Khalistani extremist and close aide of terrorist Pannun arrested in Canada

Ottawa, Sep 22 (IANS) Khalistani extremist Inderjit Singh Gosal, regarded as a close aide and right-hand man of terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, has reportedly been arrested in Ottawa on multiple charges related to firearms possession, several reports indicated on Monday. 

Gosal rose to prominence as a key Canadian organiser for the US-based Khalistani outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) after the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June 2023.

His detention marks the second time in less than a year that he has been apprehended by Canadian authorities, according to a NDTV report.

Gosal was taken into custody last November in connection with a violent incident at a Hindu temple in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), where he allegedly attacked Hindu-Canadian worshippers.

He was later granted conditional release by Peel Regional Police (PRP).

The 36-year-old is believed to be one of the closest associates of Pannun, the designated terrorist and chief of Sikhs for Justice, and has also served as his Personal Security Officer (PSO).

Pannun, a dual US-Canadian citizen originally from Punjab, was declared an "individual terrorist" by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in July 2020, a year after his organisation was banned and designated as a terrorist outfit.

Authorities in India have filed more than 100 cases against SFJ and Pannun, with nearly 60 of them registered in Punjab alone.

Gosal's arrest comes against the backdrop of India and Canada's collaborative approach towards a fresh chapter in bilateral ties, including closer cooperation to combat terrorism and transnational crimes.

It also coincides with the recent resumption of normal diplomatic operations between New Delhi and Ottawa, after relations between the two nations had plummeted in 2023 when then Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged an Indian link to the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

India denied all the allegations, calling them "absurd" and "motivated", accusing Ottawa of giving space to extremist and anti-India elements in the country.

On Thursday, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and his Canadian counterpart Nathalie Drouin held extensive talks in New Delhi aimed at repairing strained relations, with terrorism and security cooperation featuring prominently on the agenda.

--IANS

sd/as