India adds Canadian border police official to terrorist list as row deepens

India reportedly added a Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) official named Sandeep Singh Sidhu to its list of fugitive terrorists sought for deportation. This development comes in the wake of significant diplomatic dispute between India and Justin Trudeau-led Canada regarding the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, reported Hindustan Times.
This comes two days after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police went public and accused Indian diplomats of targeting Sikh separatists in their country. They alleged that Indian diplomats were sharing information about Sikh separatists with their government back home.
The Canadian officials suggested that Indian officials were indirectly behind the shootings, extortions and murder of Canadian citizens who were being targeted following dissemination of information from top Indian officials. The Canadian officials alleged that the top Indian officials were sharing information with Indian organised crime groups.
Rejecting the Canadian accusations as absurd, Indian foreign ministry said it was expelling Canada’s acting high commissioner apart from five other diplomats in response. According to media reports, Sandeep Singh Sidhu is accused of promoting terrorist activities in Punjab. Sandeep Singh Sidhu is in focus as he is a part of the banned International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) and an employee of the CBSA.
Furthermore, it is alleged that Sandeep Singh Sidhu was connected with Pakistan-based Khalistan terrorist Lakhbir Singh Rode and other ISI operatives. He is deemed to have played a significant role in the assassination of Balwinder Singh Sandhu in 2020. According to Times Now report, the CBSA official Sandeep Singh Sidhu was promoted to superintendent post recently.
During Punjab’s insurgency, Balwinder Singh Sandhu became a symbol of resistance for his efforts against Khalistani militants. The Shaurya Chakra awardee was known for his opposition to Khalistan referendums led by Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) in the US and Canada.