B.C. Police Issue Life Threat Warning to Sikh Activist Following Prime Minister's India Diplomatic Mission
In a concerning development for Canadian security and diplomatic relations, Surrey police have informed Sikh activist Narinder Singh Randhawa of an immediate threat to his life. This warning comes precisely one month after Prime Minister Mark Carney traveled to India to reset diplomatic and trade ties with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government.
Activist Details Police Notification and Suspected Origins
Randhawa, a longtime advocate for the establishment of an independent Khalistan within India, received the "duty to warn" notification from police on April 11. In an interview, he revealed that while authorities could not disclose who was behind the threat, he firmly believes it originates from agents of the Indian government opposed to his activism.
"That I am facing a threat to my life due to my active participation in pro-Khalistan activism, protests in front of the Indian Consulate in Vancouver, and for seeking prosecution of Indian officials," Randhawa stated in a release distributed by Sikhs For Justice.
Historical Context and Previous Assassination
This incident occurs against a backdrop of heightened tensions. Randhawa was a close friend of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the Canadian-Sikh pro-Khalistan activist assassinated in front of his British Columbia gurdwara in 2023. Months after that murder, then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced in Parliament that the government had credible intelligence linking Indian government agents to the assassination.
Since that revelation, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) has repeatedly warned that India is one of the main proponents of transnational repression and foreign interference on Canadian soil.
Activist's Defiant Response and Police Confirmation
Despite the grave warning, Randhawa remains defiant. "I'm feeling good. I will continue my campaign. So, India tried to threaten me to stop my voice, so I will continue to do my protests," he told National Post. He noted that police have been following him during daytime travels and that this marks the first time he has received such a formal threat notification.
National Post obtained a recording of one of Randhawa's calls with police to confirm the advisory. Surrey Police Sergeant Tige Pollock declined to comment specifically, stating that "Duty to Warns are private information."
Pattern of Threats Against Sikh Activists
This is not an isolated incident. Weeks before Carney's trip to India, Global News reported that another pro-Khalistan activist, Moninder Singh, head of the Sikh Federation of Canada, received a similar warning from police about a credible threat to his life.
Randhawa also mentioned he frequently receives death threats on social media due to his activism, which includes organizing two Khalistan referendums in recent years and regular protests outside the Indian consulate in British Columbia.
The timing of this latest warning—so soon after high-level diplomatic efforts to improve Canada-India relations—raises serious questions about the effectiveness of those diplomatic reset attempts and the ongoing security challenges facing Sikh activists in Canada.
