Trio accused of murdering Hardeep Singh Nijjar face B.C. court as protest gathers outside
Posted May 7, 2024 3:00 am.
Last Updated May 7, 2024 6:28 pm.
A large crowd gathered outside Surrey Provincial Court Tuesday, as three men accused of killing a prominent Sikh leader appeared before a B.C. judge.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, an advocate for an independent Sikh homeland and president of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara, was shot dead in his pickup truck while leaving the Surrey temple’s parking in June 2023.
Karanpreet Singh, Kamalpreet Singh, and Karan Brar were arrested in Edmonton last week and are all are facing charges of first-degree murder and conspiracy to murder.
Monider Singh was among the dozens who assembled outside the courthouse Tuesday, not only to show their support for Nijjar’s family but also to counter India’s apparent “repression” of the Sikh community after the killing.
“The community has been waiting 10 or 11 months for this day. There’s a lot of emotion in the community right now, people wanted to come and just be present. I think it’ll be a common thing that happens throughout the proceedings as well,” he said.
Brar and Karanpreet Singh agreed through their lawyers to make a next appearance at the Surrey court on May 21, while the court has yet to decide on a new date for Kamalpreet Singh as he seeks legal representation.
“I think because it’s been 10 or 11 months, there’s been a bit of frustration as well that things won’t happen quickly. We know that the system takes a while. There’s a lot of people in the community that have a lot of love for Mr. Hardeep Singh, so I think people want this to move quickly,” Moninder Singh said Tuesday.
“I think some people may have thought that today would have been more but at a minimum, what we’re very pleased with is that this process has started.”
Nijjar’s killing prompted protests outside Indian consulates and accusations of foreign involvement in the murder.
In September, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told the House of Commons that credible intelligence suggested that the Indian government played a role in the killing, which it denies.
“Canada is a rule of law country. The protection of our citizens and defence of our sovereignty are fundamental,” Trudeau said.
“Our top priorities have therefore been, one, that our law enforcement and security agencies ensure the continued safety of all Canadians, and two, that all steps be taken to hold perpetrators of this murder to account.”
Police who announced the arrests last week said investigations about a possible connection to India’s government continue.
Nijjar was a key organizer of unofficial referendums for an independent Sikh state in India and was regarded by India’s government as a terrorist.
-With files from The Canadian Press
