Ottawa, March 10 (IANS) The brutal killing of Nancy Grewal, a Canadian citizen and well-known critic of the Khalistan movement, highlights growing concerns over Khalistani extremism spilling into violence on Canadian soil, against the backdrop of long-standing India-Canada tensions over the issue, a report said on Tuesday.

According to a report in ‘Khalsa Vox’, the brutal stabbing of 45-year-old Grewal has left Canada’s South Asian communities and the wider public in shock. Between March 7 and 9, it said, fresh details have surfaced that intensified focus on the Khalistani extremist links, while the investigation continues with no arrests or suspects identified.

“LaSalle Police, now assisted by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), reiterated on March 7 that the March 3 homicide on Todd Lane was a premeditated, targetted attack — not random violence. Chief Michael Pearce’s earlier statement emphasised confidence that the killing was ‘an intentional act against her personally’. No breakthroughs in identifying or apprehending perpetrators have been publicly announced, with police urging the public for tips while declining to speculate on motives or comment directly on social media claims,” the report mentioned.

Citing Canadian media outlets, including CBC News, the report stated that a Sikh extremist-affiliated social media account has claimed responsibility for the murder, representing the most disturbing development in the case.

“The post explicitly stated that Grewal was killed because of her repeated criticisms of the Khalistan separatist movement, which seeks an independent Sikh homeland in India’s Punjab region. It included a stark warning: others who speak against Khalistan would face the ‘same fate.’ This claim has not been independently verified by authorities, but it aligns eerily with Grewal’s documented history of receiving death threats and facing harassment from Khalistani elements,” it detailed.

Just before she was killed, the report said, Grewal told CBC she feared for her life, citing threats from extremists within the Sikh separatist movement.

“She detailed prior incidents, including arson at her home and online threats tied to her outspoken videos opposing Khalistani ideology. Her family, including sister Alishaa Grewal, has described the attack as ‘pre-planned,’ pointing to her activism as the clear motive,” it added.

According to several reports, Grewal was stabbed multiple times – some accounts citing as many as 18 wounds – while working alone at a client’s home as a personal support worker — “a vulnerable position that extremists may have exploited”.

The Khalsa Vox report further said, “As the investigation deepens with OPP resources, the absence of arrests fuels speculation and outrage. Grewal’s supporters demand swift justice, viewing her death as a stark warning: in Canada, outspoken opposition to Khalistani extremism can carry a deadly price.”

–IANS

scor/as