Indian-origin man held for assault on journalist in Calgary

Toronto

A 27-year-old Indo-Canadian has been arrested and charged by police in connection with an alleged assault on a radio journalist in Calgary last month.

Calgary Police Service announced on Tuesday that Dilpreet Singh, a resident of the city in the province of Alberta, has been charged with one count of assault and is scheduled to appear in court on November 15.

Rishi Nagar, news director of the radio channel Red FM Calgary, was assaulted on Sunday, September 29, while leaving an election-related event. He said the attack followed a report about an incident at Gurdwara Dashmesh Cultural Centre in Calgary, which led to two Indo-Canadians being arrested on firearms-related charges. A spokesperson for Calgary Police told Red FM that the arrested duo had been identified as Gursewak Singh and Sukhpreet Singh, and both were charged with firearms offences.

The attack on Nagar occurred as he was leaving an election-related event at a banquet hall in the NorthEast quadrant of the city. “When I came out of the event and was moving towards my car, they attacked unprovoked. My left eye is damaged, right leg is injured,” he said.

He said that earlier an associate of the attackers contacted him for the appointment for a meeting.

While the report was linked to ongoing extortion activity within the community, Nagar also told Hindustan Times that he believed the attack was by “pro-Khalistan people”.

The incident in a parking lot was captured on CCTV, which showed two persons assaulting Nagar.

The attack was condemned by the leader of Canada’s official opposition Conservative Party, Pierre Poilievre. In a post on X, he had reacted that he was “horrified by this violent assault” on Nagar. Alberta’s Premier Danielle Smith said she was “deeply saddened” by the incident. “Violence and intimidation against anyone, especially those who work tirelessly to inform the public, have no place in our society,” she added at the time.