NEW DELHI: Notorious Punjab gangster Sukhdool Singh aka Sukha Deneke, who was a part of anti-India Khalistan movement, has been gunned down in Canada's Winnipeg city, according to various local and international media reports.

Sukha fled to Canada in 2017 allegedly using fake documents and joined the Khalistan terrorist Arsh Dalla. Sukha was believed to the right of Dalla, who is a listed terrorist and wanted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

The incident comes at a time when bilateral relations between India and Canada have hit rock-bottom over the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, another designated Kahlistani terrorist. Canada has accused India of having a role in Nijjar's killing in early June this year.

Nijjar was killed by two masked gunmen in the parking lot of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey. He was designated as a terrorist by New Delhi in 2020.

Earlier on Monday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged New Delhi's role in Nijjar's murder in June this year and expelled an Indian diplomat.

India termed the allegations "absurd and politically motivated" and asked the Canadian intelligence services India station chief to leave the country in five days in a tit-for-tat move.

The Canadian government has also issued an updated travel advisory for its citizens, asking them not to visit several parts of the country, including Manipur, Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab if not necessary.

In response, India also raised the alert and asked its citizens in Canada to exercise utmost caution in view of the growing "politically-condoned" hate crimes against Indian nationals and diplomats in Canada.

Interestingly, Dala's name featured in NIA's latest list of criminals and Khalistani terrorists based in Canada. The list made public by NIA also includes Goldy Brar, Lakhbir Singh Linda, among others. Linda is a known Khalistani terrorist behind the Punjab RPG incident.