Punjab Police to MHA: Pro-Khalistan outfits abroad total 56, behind 15 killings across state

Citing data presented by the Punjab Police, sources said that of the 56 PKEs, “13 are in the US, 12 in Canada, 7 in Germany, 6 in UK, 6 in Pakistan, 2 each in Philippines, Armenia, Portugal and Malaysia, and four in different countries”.

The Punjab Police is learnt to have said that some of these PKEs, with the assistance of gangsters based in India, carried out “15 targeted killings” in Punjab from 2017 to September 30 this year, including the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala in May 2022, “three grenade attacks, two RPG attacks and two IED blasts”.

Pointing to ties between PKEs and gangsters based in India and abroad, the Punjab Police said that Pakistan-based gangster-terrorist Harvinder Singh Sandhu alias Rinda has a nexus with jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar; Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) chief Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was gunned down in Canada in June, had a nexus with Davinder Bambiha gang and Canada-based terrorist Arshdeep Dalla; Arshdeep Dalla also has a nexus with Khalistan separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannu and Pakistan-based Khalistan separatist Lakhbir Singh Rode.

“Canada-based gangster-turned-terrorist Lakhbir Singh Sandhu alias Landa also has a nexus with Rode and Pakistan-based banned pro-Khalistan outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) chief Wadhawa Singh Babbar; Germany-based Khalistan Zindabad Force key member Gurmeet Singh Bagga has a nexus with Pakistan-based gangster Harry Chatha; and Paramjit Singh from the UK has an alliance with jailed gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria,” sources said, citing the Punjab Police presentation.

Listing action taken against pro-Khalistan outfits, the Punjab Police said it has filed 130 FIRs under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), arrested 580 people, busted 99 modules and recovered 82 drones. As part of action taken against gangsters, the Punjab Police said it has arrested 4,597 people and killed 22 in encounters. The arrested gangsters include 16 from Haryana, 6 from Uttar Pradesh, 4 each from Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh, 3 from Rajasthan, and nine from other places.

IGP Kishore is also learnt to have said that based on a proposal by the Punjab Police, the MHA designated 11 persons as terrorists and three entities as terrorist organisations. He said they have moved six more proposals in this regard.

Besides, 11 pro-Khalistan activists have been deported, red-corner notices issued against 13 persons, properties of four persons forfeited under UAPA, and red-corner notices are being processed under 40 more people. The conference was attended by heads of all state police forces and anti-terror agencies. Five topics were discussed in separate sessions; the Khalistan issue formed part of the session on “dismantling of the terror ecosystem”.