Indian agencies tracked Hardeep Singh Nijjar as he met KTF chief in Pak; alerted Canada

Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was killed in June this year, and his killing led to a major diplomatic row between Delhi and Ottawa, had entered Canada on a forged passport.

Written by Mahender Singh Manral

New Delhi | Updated: September 23, 2023 07:05 PM IST

2 min read

Hardeep Singh Nijjar, head of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara Sahib and chief of the Khalistan Tiger Force

Hardeep Singh Nijjar was the chief of the Khalistan Tiger Force. (Express photo)

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SIX YEARS before designating him a “terrorist”, an Interpol Red Corner Notice (RCN) was issued in 2014 against Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) chief Hardeep Singh Nijjar, and the Indian agencies informed the Canada government that he faced over a dozen criminal cases of murder and other terrorist activities in India. However, Canada did not take any action against him, except putting him on a “no-fly list”, sources in the central intelligence agencies said.

Nijjar, who was killed in June this year, and his killing led to a major diplomatic row between Delhi and Ottawa, had entered Canada on a forged passport.

According to his dossier, prepared by the central intelligence agencies, Nijjar was associated with KCF militants in the 1980s and 1990s, and since 2012 he was closely associated with KTF chief Jagtar Singh Tara. “He escaped to Canada on a forged passport in 1996 after his name cropped up in terrorism cases. After reaching there, he started working as a truck driver and he later came in touch with Pakistan-based Tara,” a source said.

“In April 2012, posing as a Baisakhi jatha member, Nijjar also visited Pakistan where he attended arms and explosives training for a fortnight. After returning to Canada, he started arranging funds for terror activities through his associates engaged in drugs and arms smuggling in Canada,” the source said.

After reaching Canada, Nijjar planned with Tara a terror attack in India and raised a gang in Canada. They were imparted arms training in British Columbia. “In 2014, Nijjar planned to execute a terror attack on Dera Sacha Sauda headquarters in Haryana’s Sirsa, but he could not reach India as he was denied visa,” the source said.

Mahender Singh Manral

Mahender Singh Manral is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. He is known for his impactful and breaking stories. He covers the Ministry of Home Affairs, Investigative Agencies, National Investigative Agency, Central Bureau of Investigation, Law Enforcement Agencies, Paramilitary Forces, and internal security. Prior to this, Manral had extensively reported on city-based crime stories along with that he also covered the anti-corruption branch of the Delhi government for a decade. He is known for his knack for News and a detailed understanding of stories. He also worked with Mail Today as a senior correspondent for eleven months. He has also worked with The Pioneer for two years where he was exclusively covering crime beat. During his initial days of the career he also worked with The Statesman newspaper in the national capital, where he was entrusted with beats like crime, education, and the Delhi Jal Board. A graduate in Mass Communication, Manral is always in search of stories that impact lives. ... Read More

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