Canada expels Indian diplomats on alleged connection to violent criminal activity

OTTAWA, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) -- Canada expelled India's High Commissioner and five other diplomats on Monday, local media reported.

A senior Canadian government official told the media that the police would reveal new details about the Indian government's alleged connection to "violent criminal activity" in Canada.

New Delhi on Monday announced it would be pulling its high commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma, accusing the Canadian government of suggesting he is among "persons of interest" in the investigation into the killing of a Canadian Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police Commissioner Michael Duheme held a press conference on Monday warning of a public security threat linked to agents of the Indian government.

On June 18, 2023, Nijjar was shot and killed in the parking lot of a Sikh temple in British Columbia. In September 2023, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated that Canadian intelligence agencies were "pursuing credible allegations of a potential link" between Indian government agents and the assassination of Nijjar.