Canadian authorities have apprehended three men believed to have played a role in the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh activist whose death last year sparked a significant diplomatic dispute between Ottawa and New Delhi.

Canadian authorities have apprehended three individuals suspected in the 2023 homicide of Canadian citizen and Sikh advocate Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The suspects, who are all citizens of India, are charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy.

Assistant police commissioner David Teboul refrained from disclosing details regarding the evidence or motive, citing the ongoing investigation. According to reports, the accused individuals allegedly fulfilled various roles, including shooters, drivers, and spotters, during Nijjar's fatal shooting outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, a Vancouver suburb known for its sizable Sikh community.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated last year that his government was investigating "credible allegations" suggesting the involvement of Indian government agents in Nijjar's death.

Commissioner Teboul confirmed that the investigation continues, including looking into potential connections to the government of India.

India had branded Nijjar, aged 45, a "terrorist" due to his advocacy for an independent Sikh state. This accusation unsettled Canada's Sikh community, constituting around 2% of the nation's population.

Nijjar was a vocal proponent for the establishment of Khalistan, a separate Sikh state, a movement marked by violent confrontations between supporters and the Indian government during the 1970s and 1980s. Khalistan remains outlawed in India.

Following Nijjar's demise, both India and Canada expelled high-ranking diplomats. At the peak of tensions, India temporarily halted visa services for Canadian citizens.

This discord strained relations between the two countries, placing major Western nations in an awkward position.

In a distinct incident in November last year, prosecutors in the United States leveled charges against an Indian national purportedly hired for the assassination of Sikh activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

Pannun serves as the general counsel for Sikhs for Justice, an organization advocating for the secession of Punjab province from India.

Recently, The Washington Post disclosed the name of an official within India's intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing, alleging their orchestration of the assassination attempt.

India vehemently denied these allegations on Tuesday, rebuffing the report's assertions as "unwarranted and unsubstantiated."