Canada: Nijjar Murder Suspect Reportedly Attacked in Pretrial Facility

Toronto: Reports have emerged suggesting that one of the Indian nationals charged in the murder of pro-Khalistan leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar may have been assaulted while in custody. According to local media, including the Indo-Canadian Voice, an unnamed source indicated that one of the three accused was attacked at the Surrey Pretrial Centre, potentially occurring in the facility’s gym.

The Hindustan Times also received information about the alleged assault but could not verify the details. The British Columbia Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General declined to confirm or deny the incident, citing privacy and security reasons.

The accused—Karan Brar, 22, Kamalpreet Singh, 22, and Karanpreet Singh, 28—were apprehended in Edmonton on May 3. The fourth individual, Amandeep Singh, 22, was charged in connection with Nijjar’s killing on May 11, having been previously detained by Peel Regional Police in November 2023 on unrelated charges.

All four suspects appeared virtually in a BC provincial court on August 7, with their trial postponed until October 1. The case involves charges of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

Canadian authorities are still investigating potential links between the murder and the Indian Government. On May 3, Assistant Commissioner David Teboul of the Federal Policing Program in the Pacific Region confirmed ongoing investigations into connections with the Government of India. Nijjar’s murder has strained India-Canada relations significantly, following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations of a possible link to Indian agents, which India has strongly refuted.