No let up in crackdown against Khalistani network, two nabbed for painting graffiti in Dharamshala ahead of World cup match

Kangra unit of Himachal police nabbed two youth from Morinda, Punjab for allegedly defacing a government office wall of Jal Shakti department in Dharamshala yesterday. The defacement was done just three days ahead of the Afghanistan-Bangladesh World Cup 2023 match on October 7. The graffiti was discovered by some locals who informed the police. The police was investigating the matter.

Khalistan extremist and separatist outfit Sikh For Justice (SFJ) on Wednesday claimed responsibility for the same as its supremo terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun released a video.

Having failed to make any impact Internationally, Pannun has been indulging in defacement tactics to stay relevant in diminishing Khalistani circles. Pannun had a few days ago threatened to target the World cup and the act is being dubbed an attempt to justify his hoax threat. Gujarat police had then booked Pannun for threatening to disrupt the ICC Cricket World Cup. A few months ago similar graffiti was found on the outer walls of Vidhan Sabha complex in Dharamshala. At that time also Pannun had claimed responsibility for the act.

The Kangra police is currently interrogating the two arrested youth and has still not divulged their identity. A senior investigator however revealed that the men, like in prior cases too, were provided monetary help by pro-Khalistan ranks and they were just repaying it.

Prior to this Delhi police too had nabbed two men for painting Khalistan graffiti outside metro stations. They had then admitted that they had got monetary help during Covid crises through an online portal of SFJ. They were eventually reminded of the same and asked to pay back with the defacement.

It may be noted that losing its core support group the Khalistani terrorist organisations like SFJ have been trapping innocent youth offering financial help or in procuring UK visas and asylums.

The intelligence agencies have in their investigations found that the groups use social media to offer help in times of crises and even if unable to radicalise all they use them for defacement activities.

Meanwhile the radical preacher and Khalistani terrorist Amritpal Singh currently lodged in Dibrugarh jail has started an indefinite hunger strike along with other nine associates . They are reportedly protesting against alleged restrictions on their chosen lawyer’s access in jail. Kirandeep Kaur, Amritpal Singh’s wife, has also commenced a hunger strike in solidarity in Amritsar.

The sources claim that getting a whiff of ongoing tiff between Canada and India over Khalistanis, Amritpal has staged the drama to gain importance and stay relevant in radical circles which seem to have completely dumped him.

Planted in India by now dead Khalistani terrorist Avtar Singh Khanda, Amritpal, who aspired to be the next radical preacher like slain Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, proved to be a massive failure.

Sources claim that a huge amount of funds, training and planning went into planting Amritpal as Waris Punjab Da chief. Nabbed in police crackdown before he could do much harm in Punjab, he was sent off to Dibrugarh jail In Assam. After initial protests outside diplomatic buildings in UK, Canada, US etc the Khalistani supporters soon gave up on him and he was never even mentioned.

It’s the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar which is currently being played up by Khalistanis. Meanwhile the Metropolitan Police in London too has nabbed one during protests in lane opposite Indian High Commission in London. The footage of the protest has caught the attention of security agencies as another wanted Khalistani terrorist Paramjeet Singh Pamma led it. Pamma is long wanted by the NIA for promoting secessionism and radicalising the youth of Punjab, amongst other serious offences.

Pamma is one of 16 foreign people accused — in a case before the NIA Special Court in New Delhi in December 2020 — of launching a concerted secessionist campaign under the banner of “Referendum 2020” for the creation of Khalistan. The same year he was designated a terrorist, under the UAPA, for being a key leader of the proscribed terrorist group Babbar Khalsa International. He is also linked with the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF).

The Punjab police have registered criminal cases against him. The Indian government tried to extradite him in 2015 to face charges for involvement in the 2009 murder of Rashtriya Sikh Sangat leader Rulda Singh and the 2010 Patiala and Ambala twin bomb blasts but the extradition was rejected by Portugal and he was freed.
Pamma (49) was born in Bhakku Majra village of Chamkaur Sahib, district Rupnagar, Punjab.
He left India in the mid-1990s, when he is believed to have travelled to Pakistan, before being granted political asylum in Britain in 2000.

Also read: India mounts pressure on Canada to act against Khalistani separatists, sets deadline to slash diplomatic staff in New Delhi