Hardeep Singh Nijjar was a Sikh separatist leader born in 1977 in India's Punjab district, later moving to Canada in 1997.
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Initially associated with the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) Sikh separatist group,
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which India has labeled a "terrorist organization" and accused of being funded by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
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Nijjar rose to prominence as the chief of the militant group Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), actively involved in operations, networking, training, and financing its members.
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The Indian government officially categorized Nijjar as a "terrorist," accusing him of promoting sedition and insurrection while attempting to create disharmony among different communities in India.
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Nijjar was a prominent leader and strong advocate for the Khalistan movement, seeking an independent Sikh state of Khalistan.
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He was elected as the head of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurudwara in Surrey, a Sikh place of worship located in the Vancouver suburb where he resided.
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Nijjar was shot and killed outside the same gurudwara on the evening of June 18, 2023.
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His murder led to protests outside the Indian consulate in Vancouver, with demonstrators alleging the involvement of foreign actors in his death.
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The Canadian government expressed suspicions about India's involvement in Nijjar's killing, leading to diplomatic tensions between the two countries.
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India dismissed the allegations of involvement and termed them "absurd" while the investigation into Nijjar's murder continues.
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