A Canadian police officer was suspended on Monday, November 4, after a video was posted on social media in which he was seen participating in a pro-Khalistan demonstration in front of a Hindu temple in Brampton.

The suspended Peel Regional Police officer, identified as Harinder Sohi, was filmed holding a Khalistan flag, while other protesters chanted anti-India slogans: Radio-Canada News reported.

Sohi held the rank of sergeant with the Peel Regional Police.

Peel Regional Police Media Relations Officer Richard Chin informed Radio-Canada News via email that they “were aware of a video circulating on social media showing an off-duty Peel police officer involved in a protest.”

“This officer has since been suspended in accordance with the Community Safety and Policing Act,” he said.

“We are investigating all of the circumstances described in the video and are unable to provide further information until this investigation is complete,” he added.

Earlier, Peel Regional Police said three people had been charged after violence broke out while Indian consular officials visited the Hindu temple Sabha Mandir on Sunday.

Videos widely shared online show protesters holding banners supporting Khalistan, engaging in confrontations with others, some of whom were waving the Indian national flag.

The videos appear to show fist fights and people hitting each other with sticks on what appears to be the grounds surrounding the Hindu temple Sabha Mandir.

Taking note of this “deliberate attack”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanded accountability from the Justin Trudeau-led Canadian government and expected it to ensure justice and uphold the rule of law.

In an article on X, Prime Minister Modi said: “I strongly condemn the deliberate attack on a Hindu temple in Canada. Cowardly attempts to intimidate our diplomats are equally appalling. Such acts of violence never weaken India’s resolve.

Separately, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said it is “deeply concerned” about the safety and security of Indian nationals in Canada, adding that it expects those who indulge in violence to be prosecuted .

“We condemn the acts of violence perpetrated yesterday by extremists and separatists at the Hindu Sabha Temple in Brampton, Ontario. We call on the Government of Canada to ensure that all places of worship are protected against such attacks,” said the MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.

Read also: Canadian police arrest three people for protesting against ‘intimidation of Khalistanis’ after attack on Hindu temple in Brampton