State-Sponsored Terrorism and Extrajudicial Killings on Foreign Soil

A troubling pattern has emerged on international arena just recently, raising alarm about extrajudicial killings and state-sponsored violence to stifle dissent and opposition. This perplexing trend which has ironically been prevalent in smaller South Asian countries earlier, has now taken a disturbing turn with the cold-blooded assassinations of first-world citizens by intelligence operatives of a country, known to mizzle dissent. The arrest of Nikhil Gupta in the United States, the execution of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada, and the mysterious killing of Avtar Singh Khanda in the United Kingdom, are three vivid examples of a new and brazen dimension in international relations and diplomacy among the states.

The arrest and prosecution of Indian national Nikhil Gupta by US federal authorities bring into limelight a concerning global phenomenon: the outsourced conduct of murder attempt on a political dissident. Gupta is accused of being recruited to kill a Sikh activist on American territory by an Indian Government agent. His capture in the Czech Republic on murder-for-hire accusations highlights the extent to which extrajudicial tactics have become a standard tool for both large and small governments, while dealing with people opposed to their Governments.

Under the same vein, the death of Hardeep Singh Nijjar- a Sikh separatist leader associated with a renowned Sikh temple in Vancouver, Canada, reveals a professional assassination operation. Nijjar was killed in the temple parking lot by gunmen wearing facemasks. The Canadian Government was able to intercept communications of an Indian envoy indicating his complicity in the conspiracy. This episode not only strained relations between Delhi and Ottawa, but it also raised concerns about the global reach of state-sponsored violence.

The mysterious poising of Sikh activist Avtar Singh Khanda in Birmingham, UK, adds another dimension to this tragic story. Khanda had earlier complained about harassment by Indian Police and threats to his family members in Punjab months before his tragic demise. His murder correlated with an emerging strategy involving an Indian Government Officer, who reportedly directed the assassination of a US citizen and Sikh activist, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, as alleged by US prosecutors. The interconnection of all these episodes exposes a well-coordinated murder-for-hire campaign by India.

Source: https://globalcourant.com/state-sponsored-terrorism-and-extrajudicial-killings-on-foreign-soil/