E-Paper
NIA announces reward on Canada based Khalistani terrorist Lakhbir Landa, 4 others
The agency has also released pictures of 43 members of Khalistani-gangsters nexus who are behind various activities including murders and smuggling of drugs and weapons
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday announced cash rewards for information on five Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terrorists including its Canada based leader Lakhbir Singh Landa and Pakistan based Harwinder Singh Rinda.
While the federal agency announced a reward of ₹10 lakh each for information on Landa and Rinda, who are key leaders in the Khalistan machinery, ₹5 lakh each was declared on Parminder Singh Kaira alias Pattu, Satnam Singh alias Satbir Singh and Yadvinder Singh alias Yadda, according to a statement issued by the NIA.
All five, against whom rewards have been announced, are associated with BKI.
Subsequently, the agency has released pictures of 43 members of Khalistani-gangsters nexus who are behind various activities including murders, smuggling of drugs and weapons in Punjab, and also taking part in anti-India acts in the UK, such as attack at Indian high commission in London on March 19 this year. Many of them are said to be linked with Canada based pro-Khalistan elements (PKEs) including Landa, deceased Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Sikhs for Justice leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun among others.
Those included in the list of 43 suspects including Lawrence Bishnoi, Satwinderjeet Singh alias Goldy Brar, gangsters Kala Jatheri, Naveen Dabas, Sunil Balyan, Amit Dagar among others. To be sure, Bishnoi is already behind bars while Sunil Baltan was killed by rival gang members inside Tihar prison in May this year. The agency has sought information from the public about their properties.
On BKI terrorists, NIA said in a statement: “These five terrorists are wanted in a case registered early this year related to the BKI’s terrorist activities aimed at disturbing India’s peace and communal harmony and spreading terror in the state of Punjab. The wanted terrorists are accused of commission of terror acts and activities, besides raising funds for the BKI, a banned terror outfit, through smuggling of terrorist hardware and narcotics into Punjab and also through extensive extortion from businessmen and other prominent individuals. They are also wanted in cases relating to commissioning of targeted killings as well as targeting of law enforcement agencies in order to create an environment of terror in the state of Punjab”.
The suspects were also involved in recruiting new members of the BKI by promising them monetary benefits.
“Any specific information leading to the arrest of the five wanted terrorists can be shared with the NIA headquarters in New Delhi or the NIA Branch Office in Chandigarh,” the spokesperson said, sharing the telephone and WhatsApp numbers.
It may be mentioned here that the NIA’s announcement came a day after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged Indian involvement in the killing of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June- a claim dismissed by India as “absurd and motivated”.
The external affairs ministry, in an advisory issued on Wednesday, advised its citizens in Canada to exercise “utmost caution” due to growing anti-India activities and hate crimes.
