An associate of Khalistan supporter Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was killed last year, also escaped a deadly attack. Nijjar’s close aide Satinder Pal Singh Raju was fired upon several times in the car he was travelling in America. However, he escaped. Raju was one of the main organisers of the so-called Khalistan referendum in Calgary recently. An attempt was made to kill him on August 11 this month. His pick-up truck was passing through a national highway in California when it was fired upon.
The shooters fired a barrage of bullets
A day before this, the residence of the former president of the gurdwara was also fired upon in Surrey, British Columbia. Let us tell you that before his death, Nijjar was also the president of this gurdwara. Talking about Raju, he is associated with the separatist group Sikh for Justice (SFJ). SFJ Advocate General Gurpatwant Singh Pannu has described Raju as a “close associate” of Nijjar and an “active organizer” of the Khalistan referendum. Pannu said that Raju “survived a deadly attack. The truck in which he was traveling was showered with bullets by the shooters.”
Raju helps in conducting the so called referendum
Raju was shot with ‘4-5 rounds of bullets’ when his truck was in a woodland in Yolo County. Our partner Hindustan Times has seen a report of the incident filed by the California Highway Patrol. According to Pannu, after the killing of Nijjar in Surrey, Canada on June 18 last year, Raju camped in that city till October and helped organize the referendum held there in 2023 as well as the one held in Calgary, Alberta on July 28 this year. Pannu has accused the Indian government of targeting Raju. He said that India is “violently suppressing the global Khalistan referendum campaign.” At present, no arrests have been announced by the US police in connection with the incident and no motive has been ascertained.
Several shots were fired at Raghbir Nijjar’s house
Meanwhile, on August 10, multiple gunshots were fired at the home of Raghbir Nijjar, former president of the Guru Nanak Sikh Temple in Surrey. While police have not revealed the identity of the homeowner, the Surrey detachment of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in a release on August 13 said the incident occurred around 3.10 a.m. “Evidence consistent with gunfire was found at the scene, as well as evidence of attempted arson,” the release said. It also said “it is believed this incident may be connected to an extortion scandal.” There have been several such shootings targeting Indo-Canadian businesses and individuals in Canada over the past year. A person familiar with the incident told Hindustan Times that Raghbir Nijjar is from the same village as Hardeep Nijjar and the two are believed to be relatives. The man said he is trying to become president of the gurdwara again.
It is worth noting that there has been serious tension in the relations between the two countries since Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused the ‘possible’ involvement of Indian agents in the murder of Nijjar in September last year. India rejected Trudeau’s allegations as ‘absurd’. India has been constantly saying that the main issue between the two countries is that Canada is not curbing the pro-Khalistan elements operating from its soil. This year, Canadian police have arrested four Indian citizens in connection with the murder of Nijjar. However, they have not yet provided evidence of Indian connection. At present, investigation of this aspect is going on.