Khalistan Supporters Hold Protest Outside Indian Consulate In Vancouver, Toronto Over Hardeep Singh Nijjar's Killing

Khalistan sympathisers and supporters gathered in dozens outside the Indian Consulate in Canada's Vancouver to hold a protest against the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar amid escalating diplomatic tensions between India and Canada after the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged Indian involvement in Nijjar's fatal shooting. 

The protestors waved Khalistan flags, played music and shouted slogans and even destroyed and set ablaze the Indian flag in a garbage can outside the Consulate. Similar protests were held in Toronto as well. 

The protestors termed Nijjar’s killing an "assassination" and demanded a public inquiry into the case, CTV News reported. The protest was one of the several planned demonstrations by the Khalistan supporters across Canada. 

World Sikh Organisation's president Tenjinder Singh Sidhu in a statement called to find the killers of Hardeep Singh Nijjar and also issued advance warning of possible "incitement and interference" during the protest, asking for vigilance. 

"If members of the community feel unsafe or see attempts to incite violence, we encourage them to immediately contact law enforcement," Sidhu said. 

The Vancouver Police Department closed the road around the Indian Consulate in Vancouver ahead of the planned protest. Barriers were placed blocking the entrance to the Indian Consulate in Vancouver's building on Howe Street. 

ALSO READ: Gyanvapi Case: Head Priest Files Fresh Plea Seeking Worship Of Deities, Hearing Today 

Nijjar, who was a wanted terrorist in India, was killed outside a Gurdwara in Canada's Surrey in British Columbia on June 18. 

New Delhi has rejected Ottawa's claims of the Indian government's involvement in the killing and termed the allegations "absurd" and "motivated".

"We have seen and rejected the statement of the Canadian Prime Minister in their Parliament, as also the statement by their Foreign Minister," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

India also expelled a senior Canadian diplomat in a reciprocal move to Canada expelling a senior Indian diplomat in light of the claim of New Delhi's involvement in the killing of Nijjar.

ALSO READ: India's Response Is Firm And Direct: Sri LankaN Envoy Extends Support To Country Over Canada's Allegations

Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that the allegations made by Canada regarding the "potential links" of India behind the killing of Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar are "politically driven" and "prejudiced".