VANCOUVER: Canadian police on Friday arrested three men over the killing of a Sikh separatist in Vancouver last year, whose death has been linked to the Indian government, local media reported.

The killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, which Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau publicly linked to Indian intelligence, ignited a diplomatic firestorm between the two countries.

Canadian broadcaster CBC, citing documents submitted in a western Canadian court, said Friday the three arrested men are facing first degree murder and conspiracy charges. They are accused of being shooters, drivers and spotters on the day Nijjar was killed. CBC said police were also investigating possible links to three more murders, including of an 11-year-old boy in Edmonton. Police are reportedly set to hold a press conference later Friday.

Nijjar, who immigrated to Canada in 1997 and became a citizen in 2015, advocated for a separate Sikh state carved out of India. He was wanted by Indian authorities for alleged terrorism and conspiracy to commit murder. Last June, he was shot dead by masked assailants in the parking lot of a Sikh temple near the west coast city of Vancouver.