Avtar Singh Khanda, UK-based chief of the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) and the main handler of Khalistani separatist Amritpal Singh, has reportedly died of poisoning. He was accused of pulling down the Indian national flag from the Indian High Commission in London
Medical reports said that fugitive Avtar Singh Khanda was suffering from blood cancer and was admitted to City Hospital, Birmingham. Avtar has been on the run since the Indian police has been after him for his involvement in the activities undertaken by Amritpal Singh
Avtar Singh Khanda is the son of killed Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) terrorist Kulwant Singh. He went to the UK in 2007 on a study visa before he took asylum there in 2012
As per reports, Avtar Singh Khanda was heading the KLF under the code name 'Ranjodh Singh' after the killing of former chief Harmeet Singh in Pakistan in January 2020
During the 2020-21 farmers protests across Delhi, Haryana and Punjab, actor Deep Sidhu who later died in a road accident played an essential role in bringing together the farmers from different states to fight against the now repealed 2020 Farm Bills. Amritpal Singh, who stays in Dubai, then founded Waris Punjab De
Through Paramjit Singh, Bhindranwale’e nephew and Babbar Khalsa militant, Amritpal came in contact with Avtar Singh Khanda who groomed him to become a Khalistani activist and also sent him to Georgia for training
Avtar Singh Khanda got the support of several gurudwaras who used to collect funds in the name of human rights violations against the Sikh community and used them in alleged terror activities. Khanda soon started conducting independent operations allegedly directed towards religious radicalisation and conversions of other people to Sikhism
Avtar Singh Khanda’s name first occurred in the list handed over to the UK government in 2015 for planning and conspiring against India. Indian agencies also pointed him out for radicalising and training youth in extremist and separatist ideology
As per reports, Avtar Singh Khanda is an expert in making improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, and gives live demonstrations of bomb-making at some gurudwaras in the UK. He was associated with a radical channel Khalistan TV
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) identified Khanda and three other separatists as the main accused in connection with the incident at the Indian High Commission in London