Amid Diplomatic Row, Indian Visa Service For Canadians Suspended ‘Till Further Notice’

New Delhi: Amid the escalating row between India and Canada, New Delhi on Thursday suspended issue of visas to Canadian citizens till further notice.

“Due to operational reasons… Indian visa services have been suspended till further notice,” said a notice by BLS International, a private agency hired for initial scrutiny of visa applications of Canadian nationals.

India is livid with Canada’s claim linking Indian agents to the murder of pro-Khalistan Sikh terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, and firmly rejected the allegation as “absurd” and “motivated.”

The 45-year-old Nijjar was shot dead outside a gurdwara in Canada’s British Columbia in June. The man from Jalandhar was chief of the banned Khalistan Tiger Force and one of India’s most wanted terrorists with a Rs 10 lakh cash reward for his capture or information leading to his arrest.

Nijjar, linked with the killing of a Hindu priest in Jalandhar, is also accused in a 2007 bombing case in Punjab.

Also Read: Khalistan Row: ‘Exercise Utmost Caution,’ MEA Advisory For Indians In Canada