Trudeau's India allegations meant to divert attention from Nijjar's misdeeds

The killing of terrorist Nijjar was either a revenge killing to avenge the death of Ripudaman Malik or a result of faction fights between various violent groups active in Canada.

- AbHINANdAN MISHRA

Officials tracking developments related to Khalistani groups active in Canada and the political support that they have been getting from the Justin Trudeau government, believe that by attempting to pin the killing of wanted Khalistani terrorist and chief of Khalistan Tiger Force Hardeep Singh Nijjar on India, Ottawa was trying to absolve Nijjar from the killing of Ripudaman Singh Malik.

Malik, a Sikh activist acquitted in the 1985 Air India Kanishka terror bombing, was killed by gunmen on 15 July 2022, in Surrey, Canada. Just six months before his killing, Malik had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanking him for the number of steps his government had taken for the benefit of the Sikh community. He had expressed his “deep heartfelt gratitude” for the unprecedented positive steps.

After he was killed, the Canadian officials arrested two individuals— 21-year-old Tanner Fox and 23-year-old Jose Lopez—on 27 July 2022 for their involvement in the murder of Malik.

Later, Fox was again arrested in May 2023 for killing another Canadian citizen. In July 2020, Fox had stabbed a 17-year-old male in a road rage incident.

However, the Canadian police closed the investigation in the Malik case soon after without revealing “why” Malik was killed and “what” Fox’s motive was in killing Malik.