Time Line-2017

India 06-Oct-2017

A court in Jaipur (Rajasthan) awarded life sentence to Khalistan Liberation Front (KLF) militant, Harnek Singh for the abduction of Congress leader Ram Niwas Mirdha’s son Rajendra more than 22 years ago. Additional District Judge Pramod Malik also slapped a penalty of INR 20,000 on the convict. Harnek Singh, who belonged to terrorist outfit KLF, has been in jail since he was arrested by the Punjab Police in 2004. He was brought to Jaipur and arrested in this case on February 28, 2007. The Additional District Judge had held Singh guilty in the abduction case on October 5 and reserved the order on quantum of punishment for today (October 6).

Pakistan 20-Oct-2017

For the first time, Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) general secretary Gopal Singh Chawla publicly admitted to have been part of separatist 'Khalistan movement' and have also undergone training for the purpose. A video of Chawla has surfaced on social media on October 20 where he is seen as saying "I have been a part of Khalistan movement, I have also undergone training, I have been abusing India and its prime minister, if we want to get rid of India, we have to help this organization (MML- Milli Musli League)". Chalwa is seen addressing a gathering from the platform of MML, a political wing of the banned JuD, a front of anti India LeT. PSGPC general secretary Chawla in his speech addressed in Punjabi said that PSGPC receives minimum of five to seven thousand pilgrims every year from India. "We look into their eyes , out of those seven thousand pilgrims at least two thousand are RAW [Research and Analysis Wing] agents and we see a fear of Hafiz Saeed Sahib in their eyes". PSGPC's controversial general secretary also raised slogans in praise of Jarnail Singh Bhinderanwala and Hafiz Muhammad Saeed and said his organization (Punjabi Sikh Sangat) and supporters from UK and Canada would help MML. Calling terror mastermind as his 'Amir' (Ruler), Chalwa bestowed praise upon Hafiz Saeed saying that "Unha Indians dia nazra vich maray Aamir Hafiz Saeed Sab da khauf hunda hai" (There is fear of my Aamir Hafiz Saeed Sab in the eyes of those Indians)" he said.

India 30-Oct-2017

The Punjab Police claimed that the militancy is returning to the State as it has busted many groups and arrested many people who were planning to carry out terror activities in the State. It said that several of the arrested men were planning to kill those who wrote or spoke against Sikhism. The latest such case involves seven youth who were arrested from Ludhiana on September 29 for allegedly being a part of the banned terror outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI). However, human rights activists and the accused’s kin have called these arrests the Police’s way to divert public attention from real developmental issues. The Police said that although the youth have no criminal past, it found incriminating evidence against them. It said that the seven accused were arrested for trying to disturb law and order by getting overactive on social media platform. The Police also recovered a 32-bore pistol, two 315 bore pistols and cartridges from the accused. The arrested accused were Kuldeep Singh alias Rimpi (29), who worked as a granthi (one who reads religious books in a Gurudwara) in Basti Jodhewal of Ludhiana, Jasvir Singh alias Jassa (32), of village Balipur of Tarn Taran; Amanpreet Singh alias Amna (21), of Shakti Nagar of Jalandhar; Onkar Singh (30), and Jugraj Singh of village Jhadu; and Amritpal Singh (30), of Amritsar. Ludhiana Police Commissioner RN Dhoke said, "The youth have no criminal background but their operations were funded by Surender Singh Babbar of BKI who operates from England." A case had been registered against the seven under the UAPA, 1967 and the Arms Act. The Police said that it has proof of the arrested accused were talking to terrorists and working for them as sleeper cells.