By 1130 NewsRadio Staff
A Sikh activist based in B.C. has been warned by the Surrey Police Service (SPS) that his life could be in danger, according to an advocacy group.
Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) says Narinder Singh Randhawa, an organizer involved in the Khalistan independence campaign, has been issued a “Duty to Warn” because of an imminent threat to his life.
According to the SFJ, the SPS says the warning was based on intelligence from the RCMP and multiple other law enforcement agencies.
The activist first received the Duty to Warn notice by phone April 11, and it was then confirmed two days later, the group says.
Randhawa has participated in demonstrations outside the Indian Consulate in Vancouver and has been active in organizing Khalistan Referendum-related events in B.C.
The SFJ says the warning comes against a background of ongoing threats against Sikh activists in Canada who are involved with pro-Khalistan advocacy. Sikhs and the Canadian government have implicated the Indian government in the high-profile killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June 2023, which the Indian government has denied.
“On one hand, Canadian agencies are issuing Duty To Warn notices to Khalistan Referendum activists over imminent threats to their lives; and on the other hand, the government claims it cannot connect the dots,” said Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, SFJ’s lawyer.
The SPS says it is unable to confirm the issuance of the warning or provide details.
“Duty to Warns are private and sensitive information involving operational police matters and, in many cases, active investigations, and we cannot confirm whether we issue a Duty to Warn, even if that person discloses that publicly,” Staff Sgt. Lindsey Houghton told 1130 NewsRadio.
This story was originally published in vancouver.citynews.ca.
