Supporters of slain Sikh leader Hardeep Sikh Nijjar gathered in and around Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara located at 72 Avenue and Scott Road in Surrey, to attend his funeral and last viewing, on Sunday June 25.
Nijjar, a vocal Khalistan supporter, a plumber by profession and president of Surrey’s famous Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara, was shot to death on June 18, at 8:27 p.m, in the parking lot of the Gurdwara, by 2 suspects who fled on foot.
A memorial has been erected in the gurdwara’s parking lot at the place Nijjar was killed.
His killing has sparked fear and safety concerns amongst other Khalistan supporters and Sikhs in general. “CSIS has known that Nijjar faced an imminent threat to his life for months. The fact that he was assassinated in this manner is a failure of these bodies to provide protection to someone they knew would be targeted,” said WSO President Tejinder Singh Sidhu.
President of the BC Sikh Gurdwara Council, Moninder Singh, in an interview to Omni TV said that he was also concerned about his safety. He informed that like Nijjar, he was warned by the Canadian Intelligence Agency about threats to his life.
Sikh organizations and many Nijjar supporters are speculating the role of foreign interference in his killing for his support for a Khalistan. Many are calling on Canadian intelligence and law enforcement to fully investigate and get to the bottom of the shooting that killed Nijjar.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh wrote a letter to Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino informing that the Sikh Community feels “worried and unsafe than they has previously.”
“In that vein, I’m calling on you and your department to do everything within your power to get to the bottom of this murder and to address the various allegations reported by the Toronto Star and the Vancouver Sun.”
New Democrat Caucus MLAs also issued a statement in which they expressed deep shock by the horrific killing of Nijjar. “This was an abhorrent act of violence, made even more disturbing by its presence at a place of worship where people go to find peace. We must all stand against it as a community. Law enforcement authorities are actively investigating. They have our full support as they work to bring those responsible to justice.” The statement was jointly signed by Ravi Kahlon, Harry Bains, Rachna Singh, Bruce Ralston, Jinny Sims, Garry Begg, Mike Starchuk, Jagrup Brar, Aman Singh.
While the police said no motive has been determined so far, they confirmed that it was a targeted shooting and there was no threat to public living in that area. Canadian police say the investigations would be completely “evidence based”. Investigators are calling on public to assist.
RCMP Assistant Commissioner Brian Edwards called Nijjar’s killing “brazen” and “appalling,” and said it was “disgusting” that the incident happened at a place of worship, with many other community members present during the attack.
Edwards said the only way for people to respond should be to come forward with evidence to help solve the case. “How we deal with fear is we come together,” he said during a news conference. “Everybody comes together and makes a statement and says, ‘We’re not going to take this.'”
“Everybody who’s a witness comes forward. Everybody who has dashcam video. Everybody who hears something comes together, and we bring it forward to advance the investigation.”
IHIT is asking anyone with information regarding the investigation, or anyone with dash-camera video who was in the area of 122 Street, in the parking lot of the Gurdwara or in the area of 121 Street and 68 Avenue, between 6 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. to contact the IHIT Information Line at 1-877-551-IHIT (4448) or by email at [email protected].
