For Khalistani operatives, Pak continues to be a safe haven

The recent killing of Khalistani terrorist Harmeet Singh PhD near Lahore in Pakistan over an alleged dispute related to drug money has only buttressed India’s claims

The recent killing of Khalistani terrorist Harmeet Singh PhD near Lahore in Pakistan over an alleged dispute related to drug money has only buttressed India’s claims of the Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) using these elements to smuggle drugs into Punjab, counterfeit currency besides radicalising youths for terror activities.

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Even as the Indian agencies are terming PhD’s killing as a “big relief” as there were reports that he used to spend drug money on radicalising youths in Punjab to involve them in terror activities at a large scale, there still are many self-styled Khalistani operatives, who are on India’s wanted list, based in the neighbouring country.

Punjab Police’s intelligence wing officials claim that these terrorists have not only been provided local identity cards but the ISI also helps them lead a lavish lifestyle in lieu of working in tandem with its agents.

Intelligence agencies say such is the scenario that smuggling of weapons and drugs by Pakistan-based self-styled chiefs of Sikh terror groups has resulted in a rivalry among the Khalistani groups who are competing with each other for ISI’s patronage for smuggling drugs, particularly heroin, into Punjab. According to a 23-page dossier submitted by India to Pakistan during the discussions on the Kartarpur corridor, nearly 15 pro-Khalistani operatives are living in the neighbouring country and enjoying shelter by the ISI.

HT takes a look at some important operatives who fled to Pakistan and are actively involved in anti-India operations at the behest of the ISI:

Ranjeet Singh Neeta

Chief of the banned terror group Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF), Ranjeet Singh Neeta, 60 (agencies don’t have his exact age) is said to be staying in a posh house in Lahore and is also provided security. The mastermind of a module that dropped large caches of arms by using drones, Neeta originally belongs to Jammu’s Simbal Camp area and was a truck operator before joining a terror group and finally fleeting to Pakistan in the nineties. The module was busted by the Punjab Police in September 2019. After Harmeet PhD (who is now dead), he is seen as the biggest challenge by the Indian agencies since he has established strong contacts with the Kashmiri terror outfits. He is in close touch with the Hizbul Mujahedeen operatives. The ammunition dropped by drones in Punjab was to be sent to Kashmir as part of his plan, say officials.

Wadhawa Singh Babbar

Chief of the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), Wadhawa Singh Babbar is on a constant watch of Indian agencies in Pakistan. The agencies claim that the ISI has given him the task of pumping counterfeit currency into India by using his old links. A native of Sadhu Chattha village near Kapurthala, he joined the Khalistan movement in the late seventies after being radicalised by Tarsem Singh Kalasanghian. It was Wadhawa who planned to assassinate former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh. Police claim Wadhwa also masterminded the Burail jailbreak in Chandigarh in June 1998 to release Jagtar Singh Hawara, one of the prime accused in the Beant assassination. His first terror-related activity was killing of Nirankari sect’s Kapurthala chief Prahland Chand in 1981 after which he was declared a proclaimed offender (PO).

Paramjit Singh Panjwar

Wanted for the murder of former Indian Army chief General AS Vaidya, Paramjt is chief of the Khalistan Commando Force (KCF). He hails from Tarn Taran’s Panjwar village and was a co-operative bank employee till he joined the Khalistan movement in 1986. He is also behind a big bank robbery in Ludhiana. He left for Pakistan in 1992 and has got relocated his family to Germany. He has sleeper cells in India and works through NRIs based in Europe. Agencies claim Panjwar has been inactive for the past few months and lives on the outskirts of Lahore.

Gajinder Singh ‘Hijacker’

Chief of the Dal Khalsa (International), Gajinder got hijacked a Srinagar-bound Indian Airlines plane in 1981. The plane was taken by the hijackers to Lahore. The hijacking was carried out to protest against the arrest of Bhindranwale earlier that year for his alleged role in the assassination of Hind Samachar group owner Lala Jagat Narain. Gajinder was given life sentence in the hijacking case and served a few years in jail before being granted asylum by Pakistan. He is learnt to be in touch with many Sikh leaders in Punjab. State intelligence officials claim he lives in a farmhouse in a town near Lahore.

Lakhbir Singh Rode

A nephew of Khalistani militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, Rode is head of the International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF). He enjoys great say among pro-Khalistan forces in Europe and Canada and has sleeper cells in India too. He lives in Nankana Sahib town and had amassed large chunks of land related to the local Wakf Board with the help of the government. Harmeet PhD was his trusted aid and agencies claim he was present at PhD’s funeral rites in Lahore last week. He is wanted in many cases of smuggling of arms to Khalistani operatives based in India. The Punjab Police recently busted a module belonging to him.

Mehal Singh Babbar

A former Indian Air Force (IAF) officer, Mehal is head of the Babbar Khalsa International (Resham Singh group) and is wanted for various terror activities in Amritsar, Jalandhar and Faridkot districts. He fled to Pakistan in 1993. He was spotted in France by the Indian agencies in 2003 but is again said have returned to Pakistan.