Canada expels Indian diplomat over killing of Sikh activist

Canada on Monday ordered an Indian diplomat to leave the country as it investigates the killing of a prominent Sikh leader who was shot in British Columbia in June.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that an investigation into "credible allegations" that Indian state actors could be behind the death of Hardeep Singh Nijjar was ongoing.

Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said "If proven true this would be a great violation of our sovereignty and of the most basic rule of how countries deal with each other."

"As a consequence we have expelled a top Indian diplomat," Melanie said without taking names.

Who is the Sikh leader in question?

Canadian Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot on the premises of a Sikh temple in British Columbia in June, angering the Sikh community in Canada and elsewhere.

Many said they believed that the Indian government could be behind the killing. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said intelligence agencies had been pursuing the allegations.

"Over the past number of weeks Canadian security agencies have been actively pursuing credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the government of India and the killing of a Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar," Trudeau told Parliament.

Trudeau added that he brought up the slaying with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G20 summit in New Delhi last week.

Trudeau said he told Modi that any Indian government involvement would be unacceptable and that he asked for cooperation in the investigation.