NEW DELHI, Sept 23 (Reuters) – India’s federal counter-terrorism company stated on Saturday it had seized the property of an alleged Khalistani militant it accuses of finishing up terrorist actions in India, as tensions rise with Canada over Sikh separatists.
An announcement issued by the Indian Nationwide Heart stated that the seizure of a home and land owned by Gurpatwant Singh Pannu within the northern Indian state of Punjab “comes as a significant increase to the nation’s crackdown on the community of terrorism and separatism operated from varied international locations, together with Canada.” The investigating company (NIA) stated.
Tensions between India and Canada rose after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated Monday there have been “credible allegations” linking Indian authorities brokers to the June killing of a Sikh separatist chief in Canada who was campaigning for the creation of an impartial Sikh homeland known as “Khalistan.” .
Within the wake of the diplomatic standoff between the 2 international locations, movies of Pannu threatening Indian Hindus to go away Canada surfaced on the social media platform ‘X’ (previously Twitter).
The anti-terrorism company had registered a case in opposition to the alleged militant in 2019 on costs of spreading concern and terror in Punjab and different components of the nation.
The NIA issued non-bailable arrest warrants in opposition to Pannu in February 2021 and he was declared a ‘proclaimed offender (PO)’ in November final 12 months. (Reporting by Sarita Chajanthi Singh, Modifying by Clelia Ozil)