Trudeau affirms Canadians’ right to safety amid Nijjar murder arrests | World news

Responding to three arrests in connection with the killing of pro-Khalistan figure Hardeep Singh Nijjar on June 18 last year, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said every Canadian has “the fundamental right to live safely and free from discrimination and the threat of violence in Canada. ”

Trudeau made the comments Saturday during a speech at the Sikh Foundation of Canada gala at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, according to the CBC News outlet.

He described the arrests as “important” as Canada was “a rule of law country with a strong and independent legal system, as well as a fundamental commitment to the protection of all its citizens.”

Meanwhile, India called the arrest of three of its nationals an “internal” issue for Canada.

In a statement released Saturday, Indian High Commissioner to Ottawa Sanjay Kumar Verma said: “This matter is internal to Canada and therefore we have no comment in this regard.”

Canadian researchers said working with their law enforcement counterparts in India “has become quite challenging and difficult in recent years.” However, Verma said: “We are always ready to work with partner countries in solving crimes, provided specific and relevant evidence is shared with us.”

While the first report of the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions, released on Friday, accused India of interfering in Canada’s affairs, Verma said: “As stated time and time again, this is not the policy of the government of Canada. India should interfere in the internal affairs of other countries.”

The High Commissioner said they were “informed by Canadian officials of the arrest of three Indian nationals residing in Canada in connection with the shooting of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar.”

“We hope to receive regular updates from the concerned Canadian authorities regarding the arrested Indian nationals,” he added.

Canadian investigators have not yet disclosed any connection with the Indian government regarding the murder. However, on Friday, Deputy Commissioner David Teboul, commander of the federal police program in the Pacific region, said “separate and separate investigations were underway,” including “investigations into links to the Government of India.”

Nijjar’s killing on June 18 in Surrey, British Columbia, sundered relations between India and Canada following Trudeau’s statement in the House of Commons three months later that there were “credible allegations” of a possible link between Indian agents and the killing. India responded by saying these allegations were “absurd” and “motivated”. However, India recently said it could cooperate if “specific and relevant” information was provided on any Indian angle.

The arrests of three Indian citizens, Karan Brar, 22, Kamalpreet Singh, 22 and Karanpreet Singh, 28, all residents of Edmonton, the capital of the province of Alberta, were announced on Friday by the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team or IHIT. They have been charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. They had all arrived in Canada within the past five years as international students and researchers claimed there was a link between them and the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.