Just 2 inches away: Recalled envoy on sword attack by Khalistanis in Canada

Sanjay Kumar Verma, India's recalled High Commissioner to Canada, whose name cropped up in a probe into Hardeep Singh Nijjar's murder, said around 150 pro-Khalistanis attacked him with a sword that came around two inches close to his body.

In Short

• Sanjay Verma says pro-Khalistanis blocked convention hall entrance
• Says attack occurred despite protection from cops
• Incident occurred amid India-Canada diplomatic tensions

Sanjay Kumar Verma, the recalled Indian High Commissioner to Canada, recounted a terrifying moment where he was attacked by a group of pro-Khalistanis with a sword that was a few inches close to his body while he was on his way to attend an event in Canada's Alberta province. The incident came amid a massive diplomatic standoff between India and Canada.

Verma, who was recalled by India after Canada called him and other diplomats a 'person of interest' in a probe into the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, said a sword came around two to two-and-a-half inches close to his body. He also recalled that around 150 pro-Khalistanis were protesting outside a convention hall where an event was happening and they blocked his entrance.

"Yes, a couple of times, they came very close to bodily harming us. I was in a city in Alberta where the Indian community had arranged a dinner and cultural programmes. It was a business event being held in a convention hall. Outside the venue, there were 150 people who were holding a pro-Khalistani protest," Verma told news agency ANI.

"They blocked the convention hall's entrance. The RCMP and local police were there and they also did not think that such a thing would happen. When I entered the convention hall along with my wife, one sword, not a 'kirpan' came around two to two-and-a-half inches close to my body," he said.

Kirpan, a type of knife, is one of the five articles of faith that the Sikhs carry as part of their religion.

"They may not know the difference between kirpan and sword. In our country, Sikhs are patriotic and we have seen them. We know what is the difference between a sword and a kirpan. My two consul-generals and I were given close and detailed protection by the RCMP (before the incident) following an assessment that we could be bodily harmed," Verma said.

The ambassador said he was immediately escorted after the attack happened and that he was not informed about the details of the questioning done by the police later following the incident.

"We also informed the Global Affairs of Canada about the incident. They also believed that this was not right. And we also tried to explain to them that there is a difference between a sword and a kirpan. And this (sword) is not a religious object that they carry," he added.

Ties between India and Canada deteriorated when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged Indian government agents' involvement in the killing of Nijjar, a wanted terrorist by India, on Canadian soil. India rejected Trudeau's claims as absurd and motivated, and came down heavily on Canada for giving space to separatist elements and terrorists in the country.

Earlier this month, relations between the two countries nosedived as Canada linked Verma and five other Indian diplomats to the killing of Nijjar. New Delhi outrightly rejected the charges and High Commissioner Verma and five other diplomats from Ottawa while expelling six Canadian diplomats from India.

(with inputs from ANI)