KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
Canada-based gangster and Babbar Khalsa International leader Lakhbir Singh Langa has been declared an “individual terrorist" under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, according to a report published by the news agency ANI.
In a notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), it stated that Landa was closely associated with Canada-based pro-Khalistan elements including Sikhs for Justice leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, and Khalistan Tiger Force leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar among others.
This September, NIA announced cash rewards for information leading to the arrest of five Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) operatives, including Harwinder Singh Sandhu alias "Rinda" and Lakhbir Singh Sandhu alias "Landa".
The federal agency announced a cash reward of ₹10 lakh each for Rinda and Landa and ₹5 lakh each for Parminder Singh Kaira alias “Pattu", Satnam Singh alias “Satbir Singh" alias “Satta" and Yadvinder Singh alias “Yadda".
A spokesperson of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had said 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 official said investigations have shown that the five terrorists have been engaged in recruiting new members of the BKI by promising them monetary benefits.
Who is Lakhbir Singh Landa?
1) Lakhbir Singh Landa is a resident of Tarn Taran in Punjab. Now, it is believed that Landa is residing in Canada's Alberta. He fled to Canada in 2017, according to HT reports.
2) He is a close aide of Pakistan-based gangster-turned-terrorist Harvinder Singh. After settling down in Canada, Landa joined hands with the pro-Khalistan terror organization ‘BKI’.
3) In July 2011, the first case was registered against Landa for a murder under the Arms Act at Harike Pattan. Since then, a total of 18 criminal cases have been registered against him including murder, drug smuggling, etc.
4) Before he fled to Canada, the Punjab Police had registered the last case against him under kidnapping charges in Moga.
5) Some media reports stated that Lakhbir Singh was a main conspirator of the Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) attack at the Punjab Police intelligence headquarters in Mohali.
6) Besides this, it is also believed that Landa is a key conspirator in planting an improvised explosive device (IED) under a sub-inspector’s car in Amritsar.