Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s aide and Khalistani terrorist Arsh Dala arrested in Canada

Who is Arsh Dala?

Born in Ludhiana, Arshdeep Singh Gill alias Arsh Dala was designated as a terrorist by the Government of India in 2023. According to a gazette notification by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Dala is associated with banned terrorist outfit Khalistan Tiger Force. 

Dala is accused of being involved in heinous crimes like murder, extortion and targeted killings. He is also accused of terror financing, cross-border smuggling of drugs and weapons at a large scale. 

According to the MHA notification, Arsh Dala is accused in various cases registered and investigated by the National Investigation Agency including targeted killing, extorting money for terror funding, attempt to murder, disturbing communal harmony and creating terror among the people in the state of Punjab.

In a latest development, the Punjab Police on Sunday apprehended two key operatives of Arsh Dala for their alleged involvement in the murder case of Sikh activist Gurpreet Singh Hari Nau in the state’s Faridkot district last month.

A man identified as Jasawant Singh Gill (45) was also shot dead in Madhya Pradesh’s Gwalior district by the two arrested on the direction of the Canada-based gangster.

India-Canada diplomatic tensions

The development comes amid heightened tensions between India and Canada ever since Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead in Surrey on June 18 last year. Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau has accused Indian government agents for the killing of Nijjar.

Last month, India recalled its envoy Sanjay Verma after the Canadian authorities named him and other diplomats as “persons of interest” in their probe into Nijjar’s killing. New Delhi condemned the move and also expelled six Canadian diplomats.