Who was Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Khalistani whose murder strained India-Canada relations?

Canada has expelled a top Indian diplomat months after Khalistani activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead in British Columbia. The country has accused the Indian government of being involved in his killing.

Nijjar, who was shot dead in his truck by two masked gunmen in June this year, was a prominent Sikh leader in British Columbia and a vocal backer of a separate Khalistani state. He moved to Canada in 1997 and worked as a plumber.

Nijjar led a militant separatist group named the Khalistan Tiger Force and was declared a terrorist by India in 2020.

He was also associated with the separatist group Sikhs for Justice. He was wanted in several cases including a bomb blast in Ludhiana in 2007 and a blast in Patiala in 2010. He was also a suspect in the killings of RSS leaders in Punjab.

Nijjar's supporters have, however, called the accusations unfounded.

Also watch: 'Deeply concerned': US on Trudeau's allegations against India in Nijjar killing

Months after the leader's murder, Canada has expelled a top Indian diplomat, accusing the Indian government of being involved in his killing.

India has denied the allegations.