The Union Home Ministry has designated Lakhbir Singh Landa, a Canada-based member of the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), an “individual terrorist” under Section 35 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
The Ministry said that the 34-year-old Singh, backed by a cross-border agency, was involved in the terror attack through shoulder-mounted rocket propelled grenade (RPG) on the building of the Punjab Police’s intelligence headquarters at Mohali, and has been involved in the supply of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), arms, sophisticated weapons and explosives from across the border to various modules for carrying out terrorist activities in Punjab.
The BKI is listed as a terrorist organisation at serial number 1 of the First Schedule, UAPA, it added.
The Ministry said that Singh and his associates have been conspiring to disrupt peace, law and order in Punjab by carrying out targeted killings, extortions and other anti-national activities in different parts of India. The Gazette notification said that an open-ended warrant has been issued against Mr. Landa, who is a subject of the Look-Out Circular No. 2144306 dated June 9, 2021.
Singh, who has his permanent residence at VPO Harike, District Tarn Taran, Punjab, is currently residing in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He is the 55th individual to be designated a terrorist under UAPA.
The Ministry said Singh had been involved in various criminal cases related to the raising of terror modules, extortion, killings, planting IEDs, smuggling of weapons and narcotics and using funds or proceeds thereof for terrorist acts in Punjab and other parts of the country.
“The Central government believes that Lakhbir Singh @ Landa is involved in terrorism and the said Lakhbir Singh @ Landa is to be added as a terrorist in the Fourth Schedule to the said Act,” it said.
In January, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had declared a reward of ₹15 lakh on Singh’s arrest.
