Canada on Sunday. Nijjar was under the scanner of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for his involvement in terror activities in India.
He had a cash reward of ₹10 lakh on his head. Nijjar was known for leading campaigns and propaganda against India, organizing demonstrations outside Indian missions in various countries, and carrying out targeted killings in Punjab. He was also associated with the banned outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ). Nijjar had forcibly occupied the Guru Nanak Sikh temple in Canada and was its president for the past few years.
The death of Hardeep Singh Nijjar who was shot dead in Surrey, Canada, has resulted in a major dent in Khalistani operations. The killing, confirmed by local authorities, has caused the Khalistani terror outfits in the United Kingdom and Canada to shrink due to infighting and deaths of multiple leaders in the past month.
The arrest of Amritpal Singh by the Punjab police in March 2023 and the murder of Pakistan-based Khalistani terrorist Paramjit Singh Panjwar in May 2023 have dealt severe blows to the agenda of Khalistani groups to regenerate terror in India. Top officials now consider catching Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, the legal advisor and chief of another Khalistani group ‘Sikhs for Justice,’ as the government’s top priority.
