Hardeep Singh Nijjar regularly met Canadian intel officials, says son

New Delhi, September 20

The son of slain terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar has told the Canadian media that his father regularly met with Canadian intelligence officials in the months before he was shot dead in June.

Balraj Singh Nijjar, 21, said his father met with Canadian Security Intelligence Service officers “once or twice a week,” including one or two days before the June 18 murder, with another meeting scheduled for two days after his death. The meetings had started in February and had increased in frequency in the following three or four months, he said in an interview to Vancouver Sun on Tuesday. Balraj said he also attended a meeting between his father and the Royal Mounted Canadian Police last year in which they were told about threats to Nijjar’s life and his father was advised to “stay at home”. Nijjar’s lawyer said the Canadian authorities had asked Nijjar not to go to his gurdwara at his usual time, and avoid being seen in public.

Balraj said Nijjar Sr had received hundreds of threatening messages telling him to stop his advocacy for Sikh independence. “If you don’t stop talking about Khalistan, we’ll kill you…,” he said of the messages.