An NIA charge sheet has revealed that Hardeep Singh Nijjar -- the pro-Khalistan hardliner who was shot dead in June -- and gangster-turned-terrorist Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh Dalla had lured shooters to commit terror acts in exchanhe for "arranging visas, splendid jobs and handsome earnings" in Canada.
Nijjar, chief of the the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), was shot dead by unidentitfied gunmen outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18. Both Nijjar and Dalla were based in Canada.
"The global terrorists Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Arshdeep Singh a.k.a Arsh and others formed a terrorist gang. They conspired to kidnap and kill the people of other faiths to create a sense of fear and disaffection among different sections of society in the state of Punjab," the charge sheet read.
"Investigations have revealed that Nijjar and Arsh lured people to commit terror acts in return for arranging visas, splendid jobs, and handsome earnings for them in Canada. Initially, they were motivated for threatening and extorting money from businessmen in Punjab and subsequently they were radicalised and motivated for carrying out terrorist acts of killing persons of other faiths," it added.
According to intelligence sources, a significant number of these "vulnerable"young individuals, initially brought to Canada for various roles such as plumbing, truck driving, or serving in religious capacities within more than 30 gurdwaras controlled by pro-Khalistan factions in places like Surrey, Brampton, Edmonton, become ensnared in the separatist cause.
"They are subsequently exploited to orchestrate anti-India demonstrations and host radical religious gatherings in Canada," said the sources. They further claimed thatstudents who complete their studies in Canada but struggle to secure suitable employment are the particularly vulnerable.
"Pro-Khalistan extremists extend offers of shelter and low-wage jobs using resources from gurdwaras for their sustenance," said the sources.
When the ISI-backed Khalistani group 'Sikhs For Justice' faced challenges in garnering support for their anti-India campaign, the 'Punjab Independence Referendum,' Nijjar and his associates enlisted these 'foot soldiers' to create the illusion of campaign success, the intelligence sources claimed.
"Certain pro-Khalistan political parties in India allegedly demanded one to two lakh rupees in exchange for providing a 'letter' to youth, who would then use it to claim political asylum in Canada by falsely asserting that they were party members facing religious persecution in India," they alleged.
Consequently, these individuals typically end up affiliating with pro-Khalistan factions upon their arrival in Canada. Notably, it is widely known that obtaining a Canadian visa is a highly challenging and time-consuming process for genuine travellers.
(With inputs from IANS)
