Congress Leader Assassinated: Canada-Based Gangster Claims Responsibility Amid Diplomatic Standoff And Trudeau's 'Interference Allegation'

Congress leader Baljinder Singh Balli (45), known locally as 'namberdar', was fatally shot at his residence in Dala village, Moga district, late on Monday, reported Indian Express.

He was the block president of Ajitwal village for the Congress party. The assailants, riding a motorcycle, approached Balli's house, with one entering while the other waited outside.

Shortly after the incident, fugitive gangster Arshdeep Singh Gill, also known as Arsh Dalla and believed to be in hiding in Canada, claimed responsibility for the killing on Facebook.

In a post allegedly from Arsh Dalla's account, he accused Balli of introducing him to a life of crime and harassing his mother.

CCTV footage of the incident captured the shooter entering the house, where Balli was standing in the porch. The assailant opened fire, and Balli collapsed. An elderly man attempted to help Balli, but he succumbed to his injuries despite being taken to the hospital, according to the police.

The Facebook post from Arsh Dalla's account, originally written in Punjabi, roughly translated to, "I am responsible for the murder of Balli in Dala village because it was my own village’s politics which had made me tread this path.

"This man (Balli) was responsible for keeping my mother in CIA (police) custody for a week and he also got my friends arrested. He was hand in glove with police… and got my home vandalised.

"He destroyed my home just to gain his own afsar shaahi… My life’s aim was not to live my own life but to kill him. If we wished, we would have killed his child too but that child was nowhere at fault…. those who are sympathising with him, their homes are also not far for us."

In January of this year, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) designated Dalla as a terrorist after finding his involvement in serious crimes, including murder, extortion, targeted killings, and terrorist activities.

This comes just hours after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Tradeau blamed Indian government of interfering in internal affairs of Canada, and accusing India for the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Shortly after the accusations, the Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly announced the expulsion of a senior Indian diplomat based at Indian High Commission in Ottawa.

In a tit-for-tat move, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, summoned the Canadian High Commissioner to India, expelling a senior Canadian diplomat, giving him five days to leave the country.