A targeted killing on the eve of Vaisakhi. Last Friday night in Covo, in the productive heartland of northern Italy near Bergamo, two Indian nationals from Punjab — Rajinder Singh (47) and Gurmit Singh (48) — were shot dead outside a Sikh cultural centre. The attack bore the hallmarks of an execution: around a dozen shots fired at close range, in front of witnesses and under CCTV cameras.
- According to initial reconstructions, the gunman — a fellow Indian national based in nearby Antegnate — acted with at least three accomplices. After parking near the entrance road leading to the temple, he approached the gate, briefly performing a gesture of respect, before opening fire. Both victims were struck in the head and upper body. The attackers fled in two vehicles, now at the centre of an investigation led by Italian prosecutors and Carabinieri.
- The killing took place on the eve of Vaisakhi, one of the most important festivals in the Sikh calendar, which was expected to draw up to 2,000 worshippers to the area. The planned procession was subsequently cancelled.
A local feud with deeper roots. Investigators are focusing on an internal feud within the local Sikh community, linked to the management of the temple. Rajinder Singh, a former president of the association, had reportedly clashed with a rival group based in Antegnate, with tensions escalating into formal complaints in recent months. At stake was control over the religious centre and its leadership.
- But the divisions appear to extend beyond local rivalries. Claims circulated by Sikhs for Justice, a diaspora-based organisation advocating for a separate Sikh state, suggest that the victim had links to the Indian consulate and had been involved in disputes during Khalsa Day celebrations. While unverified, such claims reflect broader political and identity fractures present within segments of the Sikh diaspora.
Temples as economic hubs. These tensions also intersect with less ideological — but often more consequential — interests. Several investigative leads and community sources point to the role of Gurdwaras not only as places of worship, but as socio-economic hubs.
- In practice, they function as nodes through which relationships, job opportunities and financial contributions circulate. In some cases, they may also intersect with opaque dynamics linked to irregular migration and labour exploitation.
- Control over such structures can therefore translate into control over informal networks and financial flows, making internal disputes particularly sensitive.
- Recent investigations in northern Italy appear to support this broader context. Over the past two months, authorities have uncovered networks involved in illicit labour intermediation and the misuse of legal migration channels, alongside the seizure of large amounts of untraceable cash. While not directly linked to the Covo case, these findings highlight an environment in which religious centres can play a pivotal role in the internal economic life of migrant communities.
- A source within the Indian community, speaking on condition of anonymity, also points to tensions linked to the management of temple donations — the so-called “Gurdwara offerings”. These voluntary contributions fund religious activities and the langar, the community kitchen central to Sikh practice. Where sums become significant, control over these funds can become a source of friction, tied closely to leadership struggles.
- The same source suggests that one of the suspects may have links to pro-Khalistan circles — a movement advocating for an independent Sikh state in India’s Punjab. If confirmed, this would place the incident within a wider framework of political and identity tensions that extend beyond Italy. Authorities have not confirmed this element.
Signs of premeditation. Witness accounts suggest the attack may have been carefully planned. According to testimony reported by Corriere della Sera, there had been no visible tensions during the day. The victims were preparing for Vaisakhi celebrations when members of a rival group arrived near the temple with a van carrying food and water, ostensibly to take part in the preparations.
- Rajinder Singh had reportedly been warned of their presence but did not consider it a threat. After the shooting, the same individuals were said to have fled with the gunman, reinforcing the hypothesis of a coordinated operation.
A wider signal for Europe. Beyond the immediate criminal dimension, the case raises broader questions about cohesion and security within the Indian diaspora in Italy and across Europe. Episodes of violence linked to intra-community tensions — often tied to religious leadership, local influence or personal rivalries — are not new, but appear to be gaining visibility.
- The Sikh community in Italy, long regarded as well-integrated and central to sectors such as agriculture and logistics, now faces increasing exposure to transnational dynamics. Political and identity tensions linked to Punjab — including debates around Khalistan — have spilled over into diaspora networks, contributing to internal polarisation.
- These dynamics have also surfaced in the public sphere. In Milan, the day after the killings, a political demonstration saw the presence of small groups displaying pro-Khalistan messages, highlighting how these issues are no longer confined to community spaces.
More than a local crime. The Covo killings should therefore be read as more than an isolated criminal act. They point to a broader issue: a form of community governance under strain, where informal institutions and religious leadership can become arenas of competition.
- For Italian authorities, the challenge is twofold: to ensure an effective investigative response, while avoiding narratives that generalise or stigmatise a largely peaceful and integrated community.
- At the same time, the episode underscores the need for greater transparency and dialogue within diaspora structures themselves. Left unaddressed, such tensions risk escalating further.
- Covo is not just a crime story. It is a signal — one that reflects dynamics extending well beyond a small town in northern Italy.
