News director and host Rishi Nagar of RED FM, a South Asian radio station based in Calgary was assaulted on Sunday.
The Police said that they are investigating the assault and are on the lookout for two suspects. The Calgary police have stated that the attack happened outside the Rio Banquet Hall, located in the 2800 block of Hopewell Place N.E.
Calgary Police Probe Assault on RED FM News Director Rishi Nagar
According to Staff Sgt. John Guigon, Nagar was hit on the head but was not seriously injured and the whole incident has been recorded on the CC TV. Nagar was attacked by an unidentified youth when he was going to the Rio Banquet Hall on Sunday.
John Guigon said,
“It was not a pleasant situation. [It is] particularly troubling to us when a member of the media gets attacked in a democracy…. We’re throwing resources at it.”
John Guigon also added that the police are investigating if the attack was connected to his covering an incident last week outside the Dashmesh Culture Centre, located in the 100 block of Gurdwara Sahib Boulevard N.E. Nagar was a former University of Calgary senator and a former member of the Calgary Police Service’s Anti-Racism Action Committee.
Reports also stated that the attack on the Canada-Based Radio Editor Rishi Nagar was done by Pro Khalistani Groups for not toeing their line and for his critical views.
Nagar was critical of certain actions by the Khalistani groups and the latest attack has increased concerns about media freedom and safety in Canada. There are reports that there has been an increase in such attacks on journalists and minority voices.
Last week a businessman had received a ransom call related to similar tensions at Dashmesh Gurudwara and the Canadian authorities are investigating the incidents.
Canada has become a breeding ground for anti Indian activities and in recent months there has been a surge in pro-Khalistan activity in Canada. The Indian government has repeatedly asked the Canadian Government to rein in such groups which promote secessionist ideologies and take decisive measures against these anti-India elements.
However, the Canadian Government has done little to control such groups. The Canadian Parliament has also observed a condolence session on the anniversary of the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, an Indian Government designated Khalistani terrorist who was shot dead by unknown assailants in a parking lot of a Gurudwara in British Columbia on June 18, 2023. The Canadian Government has accused the Indian Secret Service of carrying out the killing, a charge which has been denied by the Indian Government. The incident has snowballed into a major diplomatic impasse between the two nations.
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