Double Gurdwara “execution” in Italy underlines diaspora assassination concerns

The murder of two Sikhs at a Covo (Bergamo, Italy) Gurdwara last month has reinforced diaspora concerns around Indian transnational repression.

Local resident Rajinder Singh and Gurmit Singh (who lived in nearby Agnadello) were shot dead just before midnight in a drive-by shooting on 17^th April outside Gurdwara Mata Sahib Kaur Ji. Police called it a “coldly planned execution”, according to local media.

A man described as “an Indian from Antegnate” (a nearby town) was identified by witnesses as the gunman behind the deaths of the two 48-year-olds. The attack took place outside Covo’s Gurdwara, which is in Via Campo Rampino, the day before the Gurdwara’s scheduled Nagar Kirtan (Vaisakhi celebration, religious procession).

A third man was also grazed on the head by a bullet during the sporadic and rapid gunfire from the killer, who stepped out of a car, knelt down as if praying, and then rose with gunfire, according to witnesses. The gunman is believed to have been a former attendee at the Gurdwara, although he remains unnamed publicly and currently on-the-run. Rajinder Singh, a former president of the temple, had reportedly filed a police complaint last November after being threatened by the same man. Two other men, named as Sukhjinder Singh (known as “Kala”) and Yovanpreet Singh Dhillon, handed themselves in to the Bergamo police the day after the killing based on allegations they were involved. Both were released the same day but allegedly remain under investigation.

Whilst local media speculate that a management feud for Gurdwara control was behind the killings, no official motive is yet confirmed. One associate of the deceased said to local media “We don’t know the reason. In the past there had been some discussion, but nothing that suggested a tragedy.”

Sikhs For Justice (international legal advocacy organisation, currently running the Khalistan [free Sikh homeland] referendum) issued a statement shortly after the killings, noting how Rajinder Singh was affiliated with the local Indian Consulate, and had last year organised an event to honour an Indian diplomat at the Gurdwara, much to the disdain of much of the Gurdwara congregation. Support for Indian officials is often met with backlash in Sikh communities, amidst India’s transnational terror campaign targeting activists.

The double murder became even more suspect after two noted SFJ (Sikhs For Justice) representatives of Italy received death threats for sharing the official SFJ social media post on the incident.

Brothers Jagroop and Gurpal Singh began receiving threatening calls and texts from a number now being investigated by Italian authorities, after the duo both shared the SFJ post on Facebook which labelled the killings Indian transnational repression.

Although Rajinder Singh and Gurmit Singh were known to be connected with the local Indian Consulate, such links have appeared before within the modern-day murder spree impacting diaspora Sikhs. In 2022, noted Sikh figure and Indian government affiliate Ripudaman Singh Malik was killed whilst on his way to a planned meeting with an Indian diplomat, in Surrey (BC, Canada).

Speaking to Italian media on the threats, Jagroop Singh said, “They won’t stop us. We will continue with our Khalistan Referendum activity and information campaign. We strongly condemn what happened: the response cannot be violence, but must be peaceful. We don’t know the person who threatened us: he said he was Rajinder’s friend, but we don’t know who he is or if it’s true. We are Italian citizens and, therefore, the threat was aimed at Italian citizens.”

In 2024, Sikh residents of Novellara in Italy alleged another transnational repression hit, after two Pakistani men murdered community figure Harpal Singh, the President of the local Singh Sabha Gurdwara who was involved in organising the Khalistan referendum there. The men were recently hired by Singh before they seemingly randomly killed him. Read more- Italian Sikh activists allege another Indian State assassination | SikhPA.

Brothers Jagroop and Gurpal were also targeted in 2023 when the Indian Consulate of Italy tried to interfere with their father’s funeral. Under Italian law, the Indian Consulate must give consent for a resident of India to have a funeral (specifically a cremation) in Italy. Because of the brothers’ support for SFJ, they were not given permission by Italy’s Indian Consulate to carry out a cremation there. Read more- India attempt to prevent Sikh man’s Italian funeral due to Khalistan ties | SikhPA.

Investigations into the Covo executions continue. Both murder victims leave behind families, including grown children.