Indo-Canadian community groups have raised concerns with Canadian law enforcement following the killing of Nancy Grewal, an outspoken critic of pro-Khalistan elements in the country.
The meeting took place at the police headquarters in Windsor, Ontario. Those present included the chief of police for the township of LaSalle, where Grewal lived and was murdered. Also present were representatives of Windsor Police.
The groups involved in the discussions on Thursday were the Canadian chapter of the Coalition of Hindus of North America or CoHNA Canada, the Canadian Organisation for Hindu Heritage Education or CoHHE, Hindu Legacy, and Canada Hindu Vote.
“While investigations continue, it is indisputable that our community is shaken, and our sense of security shattered. We shared our concerns, our lived experiences, and the growing sense of fear within our community,” a statement from the groups said.
It added that the discussion “focused on the multi-layered threat environment, including ideologically motivated intimidation and online-to-offline mobilization that has led to a significant trust deficit between residents and law enforcement.”
They also called for policing to evolve “from reactive containment to proactive deterrence.”
Grewal was a resident of LaSalle at the time of her murder. An outspoken critic of the Khalistan movement, she was found stabbed at a residence in the town of LaSalle in Ontario shortly before 9.30 pm on March 3.
Ontario Provincial Police or OPP is conducting the investigation along with the LaSalle Police Service.
A report in the local outlet Windsor Star in late March stated, “Investigators have confirmed for the first time that — among other possible motives — they are probing potential links between the slaying of Windsor’s Nancy Grewal and the contentious Indian Sikh separatist movement she criticized.”
Police had earlier released CCTV footage from an episode of arson at her residence on November 8 last year. It showed an unidentified person dousing her front porch in a flammable liquid before setting it on fire.
In a statement issued identifying her as the victim, LaSalle Police Chief Michael Pearce said, “Investigators are confident this was not a random act of violence. Ms Grewal’s murder is being investigated as an intentional act against her. All information is being considered.”
Grewal moved to LaSalle from Calgary after her divorce.
Grewal was discovered with critical injuries and transported by Essex-Windsor Emergency Medical Services to a local hospital, where she later passed away.
In one of her recent videos, Grewal, speaking in English, took a strident stand against pro-Khalistan elements and accused politicians of ignoring the problem for the sake of votes.
“Now is the time to take a stand against these Khalistani criminal people,” she said.
At the outset of that reel, she said, “I’m a Canadian citizen but I don’t feel safe in this country right now.”
Grewal was interviewed by the outlet CBC News in late February and she said she had received 40 death threats. However, the interview was not aired for nine days and only after she was killed.
