Intelligence agencies are actively monitoring reports of Khalistani terrorist Arsh Dalla‘s alleged arrest in Canada, though Canadian authorities have yet to confirm the development with Indian officials. Dalla, who assumed leadership of the banned Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) following Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s death last year, has been a significant figure in the complex web of international terrorism.
The case gains additional significance given the diplomatic tension between India and Canada following Nijjar’s killing, where Canadian authorities alleged Indian government involvement – claims that New Delhi has strongly refuted.
Who is Khalistani terrorist Arsh Dalla arrested in Canada?
Arshdeep Singh Gill, known as Arsh Dalla, has built an extensive terror network spanning multiple continents. According to National Investigation Agency (NIA) documents, his operations extend across Canada, the United States, Dubai, Europe, the Philippines, Thailand, and the Middle East. The agency’s chargesheet reveals his collaboration with Canadian gangster Gaurav Patial (alias Saurav Thakur) in operating a terror gangster network.
Intelligence reports indicate alleged connections between Dalla’s operations and Pakistan’s ISI, particularly in weapons smuggling via drones from Pakistan to Punjab. His organization has reportedly forged alliances with Lashkar-e-Taiba for various terror activities.
About Arsh’s network:
The NIA has documented Dalla’s involvement in multiple targeted killings in Punjab through his sleeper cell network. Notable incidents include the 2022 murder of Manohar Lal, a Dera Sacha Sauda member, and a recently claimed assassination of a Punjab Congress leader in 2024.
In Canada, Dalla’s criminal activities have led to violent confrontations with rival gangs, particularly the Lawrence Bishnoi group. This rivalry culminated in the shooting death of Dalla associate Sukhdul Singh in Winnipeg in 2023.
Did Arsh Dalla recruit Indian youth in his gang?
Intelligence sources report that Dalla has been actively recruiting Indian youth through social media, allegedly offering assistance for foreign settlement as a recruitment tool. These recruits are reportedly later coerced into conducting terror operations in India.
The KTF, which Dalla now allegedly leads, was founded in 2011 by Jagtar Singh Tara, a former Babbar Khalsa International operative implicated in the 1995 assassination of Punjab’s former Chief Minister Beant Singh.
The case highlights ongoing challenges in Indo-Canadian cooperation regarding the extradition of suspected terrorists operating from Canadian soil.
