Ottawa: Canada arrested Khalistani terrorist Inderjit Singh Gosal on multiple charges, including possession of arms and extremist activities on Monday, September 22. Gosal, a key aide of Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, rose to prominence within the US-based Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) after the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia in 2023.
The arrest coincides with a fresh effort by India and Canada to repair strained diplomatic ties under Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Carney during the G7 summit this year, followed by the high-level meetings between officials from both countries.
Relations had broken down under former Canadian PM Justin Trudeau after he accused India of involvement in Nijjar’s killing, an allegation that drew criticism within Canada.
Who is Inderjit Gosal?
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Often described as the lieutenant of SFJ’s general counsel Pannun, Gosal has played a proactive role in the Khalistan referendum campaign. He also worked as Pannun’s personal security officer and became increasingly active in separatist events after Nijjar’s death, assuming operational control within SFJ.
This is not Gosal’s first brush with Canadian law enforcement. In November 2023, he was arrested in connection with a violent attack on a Hindu temple in the Greater Toronto Area, where worshippers were assaulted. He was later released on conditions but continued to remain active in Khalistani mobilisation.
In an interview with a Canadian outlet two years after Nijjar’s killing, Gosal said police had repeatedly warned him about threats to his life. “I have to continue the campaign for the call for a referendum. As a result of being the organiser of Khalistan Referendum, I am facing an imminent threat to my life from the agents and proxies of the government of India," he said.
Gosal's Connection With Pannun
The Khalistan referendum movement demands the creation of an independent Sikh state. Supporters such as Gosal trace its origins to the anti-Sikh riots following the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1984, which they describe as “genocide.” They argue that those events forced many Sikhs to migrate to countries like Canada.
Gosal’s association with Pannun kept him at the forefront of SFJ’s activities. Pannun, a dual US–Canadian citizen originally from Punjab, was declared an “individual terrorist” by India’s Ministry of Home Affairs in 2020, a year after SFJ itself was banned.
