A Canadian Sikh activist received a chilling call from his wife: police had visited their home to warn her that his life was in danger. Just two weeks later, thousands of kilometers away in British Columbia, a gunman filmed himself spraying bullets into the home of a prominent Indo-Canadian singer, with two vehicles in the driveway engulfed in flames.
These incidents, along with a series of arsons, extortion attempts, drive-by shootings, and at least two murders, are now believed to be part of a coordinated campaign of violence and intimidation orchestrated by India’s government. Canadian officials have suggested that these attacks, many of them targeting Sikh activists and prominent Indo-Canadians, are part of a broader effort to silence dissent within the Sikh diaspora.
In September 2023, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made headlines when he announced that there were “credible allegations” linking Indian officials to the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian Sikh activist who was shot dead in Surrey, British Columbia. Trudeau’s revelation sent shockwaves through diplomatic channels, but until recently, the full extent of the allegations remained unclear.
This week, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) made an even more explosive accusation: Indian diplomats had allegedly worked alongside criminal networks, including a notorious imprisoned gangster, to target Sikh dissidents living in Canada. The depth of these claims suggests a covert operation with both political and criminal elements involved in orchestrating violence and suppressing activists.
India has categorically denied the allegations, calling them “strange” and “ludicrous.” However, a growing body of evidence has emerged, with Canadian officials pointing to several incidents over the past few years, linking them to what appears to be a state-sanctioned campaign of coercion and violence aimed at silencing Sikh voices in Canada.
On September 20, 2023, just two days after Trudeau’s statement, a fugitive Indian gangster, Sukhdool Singh Gill, was gunned down in a home in Winnipeg. Gill, who was linked to the Bambiha gang, had been on India’s wanted list for crimes including murder, extortion, and attempted murder. However, Indian officials also claimed that Gill had ties to the Khalistan movement, a separatist Sikh group advocating for an independent homeland in India’s Punjab region.
Residents in Winnipeg described a chaotic scene the morning of the murder, with neighbors hearing multiple gunshots and seeing security footage of three men fleeing the area. For many, the killing of Gill was seen as part of a broader narrative of increasing violence against Indo-Canadian activists.
In a more high-profile case, police were called to the Vancouver Island home of AP Dhillon, a popular Punjabi singer and music producer, after it was riddled with bullets. Dhillon, who was born in Punjab and raised in Canada, is a household name across several countries. The attack raised eyebrows for multiple reasons, including Dhillon’s support for Punjabi farmers during their 2021 protest, which angered Indian authorities. His song “Farmer” was alleged to have pro-Khalistan undertones by Indian media.
The singer’s collaboration with Bollywood star Salman Khan, who is embroiled in a feud with Indian criminal networks, may have further motivated the attack. As Professor Harjeet Singh Grewal of the University of Calgary explains, there are often overlapping motivations in these attacks, driven by both political objectives and gang-related rivalries.
Grewal and other experts suggest that a convergence of interests between India’s political machinery and criminal syndicates may explain the escalating violence. India’s BJP-led government, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has taken an aggressive stance against the Khalistan movement and its supporters. Sikh activists in Canada, many of whom have been vocal about their support for the movement, find themselves increasingly under threat.
The influence of powerful Indian criminal syndicates, such as the Bishnoi gang, complicates matters further. These groups operate with relative impunity and have deep connections to both political figures and law enforcement in India. The Bishnoi gang’s involvement in attacks on Punjabi celebrities and activists is particularly concerning. According to Canadian intelligence reports, these criminal networks often form “opportunistic” relationships with political actors, resulting in the lethal targeting of individuals who are deemed threats to India’s interests.
One of the most disturbing aspects of this alleged campaign is the use of Indian diplomatic channels in Canada. Authorities believe that consulates in Toronto and Vancouver may have exerted pressure on members of the Indian diaspora to spy on Sikh communities, using both coercion and promises of protection. This tactic has reportedly intensified in recent years as India’s government grows increasingly frustrated with Canada’s refusal to crack down on Khalistani activists.
India’s aggressive stance on dissent both at home and abroad has been made clear by Modi himself. Earlier this year, Modi made an extraordinary public statement: “Today, even India’s enemies know: this is Modi, this is the New India. This New India comes into your home to kill you.” This bold assertion reflects India’s evolving global stance, one that is unafraid of pursuing retribution beyond its borders.
As India continues to ascend on the world stage, experts argue that the country now feels emboldened to act with relative impunity. What was once seen as a domestic conflict over the Khalistan movement has spilled over into international spheres, with Sikh activists in countries like Canada and the United States facing intimidation, threats, and violence.
Canada, in particular, has found itself in a difficult position. For decades, New Delhi has accused Ottawa of being soft on supporters of Khalistan, and tensions between the two nations have been simmering. India has long pressured Canada to extradite gang members and militants, many of whom have found refuge in the country. However, the growing frequency of violent incidents suggests that India may now be taking matters into its own hands.
The Canadian government has responded by ramping up efforts to counteract the rising violence. Prime Minister Trudeau has been vocal in condemning the alleged collusion between Indian officials and criminal elements. During testimony at a commission investigating foreign interference, Trudeau explicitly linked the Bishnoi gang to Indian government operatives.
On Friday, Canada’s foreign minister, Mélanie Joly, issued a stern warning, saying, “We will not sit quietly as agents of any country are linked to efforts to threaten, harass, or even to kill Canadians.” The RCMP has issued over a dozen “duty to warn” notices to individuals targeted in the ongoing campaign, including prominent figures like the brother-in-law of New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh.
Authorities have also made several arrests in connection with extortion and homicide investigations, including the capture of three men believed to have been involved in Nijjar’s murder.
For those living in the crosshairs of this violence, the dangers are palpable. Sikh activists like Inderjeet Singh Gosal, a close friend of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, have found themselves increasingly targeted. Gosal, who has taken over much of Nijjar’s activism, received his own chilling warning when police arrived at his home to inform him that his life was at risk. Earlier this year, one of his properties was hit by gunfire, which he interpreted as a clear message from those trying to intimidate him.
“When I took on this role, I knew they’d come for me,” Gosal says. “This is what I signed up for. I’m not afraid of death at all.”
The unsealed indictment of a former Indian intelligence officer by U.S. prosecutors last week has further validated the concerns of activists like Gosal. The officer was charged with orchestrating a murder-for-hire plot targeting a Sikh activist in New York. For Gosal and others in the Sikh diaspora, these developments are hardly surprising.
“We’ve seen it for years,” says Gosal. “We know what India is capable of, and we have no illusions. They have vast resources and no mercy.”
