The FBI is investigating a drive-by shooting that occurred on August 11 and targeted Satinder Pal Singh Raju, a California activist associated with Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Nijjar was fatally shot last year, an incident Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau suggested might be linked to Indian involvement, sparking a diplomatic dispute between Canada and India.
In an interview with Reuters, Raju described the attack, which happened on Interstate 505 South in Yolo County. He and two friends were returning from a late dinner in Vacaville when a white car repeatedly approached their truck. The first bullet was fired when the car pulled alongside them, causing Raju to duck. The truck skidded off the road into a ditch as they tried to escape, and the group took refuge in a field until police arrived. Investigators found at least five shell casings at the scene.
The FBI’s Sacramento office confirmed it is working with the California Highway Patrol on the case, but detailed information remains scarce. The California Highway Patrol also confirmed the shooting but has not released further details.
The shooting comes amidst ongoing investigations into threats against Sikh separatists. In the same month as Nijjar’s death, the FBI thwarted an alleged assassination plot against Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, another prominent Sikh separatist. Indian national Nikhil Gupta has been charged in connection with this plot and has pleaded not guilty.
Four Indian nationals face charges in Canada related to Nijjar’s death. India has denied any involvement in these incidents. The connection between Raju’s shooting and these cases remains unclear.
Following Nijjar’s killing, authorities privately warned several Sikh activists about potential threats, though Raju was not among those notified. Raju is involved with Sikhs for Justice, an organization advocating for the secession of Punjab from India, which was declared unlawful by India in 2019. Despite the attack, Raju remains committed to the Khalistan movement, asserting that such threats will not deter him from his activism.
