Ottawa: Indian diplomats in Canada have received fresh threats from the banned Khalistani outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), which announced that it would “siege” the Indian Consulate in Vancouver on September 18.

The group urged Indo-Canadians to plan their consulate visits accordingly, alleging that Indian missions in Canada are running surveillance operations against Khalistan activists.

SFJ’s statement linked the move to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s 2023 remarks in Parliament, where he alleged that Indian agents were under investigation in the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was shot dead in the parking lot of a gurudwara in Surrey, British Columbia. India had strongly denied any involvement in the killing.

“Two years on, Indian consulates continue to run spy networks targeting Khalistan Referendum campaigners,” SFJ said in its statement. Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who leads the group, remains banned in India.

The latest threat comes days after a Canadian Department of Finance report highlighted that several terrorist entities, including Khalistani extremist groups such as Babbar Khalsa International and the International Sikh Youth Federation, are receiving financial support originating from Canada.

The report categorized these outfits under Politically Motivated Violent Extremism (PMVE) and warned that they are exploiting funding networks, including non-profits and charities, to support violent agendas.

India has consistently raised concerns about the presence and activities of Khalistani extremists on Canadian soil. New Delhi has repeatedly urged Ottawa to take concrete action against such groups, which it accuses of fomenting separatism and anti-India violence abroad.