‘Most wanted’ Khalistan terrorist Arsh Dalla held in Ontario after shooting? | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: A shooting in Ontario and subsequent arrest of two men by Canadian police has led to speculation that one of those arrested is terrorist Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh Dalla, close aide and successor of the slain terrorist. Hardeep Singh Nijjar. However, there has been no official confirmation of Dalla’s detention by Canadian or Indian officials, with the latter still trying to verify the authenticity of the reports.
Dalla, a rival of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, had taken over Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) after the murder of Nijjar by unknown men. He has been on India’s ‘most wanted’ list since he orchestrated the murder of a Hindu man in Delhi in December 2022.
The killings of Dera followers in 2020-2021 put Dalla on the radar of the intelligence services
The rumor suggests that Dalla was allegedly involved in a shootout on October 27 and 28 and was taken into custody by the Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS). He also suffered a minor gunshot wound, it was claimed.
HRPS had said on October 29 that it had arrested two men on charges of “discharging a firearm with intent” following an investigation after the duo attended a hospital and one of them was treated for a non-life-threatening gunshot wound and later dismissed.
Indian intelligence agencies, who were closely monitoring his activities, confirmed that Dalla is staying in Canada with his wife. However, it is unclear whether he was still in custody. Sources said he has been released.
The report of the arrest came around the time when Punjab police arrested two of Dalla’s officers in Mohali and Delhi on Sunday in connection with a recent murder case. Dalla’s gunmen were also found involved in a murder in Gwalior.
Indian officials stated that Dalla is wanted for multiple criminal offenses in India. He is believed to have continued Nijjar activities and maintained links with extremist networks abroad.
Dalla, who fled to Canada in July 2020, has been linked to several heinous crimes such as murder, extortion and targeted killings, with more than thirteen FIRs registered against him. He allegedly transferred money from Canada to India to his associates to commit various crimes, police said.
He first came on the radar of Indian agencies after his role emerged in the killing of two Dera Sacha Sauda followers in 2020 and 2021. Dalla is also wanted by the NIA, in addition to the police in Delhi, Haryana and Punjab, operates from Canada for four years and is suspected of being behind many targeted killings in Punjab.
In January last year, Dalla was declared a terrorist by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for his alleged involvement in a series of murders, extortion, terror financing and targeted killings besides terrorist activities.