US charges Indian crime boss in assassination that strained Canada-India ties

US authorities have filed charges against Indian crime boss Lawrence Bishnoi and his associate Satinderjeet Singh for allegedly orchestrating the 2023 assassination of prominent Sikh independence activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. These charges are part of a large-scale law enforcement operation targeting three Indian international crime syndicates involved in various illicit activities, including murder, across multiple continents.

Nijjar, a Canadian citizen who advocated for a sovereign Sikh state, was fatally shot outside a temple in Surrey, British Columbia, in June 2023. His killing ignited a significant diplomatic dispute between Canada and India, as then-Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau publicly stated there were credible allegations linking the Indian government to the murder. India vehemently denied these accusations, leading to mutual expulsions of diplomats and a prolonged strain on bilateral relations.