Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced in Parliament Monday that there is "credible" intelligence linking agents of the Indian government to the shooting death of a Sikh temple leader in Surrey, B.C. Hardeep Singh Nijjar was the president of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara and a leader in the Sikh independence movement in Canada.
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July 22, 2022: Indian authorities announce a cash reward for information leading to Nijjar's arrest, accusing him of involvement in an alleged attack on a Hindu priest in India.
June 18: Nijjar is shot dead in a vehicle in the parking lot of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara, sparking a large protest outside the temple.
June 19: A close associate of Nijjar's says the temple leader had been warned by Canadian intelligence officials about possibly being targeted before the shooting.
June 21: Police say they are searching for two suspects who may have escaped the scene on foot through a nearby park, where they met a getaway vehicle.
June 24: Protesters gather outside Vancouver's Indian consulate, shouting slogans advocating for an independent Sikh state in India.
June 25: Nijjar's funeral is held at the gurdwara, reportedly attended by thousands.
July 4: Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly denounces posters blaming Indian diplomats for Nijjar's death as "unacceptable."
Aug. 16: Homicide investigators say they are seeking a third suspect in the case who may have been the driver of a getaway car.
Sept. 3: The Surrey School District cancels the rental of a local school for the Sikh referendum and organizers threaten legal action.
Sept. 10: A referendum vote is held at the Surrey gurdwara where Nijjar was killed, and organizers say the large turnout led to the scheduling of a second vote on Oct. 29 for those who could not vote.
Sept. 18: Trudeau addresses the House of Commons saying the allegations of Indian involvement in Nijjar's killing is "credible," and Joly says Canada is ordering one diplomat to leave.
Sept. 19: The Indian government expels a senior Canadian diplomat, citing growing concerns over "interference" in the country's internal matters.
This report by The Canadian Press was first publishedSept. 18, 2023.
The Canadian Press
