By India Blooms News Service Jun 15, 2023
London: Khalistan separatist Avtar Singh Khanda, a close associate of jailed radical preacher Amritpal Singh, died in London on Thursday, media reports said.
He had led protests at the Indian High Commission in London earlier this year while Amritpal Singh was trying to escape arrest.
Khanda was admitted to a hospital in Birmingham on Monday after he complained of uneasiness, reported NDTV.
The exact cause of his death was not known but some reports said he was reportedly suffering from blood cancer.
In March, Khalistan supporters held a protest at Bharat Bhavan in London and tried to pull down the Indian flag but their attempt was foiled by a proactive Indian Embassy official, who snatched the tricolour from the hands of the extremists.
Avtar Singh Khanda was seen leading that protest in cell phone videos posted on social media.
The Indian government had registered a strong protest with the UK government for the UK governments indifference to Indian diplomats and personnel and conveyed the treatment was unacceptable.
Meanwhile, the Indian Mission gave a befitting reply to the cowardly attempts of the Khalistani separatists by installing a massive Indian flag at the Indian High Commission.
Amritpal Singh was finally arrested on April 23 after he surrendered at a Gurdwara in Punjabs Moga after eluding Punjab Police, changing disguise and hiding locations for 35 days.
A month after Amritpal Singh and his supporters stormed a police station, wielding swords and guns to extract the release of one of his close aides Lovepreet Singh, Punjab Police launched a massive operation against him and his group, Waris Punjab De, on March 18.
The top secret operation was conducted jointly by the Aam Aadmi Party-led Punjab government, the Central government, and the Bharatiya Janata Party-controlled Assam.
According to sources, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had discussed the arrest plan of Amritpal Singh with Home Minister Amit Shah during a meeting on March 2.
Sources from the Home Ministry had revealed that Amritpal Singh planned to organise statewide procession to indoctrinate youth for carrying out suicide attacks.
It was alleged that the extremist preacher was using de-addiction centers as hideouts to illegally acquire weapons from Pakistan.