Canada police make this request to Sikhs amid diplomatic rift with India

The head of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has called on members of Canada’s Sikh community to come forward with information as they continue to investigate allegations linking the Indian government to violent activities on Canadian soil, including homicides, extortion, and intimidation.

"If people come forward, we can help them and I ask them to come forward if they can," RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme said in the interview with the Radio-Canada.

"People come to Canada to feel safe, and our job as law enforcement is to make sure that they're in an environment that is safe to live."

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His comments come against the backdrop of a growing diplomatic rift between Canada and India, sparked by Ottawa’s unsubstantiated allegations that Indian government agents were involved in the June 2022 murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a pro-Khalistan element and designated terrorist in India.

India has vehemently denied these accusations, calling them “unsubstantiated” and a result of “vote-bank politics” in Canada, particularly with next year’s elections looming.

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During a press conference earlier in the week, Duheme alleged that Indian diplomats and consular officials had links to criminal gangs in Canada, including the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, which he said had been involved in a series of violent acts, including homicides and extortion. The RCMP has charged eight individuals with homicide and 22 others with extortion in connection with these investigations, although no direct evidence linking the Indian government to Nijjar’s murder has been publicly disclosed.

Assistant Commissioner Brigitte Gauvin said that 13 Canadians have been warned since September 2023 that they may be targets of harassment or threats by individuals connected to Indian agents.

India pushes back against Canada's claims

India, however, has strongly rejected the claims, dismissing them as politically motivated. Sources in New Delhi denied that any evidence had been shared by Canadian authorities regarding Indian involvement in the Nijjar case.

They further criticised Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s handling of the issue, accusing him of seeking to appease pro-Khalistan groups and exploiting the diplomatic row for domestic political gain.

India’s response has included the expulsion of six Canadian diplomats, including Canada’s High Commissioner to India, and a reduction of its diplomatic presence in Canada. These diplomats are expected to leave India by the weekend, while India also announced the withdrawal of its own High Commissioner from Ottawa.

Amid the diplomatic furore, the RCMP has not presented concrete evidence publicly to substantiate its allegations against Indian officials. However, the police force has insisted that it continues to gather information and that the investigation is ongoing.

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