Pro-Khalistani leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun has reportedly released another video and this time, he has threatened to ‘shut down’ the ICC World Cup final happening in Ahmedabad on Sunday, November 19.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles will attend the ICC Cricket World Cup final between India and Australia in Ahmedabad on Sunday, an official release said.
According to the Times of India, Pannun said in the latest threat video, “Also, on 19th November, the global Sikh community is going to boycott Air India from Ahmedabad airport, Amritsar and Delhi. Shut down these airports, (on) 19th November, boycott Air India.”
Pannun, the founder of the banned Khalistani outfit ‘Sikhs for Justice’, could also be seen talking about the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and the 2002 Gujarat riots, India Today reported.
Pannun’s latest threat video prompted authorities to beef up security at Ahmedabad, Delhi and Amritsar airports, the TOI report said.
This was not the first time Pannun released a threat video. Earlier in September, Pannun had urged Hindu-Canadians to leave Canada amid a diplomatic row between India and Canada over the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
In October too, he had released a video threatening passengers of Air India flights on November 19, the day the ICC World Cup final takes place.
In November, Canada had said it takes any “threat” to aviation “extremely seriously” and is investigating online warnings. “We take every threat seriously, especially when it concerns airlines,” Transportation Minister Pablo Rodriguez was quoted by news agency AFP as saying.
In September, Gujarat police had registered a First Information Report (FIR) against banned outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) founder and designated terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun for threats to disrupt the ICC World Cup tournament, ANI reported.
According to the police, an FIR has been registered against Pannun under sections 121(A), 153(A)(B), 505 of IPC, UAPA and IT Act 66 F. “Threatening pre-recorded messages were published on various social media handles and an attempt was made to spoil the atmosphere,” Cyber Crime DCP in Ahmedabad, Ajit Rajjan told ANI.
On September 23, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) confiscated the house and land of Pannun in Amritsar (Punjab) and Chandigarh Union Territory. These properties were earlier attached following orders passed by the government in two different cases. This is the first time that properties of an absconding accused of NIA have been confiscated under section 33(5) of UA(P)A, ANI said.
Non-bailable warrants of arrest were issued against Pannun by the NIA Special Court on February 3, 2021, and he was declared a ‘Proclaimed Offender (PO)’ on November 29 last year.
Earlier in November, India had conveyed to the United States (US) its serious concerns over increasing activities of pro-Khalistani elements in Canada amid a diplomatic row between New Delhi and Ottawa over the killing of a Sikh separatist leader in June.
The ties between India and Canada came under severe strain following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations in September of a “potential” involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Sikhs for Justice was declared an ‘Unlawful Association’ by the Government of India on July 10, 2019.
Pannun, who was declared a ‘designated individual terrorist’ by the Government of India on July 1, 2020, has been actively exhorting Punjab-based gangsters and youth over social media to fight for the cause of the independent state of Khalistan, challenging the sovereignty, integrity and security of the country, NIA investigations have shown.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Updated: 18 Nov 2023, 05:24 PM IST