The Indian Government has categorically dismissed a report claiming that it had issued a 'secret memo' for decisive action against Hardip Singh Nijjar and other Sikh terrorists in April as completely fictitious and unfounded.
The American media outlet 'Intercept' on a Sunday alleged that the Indian Government had directed a 'crackdown scheme' against some Sikh terrorists living in Western countries.
The report further claimed that in April 2023, two months prior to Nijjar's murder, the Indian Foreign Ministry had sent a secret memo to Indian embassies in North America. The memo allegedly instructed them to act against Khalistani terrorists, including Nijjar.
According to the report, this so-called secret memo listed several Khalistani terrorists under investigation by India's intelligence agencies.
India Brands the Report as Completely False
Responding to the story published by the American outlet, the spokesperson for India's Foreign Ministry, Arindam Bagchi, stated, "The report is entirely fake and concocted. There is no such memo. This report is part of a narrative against India."
The spokesperson added, "Especially the outlet which has featured this report, is known for promoting the fake narratives propagated by Pakistani intelligence agencies. A review of other posts by the author of the report confirms this. Those who promote such fictitious news are losing their own credibility."
How Did Nijjar's Assassination Occur?
Nijjar was murdered in June 2023 in the Surrey province of Canada. He was shot in his truck in the parking lot of a temple. Initial investigations by Canadian security agencies indicate that two assailants shot Nijjar. A third individual was waiting nearby in a vehicle, and after committing the act, the assailants escaped in this vehicle. No arrests have been made in this case to date.
Indian security agencies had labeled Nijjar as a fugitive and designated terrorist. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had announced a reward of ₹10 lakh for information leading to the fugitive Nijjar, prominent in groups advocating for a referendum on Khalistan. He hailed from Bharsinghpur village in the Jalandhar district of Punjab.
