A close associate of Sikh community leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar said his friend was warned by Canadian intelligence officials about being targeted for assassination by "mercenaries" before Nijjar was gunned down in Surrey, B.C., on Sunday.
New York-based lawyer Gurpatwant Singh Pannun said in a statement Tuesday that he spoke with Nijjar by phone the day before he was killed outside the Guru Nanak Sikh gurdwara where he served as president.
Pannun said Nijjar talked about an unofficial Khalistan referendum vote seeking a separate Sikh state that both men had been organizing, and threats to their safety related to a reward being offered by the Indian government for information leading to Nijjar's arrest or apprehension.
The reward of 1 million rupees, worth about $16,000, was offered last July by India's National Investigation Agency, the country's counterterrorism body.
The agency published Nijjar's home address in Surrey and referred to him as a "fugitive terrorist", saying he led a conspiracy to murder a Hindu priest in India.
Pannun said Nijjar told him that "gangsters" had visited him about the pair being on a "hit list," and that Nijjar received a call days later from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service warning that his life was in danger.
Pannun, who is general counsel to the advocacy group Sikhs For Justice and was also Nijjar's lawyer, said he had no doubt the killing was ordered by Indian government officials, who allege Nijjar was involved in "violent or criminal activities in India or elsewhere."
The lawyer said he has received a growing number of threats as the Sikh separatist movement gains steam globally.
A CSIS spokesman declined to comment on the circumstances of Nijjar's killing, citing the ongoing investigation by B.C.'s Integrated Homicide Investigation Team.
Sgt. Tim Pierotti of the homicide team said Monday he was aware of speculation about the motives for the attack but would let evidence lead the case.
The National Investigation Agency did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment on Nijjar's killing.
Surrey RCMP say Nijjar was shot dead in his vehicle as he was leaving the car park of the Surrey gurdwara around 8.30 p.m. Sunday.
Assistant Commissioner Brian Edwards said Monday there were numerous witnesses and he asked them to set aside their fears and come forward to help the investigation.
Surrey Centre MP Randeep Sarai said on Twitter Tuesday that he was "saddened and shocked to see what happened at Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey this Sunday."
"While this is an active RCMP investigation, I encourage anyone who knows anything about it to contact the RCMP as they take steps to ensure those responsible are brought to justice."
Provincial Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said in a statement issued Tuesday that he was confident those responsible for the "profoundly disturbing" killing will be caught.
"Our thoughts are with his loved ones and everyone who has been affected by this crime," Farnworth said. “It’s particularly troubling that the shooting took place outside a place of worship, where people should be able to gather in safety with friends, family and community members."
A vigil attended by hundreds of people was held at the Surrey gurdwara on Monday night.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 20, 2023.
The Canadian Press
