| Targeted killings in Punjab | |
|---|---|
| Part of Terrorist incidents in Punjab | |
| Location | Punjab, India |
| Date | 18 January 2016 – 30 October 2017 |
| Target | 2 RSS leaders 3 Shiv Sena leaders 1 Hindu Sangharsh Sena leader 1 Christian pastor 1 Namdhari leader 2 Dera Sacha Sauda members 1 Sri Hindu Takht leader |
Attack type | Assassination |
| Deaths | 1 RSS leader 2 Shiv Sena leaders 1 Hindu Sangharsh Sena leader 1 Christian Pastor killed 2 Dera Sacha Sauda followers killed 1 Namdhari leader killed 1 Sri Hindu Takhr leader |
| Perpetrators | Khalistan Liberation Force |
| Defender | Punjab Police |
During the years of 2016 and 2017, multiple attacks on political activists and mostly Hindu religious leaders in the northern Indian state of Punjab were perpetrated by individuals who were allegedly affiliated with the Sikh militant group Khalistan Liberation Force which is a designated terrorist group by India. [1] Those culpable for the attacks were also arrested. The Pakistani agency ISI was allegedly held responsible by India for financing and aiding the militant acts to foment religious disturbances in the state.
Some of the key accused in the attacks are:
Khalistan Liberation Force leader Harminder Singh Nihang alias Mintoo was named involved in the killings by the National Investigation Agency. He had been in jail since 2014 and later died in jail of a heart attack on April 18, 2018. [29] [30]
Khalistan Liberation Force future leader Harmeet Singh alias Happy PhD was the mastermind behind the killings. He was wanted by Indian authorities and Interpol who issued a Red Corner notice against Harmeet. He was later murder in Pakistan in 2020. [31] [32]
On 4 November 2017, Punjab Police arrested Jagtar Singh Johal alias Jaggi, from Rama Mandi town of Jalandhar and accused him of the attacks. Jaggi is a non-resident Indian residing in Dumbarton and allegedly ran a website named 'Never Forget 1984'. He is accused of radicalising people and providing weapons to carry out the attacks. [33]
On 12 November 2017, Hardeep Singh alias Harman alias Shera accused of being one of the shooter's in the assassinations was arrested by police after a massive manhunt. [34] He was accused of being involved in 6 killings and 2 attempted killings. In his first 2 attacks he missed his shot. After he trained and became "perfect" in shooting. After each kill he would flee the country. [35]
Ramandeep Singh alias Bagga alias Canadian was accused of being the second shooter in the killings. [36]
Gursharanbir Singh, a British national, described as the mastermind of the attacks has been declared a proclaimed offender. [37] [38] He is one of the accused in the murder of Rulda Singh, president of the Rashtriya Sikh Sangat, in 2009. [39] The Crown Prosecution Service in the UK has stated that the evidence presented by the Indian authorities is "not sufficient to make out a case to answer". [40]
The Khalistan movement is a separatist movement seeking to create a homeland for Sikhs by establishing an ethno‐religious sovereign state called Khalistan in the Punjab region. The proposed boundaries of Khalistan vary between different groups; some suggest the entirety of the Indian state of Punjab, while larger claims include Pakistani Punjab and other parts of North India such as Chandigarh, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh. Shimla and Lahore have been proposed as the capital of Khalistan.
Babbar Khalsa International, better known as Babbar Khalsa, is a Sikh militant organisation that aims to create an independent Sikh nation of Khalistan in the Indian state of Punjab. It has used armed attacks, assassinations and bombings in aid of that goal, and is deemed to be a terrorist entity by various governments. Besides India, it operates in Pakistan, North America and Europe, including Scandinavia.
The Khalistan Commando Force (KCF) is a Sikh Khalistani organisation operating in the state of Punjab, India with prominent members based in Canada, United Kingdom and Pakistan. Its objective is the creation of a Sikh independent state of Khalistan through armed struggle. KCF is also responsible for many assassinations in India, including the 1995 assassination of Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh. It was designated as a banned Terrorist Organisation by the Government of India.
Simranjit Singh Mann is a Punjabi politician, Khalistan advocate, and Member of Parliament representing the constituency of Sangrur since 2022. He is the president of the political party Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar). Mann is a three-time MP; once from Taran Tarn between 1989 and 1991, and twice in Sangrur between 1999-2004 and since 2022.
The Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) is a militant group and is part of the Khalistan movement to create a separate country Sikh homeland called Khalistan by carving Punjab and some parts of neighbouring states of Haryana, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh out of Indian union.
The Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) is a Khalistani separatist militant organization based in the Indian state of Punjab. Its motive is the creation of a sovereign Sikh state called Khalistan via armed struggle. The KLF is one of the key fighting forces of the Khalistan Movement. It was responsible for assassinations, abductions and military engagements with the Indian Armed Forces during the Insurgency in Punjab. The KLF is listed as a designated terrorist group by India.
Jathedar Sukhdev Singh Babbar was the militant and co-leader of Babbar Khalsa (BK), a Sikh militant organization involved in the pursuit of creating a Sikh nation named as "Khalistan" and generally believed responsible for the 1985 bombing of Air India Flight 182, although Sukhdev was never named as being involved.. BK was founded by Talwinder Singh Parmar, himself, and Amarjit Kaur. He commanded BK continuously for 14 years until he was killed in 1992. He was a member of the AKJ.
Harjinder Singh Jinda was a Sikh militant and one of the two assassins of Arun Vaidya. He was responsible for three high-profile assassinations; Arjan Dass, Lalit Maken and Gen. Vaidya. He along with other members of Khalistan Commando Force participated in Indian history's biggest bank robbery of ₹ 57 million from Punjab National Bank, Miller Gunj branch, Ludhiana to finance the militancy for a separate Sikh state of Khalistan.
The Rashtriya Sikh Sangat is an India-based Sikh affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)
The Bhindranwale Tiger Force of Khalistan (BTFK) is a Sikh extremist militant group, and one of several major separatist organizations involved in the Khalistan movement during the Punjab insurgency. The BTFK's main aim was to establish a Sikh homeland called Khalistan. At its peak, the BTFK's membership totaled 500 members and remained the strongest pro-Khalistan group in Tarn Taran Sahib, which was the epicenter of violence during the Punjab insurgency.
The Dashmesh Regiment was a militant group, and is part of the Khalistan movement to create a Sikh homeland called Khalistan via armed struggle.
Sukhdev Singh Sukha was a Sikh militant and one of the two assassins of Arun Vaidya. He was responsible for three high-profile assassinations; Arjan Dass, Lalit Maken and Gen. Vaidya. He along with other members of Khalistan Commando Force participated in Indian history's biggest bank robbery of ₹ 57 million from Punjab National Bank, Miller Gunj branch, Ludhiana to finance the militancy for a separate Sikh state of Khalistan.
Sukhdev Singh Dhillon, best known as General Labh Singh and also known as Sukha Sipahi and just Labh Singh, was a former Punjab police officer turned militant who took command of the Khalistan Commando Force after its first leader, Manbir Singh Chaheru, was arrested in 1986.
Gurjant Singh Budhsinghwala was the third chief of the Khalistan Liberation Force.
Avtar Singh Brahma, also known as "JathedarAvtar Singh Ji Brahma" was one of the main founding figures and the second leader of the Kharku militant organization known as Khalistan Liberation Force founded in 1986. He became known as a Robin Hood figure. Avtar Singh has been reputed for never attacking civilians.
Gurdeep Singh Deepa Heran Wala commonly known as just Gurdeep Singh Deepa was the Jalandhar area commander and deputy chief of Khalistan Commando Force. By the time of his death, Gurdeep Singh Deepa was wanted in 217 killings and 37 robberies of vehicles.
Harmeet Singh also known as PhD or Happy was the 8th chief of Khalistan Liberation Force.
Harminder Singh Nihang, also known as Harminder Singh Mintoo, was a prominent Sikh militant and the 7th leader of Khalistan Liberation Force. Nihang was instrumental in reinvigorating the Khalistan Movement in the 21st Century. Nihang died in police custody.
