TORONTO  -  India has told Canada to remove 41 of its 62 diplomats in the country, an official familiar with the matter said Tuesday, ramping up a confronta­tion between the two countries over Canadian accusations that In­dia might have been involved in the killing of a pro-Kahlistan movement Sikh leader in suburban Vancouver. The official, re­questing anonymity, also confirmed an earlier re­port from the Financial Times. India’s Ministry of External Affairs, howev­er, declined to comment, but ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had pre­viously called for a reduc­tion in Canadian diplomats in India, saying they out­numbered India’s staffing in Canada. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said last month that there were “credible allegations” of Indian involvement in the slaying of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a 45-year-old Sikh leader who was killed by masked gunmen in June in Surrey, outside Vancou­ver. For years, India has said Nijjar, a Canadian citi­zen born in India, has links to terrorism, an allegation Nijjar denied. On Tuesday, Trudeau didn’t confirm the number of diplomats that have been told to leave but suggested Canada would not retaliate. “Obvious­ly, we are going through an extremely challenging time with India right now, but that’s why it is so im­portant for us to have dip­lomats on the ground working with the Indian government and there to support Canadians and Ca­nadian families,” Trudeau said. “We’re taking this extremely seriously, but we’re going to continue to engage responsibly and constructively with the In­dian government.”