The National Investigation Agency (NIA) informed the Supreme Court that Khalistani terrorists based in Canada masterminded the 2020 murder of Shaurya Chakra awardee Comrade Balwinder Singh Sandhu in Punjab.
This statement came during the ongoing investigation into Sandhu’s killing, who was shot dead at his residence-cum-school in Bhikhiwind, Punjab.
The details have emerged at a time when Justin Trudeau-led government in Canada has been accusing India of the 2023 killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar and the murder attempt of another Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
According to the NIA, Sukhmeet Pal Singh, aka Sukh Bhikariwal, Sunny Toronto (a Canada-based Khalistan Liberation Force operative), and Lakhveer Singh, aka Rode (nephew of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and leader of the International Sikh Youth Federation and KLF), directed the accused to carry out the murder.
In its affidavit, the NIA explained that Sunny Toronto orchestrated the murder to eliminate anti-Khalistani figures in India. The KLF believes that targeting these individuals will help reignite the demand for a separate Khalistan state through violence.
Sunny Toronto and Lakhveer Singh Rode conspired to revive terrorism in Punjab and enlisted Sukhmeet Pal Singh to execute the murder. Their broader goal was to create unrest in the state.
Sunny Toronto had also been in contact with Inderjit Singh, aka Inder, a Punjab resident, since 2019. Inderjit, who had been radicalized toward pro-Khalistani beliefs, maintained links with overseas KLF members.
The KLF, which has operatives in Canada, aims to carve out a Khalistan state from India through violence.
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