Organiser of Khalistani protest that attacked Hindus at Canada temple arrested

The principal organizer of the so-called Khalistan referendum in Canada has been arrested and charged in connection with the violent invasion of a Hindu temple in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) last Sunday.

In a release on Saturday, Peel Regional Police (PRP) announced that 35-year-old Inderjeet Gosal, a resident of Brampton, was arrested and charged on Friday with Assault with a Weapon. He was released under conditions and is to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton at a later date, the release stated.

Gosal was arrested on November 8, following a demonstration at the Hindu Sabha temple, where Khalistani extremists attacked Hindu-Canadian devotees.

The demonstration, which took place on The Gore Road, escalated into physical violence, with individuals using flags and sticks as weapons. Police began investigating several offences, many captured on video, and are continuing to analyse footage to identify other suspects.

Gosal was released on conditions and is scheduled to appear in court at a later date. The police have formed a Strategic Investigative Team to continue looking into the incidents from November 3 and 4. They said that these investigations take time and arrests are made as individuals are identified.

Who is Inderjeet Gosal

Gosal is considered to be Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) general counsel Gurpatwant Pannun’s lieutenant. He replaced Hardeep Singh Nijjar as the referendum’s main Canadian organizer after the latter was killed in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18 of last year. Nijjar’s murder led to a breakdown in the relationship between New Delhi and Ottawa after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated in the House of Commons three months later that there were “credible allegations” of a potential link between Indian agents and the killing. India had described those allegations as “absurd” and “motivated.”

Gosal was also reportedly among the 13 Canadians who were the targets of violent criminal activity aimed at pro-Khalistan elements, according to Canadian police. Those allegations from Canada led to India withdrawing six diplomats and officials from the country and expelling six in retaliation.

The attack on the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton on November 3 shocked the Indo-Canadian community and was condemned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Trudeau, and Canada’s opposition leader Pierre Poilievre, among several others.

SFJ had claimed that Gosal had been targeted during the protest by pro-Khalistan elements against the temple which was hosting a consular camp at the time, with Indian officials from the Consulate in Toronto present on the premises.

Several arrests have been made in connection with the incident, with some linked to a counter-protest at a gurdwara in Malton that night as well as at a rally against the violence at the temple on Monday, which had been declared “unlawful” by PRP as weapons were observed.

A sergeant with the PRP was also suspended for participating in the protest held by the pro-Khalistan group.

Widespread condemnation

The attack on the Hindu Sabha temple in Brampton, Canada, by Khalistani extremists, has sparked widespread condemnation from Canadian politicians, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, opposition leader Pierre Poilievre, Toronto MP Kevin Vuong, and MP Chandra Arya. The Toronto MP stated, “Our country’s leaders have failed to protect Hindus.”

Tensions in Brampton have escalated following the violent clash. The conflict started when protesters carrying Khalistani flags interrupted a consular event that was co-organized by the temple authorities and the Indian Consulate. Social media videos depict fistfights and individuals hitting each other with poles on the temple grounds.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also condemned the attack in a post on X, writing, “I strongly condemn the deliberate attack on a Hindu temple in Canada. Equally appalling are the cowardly attempts to intimidate our diplomats. Such acts of violence will never weaken India’s resolve. We expect the Canadian government to ensure justice and uphold the rule of law.”

The Indian High Commission in Canada also condemned the “violent disruption” by ‘anti-India’ elements outside a consular camp.

In response to the attack, the Hindu Canadian Foundation, a non-profit organisation advocating for the Hindu community, shared a video showing the assault on the temple, claiming that Khalistani terrorists attacked women and children.

The High Commission further stated that any future events would be organised “contingent on security arrangements” made by local authorities.