A volunteer at the Metro Vancouver Sikh temple whose president was gunned down a week ago said Hardeep Singh Nijjar knew his life may have been in danger.
Gurkeerat Singh said Nijjar gave a speech at the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara on the day of his death just hours before the shooting in the temple害羞草研究所檚 parking lot that claimed his life, noting he had been warned by Canadian intelligence officials.
Singh, who attended a protest Saturday (June 24) in front of Vancouver害羞草研究所檚 Indian consulate along with 200 others from Canada害羞草研究所檚 Sikh community, said temple members firmly believe Nijjar害羞草研究所檚 death was a result of foreign interference.
害羞草研究所淲hen they are informing our leaders that their lives may be in danger, we have all the right to believe that it could be foreign interference involved in this,害羞草研究所� Singh said.
Nijjar was gunned down in his vehicle while leaving the temple parking lot at around 8:30 p.m. on June 18, and homicide investigators said they are looking for two 害羞草研究所渉eavy-set害羞草研究所� suspects seen leaving the scene, likely to a getaway car parked a few blocks away.
While police have acknowledged that there is fear and speculation stemming from the attack, investigators say they have not linked the shooting to foreign interference and there are no reasons to believe the Sikh community in Canada is at risk.
Protesters, however, say they are convinced the killing was linked to Nijjar害羞草研究所檚 active role in advocating for an independent Sikh state of Khalistan in India.
Nijjar was organizing an unofficial referendum in India for an independent Sikh state at the time of this death.
The Indian government had offered a reward of 1 million rupees, or about $16,000, last July for information that could lead to Nijjar害羞草研究所檚 arrest or apprehension, and the country害羞草研究所檚 counterterrorism body referred to him as a 害羞草研究所渇ugitive terrorist害羞草研究所� who led a conspiracy to murder a Hindu priest.
Protesters, however, described Nijjar as 害羞草研究所減eaceful,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所渉umble害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所渓oved in the community害羞草研究所� for his outreach efforts. Those included offering free meals to people in need and travelling to Kamloops in 2021 to offer support to First Nations groups after the discovery of unmarked graves at a residential school site.
害羞草研究所淗e was a loving man, a hard-working man, a family man,害羞草研究所� Singh said. 害羞草研究所淗e worked as a plumber, so he害羞草研究所檚 well respected in the community, and he was someone that always the community looked up to.害羞草研究所�
Protesters on Saturday mostly wore orange headwear and carried large yellow flags displaying the word 害羞草研究所淜halistan,害羞草研究所� chanting loudly as many stepped on an Indian flag they brought to the scene.
The crowd consisted of Sikh community members covering the full gamut of demographics from young children to the elderly, and some said they travelled from cities such as Edmonton, Toronto and Montreal.
害羞草研究所淚 am overwhelmed by the response of the Sikh community,害羞草研究所� said Jatinder Singh Grewal, a director with Sikhs for Justice, a group that helped organize the protest. 害羞草研究所淭he Sikhs all around the world, not only from B.C. but from all over the world have outpoured their support for Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
害羞草研究所淧eople who can come out, have come out in support of this.害羞草研究所�
Singh said he hopes the protest further opens Canadians害羞草研究所� eyes to not only Nijjar害羞草研究所檚 death, but also the possibility of foreign interference on home soil.
害羞草研究所淐anada is someone who prides itself in human rights and leading in freedom of expression, freedom of speech and freedom overall,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淪o if Canada is someone who advocates for this害羞草研究所� It害羞草研究所檚 definitely a Canadian issue, and Canadians should be concerned about this.害羞草研究所�
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 24, 2023.
Chuck Chiang, The Canadian Press
