Lakhbir Singh Rode (Dal Khalsa)

Punjab Police’s dossier describes Rode as a ‘hardcore terrorist’. While his name did inspire fear in Punjab once upon a time, it was more the consequence of his political influence and kinship rather than direct armed action. Rode is a nephew of the feared revanchist preacher Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, who plunged Punjab into the Khalistan movement.

He joined the movement in 1982 after spending five years in Dubai. He fled India to Dubai in 1986, and after arranging to send his family to Canada, went to Pakistan. Rode continues to be something of a cult figure – and successful fund-raiser – among Khalistan supporters in the US, the UK and Canada.

There has been only one FIR lodged against Rode, which was on April 19, 1984, at the Moga police station. The accusation on him is of several minor crimes, including trespassing and causing damage to property.