Toronto: Arsh Dalla, Khalistani terrorist and close aide of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, was arrested by Canadian Police on Sunday in connection with a shooting incident in Milton, Ontario. Dalla, who was designated an “individual terrorist” by India last year, is considered a successor to slain Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The arrest follows a request by the Indian government for Canada to provisionally arrest Dalla in connection with his suspected involvement in the shooting.
The Halton Regional Police began investigating the incident in late October 2024 after two men visited a hospital in the Guelph region seeking treatment for gunshot wounds. One of the men was treated for a non-life-threatening injury sustained in the Halton region, while the other was uninjured. The arrest of Dalla comes at a time of heightened diplomatic tensions between India and Canada. Relations between the two countries have become increasingly strained since Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged in September 2023 that there was “credible evidence” linking Indian government agents to the murder of Nijjar. In recent weeks, Canada has also accused senior BJP leader and Indian Home Minister Amit Shah of being behind alleged plots to target Sikh separatists on Canadian soil. India has strongly denied these allegations, calling them “absurd” and “motivated”, while accusing Canada of providing a safe haven for extremist and anti-India elements.
The arrest of Dalla is expected to further escalate tensions between the two countries, as both sides continue to trade accusations related to national security concerns and the handling of separatist movements.
