Indian envoy to US heckled outside NY gurdwara by Khalistani supporters, accused of killing Nijjar

A group of Khalistani supporters heckled Indian Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu outside a gurdwara in New York and accused him of killing Sikh hardliner Hardeep Singh Nijjar and also "plotted to murder" Gurpatwant Singh Pannun -- a listed individual terrorist of the banned Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) outfit.

The incident came days after Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on November 22 said that US shared some inputs pertaining to nexus between organised criminals, gun runners, terrorists and others and these inputs are a cause of concern for both countries and they decided to take necessary follow up action.

The incident took place at Hicksville Gurdwara in New York where a person could be heard shouting at Sandhu with accusations over the killing of Nijjar, who was shot dead in Canada in June this year.

BJP spokesperson RP Singh Khalsa on Monday shared a video which showed Sandhu being surrounded by people amid continuous shouting.

"Khalistanies tried to heckle Indian Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu with baseless Questions for his role in the failed plot to assassinate Gurpatwant, (SFJ) and Khalistan Referendum campaign," he said on X.

"Himmat Singh who led the pro Khalistanies at Hicksville Gurdwara in New York also accused ambassador Sandhu for India’s role in the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was President of Surrey Gurdwara and the coordinator for Canadian Chapter of the Khalistan Referendum."

In a similar incident in September this year, Indian High Commissioner to the UK Vikram Doraiswami was not allowed to enter a gurdwara in Scotland's Glasgow by a few Khalistani radicals.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had on November 20 registered a fresh case against ‘listed individual terrorist’ Pannun over his latest viral video threatening the passengers flying on Air India with a global blockade and closure of the operations of the airline from November 19.

In his statement on November 22, Bagchi had also said that issues in the context of US inputs were already being examined by relevant departments. In a statement on reports of discussions between India and US on security matters.

"During the course of recent discussions on India-US security cooperation, the US side shared some inputs pertaining to nexus between organized criminals, gun runners, terrorists and others."

He said the inputs were a cause of concern for both countries and they decided to take necessary follow up action and added that on its part, India takes such inputs "seriously" since it impinges on our own national security interests as well.

"Issues in the context of US inputs are already being examined by relevant departments," the MEA spokesperson added.