Khalistani Terrorist Pannun Issues Death Threats Against Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, State DGP: Report

Pannun Threatens Punjab CM: Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the chief of banned pro-Khalistan outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), on Tuesday issued threats directed at the lives of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and state Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav, News18 reported. The Khalistani terrorist reportedly called on gangsters to come together to attack Mann on Republic Day (January 26).

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In its report, News18 said the threats were supposedly issued in response to recent uptick in police action against gangsters in Punjab. The purported threat against Mann emerged as several pictures went viral on social media showing pro-Khalistani graffiti in New Delhi.

The graffiti contained threats ahead of the annual Republic Day Parade. It claims that SFJ aims to "avenge" the death of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Nijjar was killed outside a Gurdwara in Surrey, Canada on June 18 last year by unknown assailants. SFJ was declared an 'unlawful association' by the Government of India on July 10, 2019. 

Last year, Pannun had threatened to "shake the very foundations of Parliament" on or before the 22nd anniversary of the 2001 Parliament. Interestingly, a major security breach later took place on December 13, the day Pannun had mentioned. As part of the security breach, two men jumped down from the visitor gallery of Lok Sabha carrying gas canisters that released an unidentified yellow gas inside the lower House while two others, including a woman, committed a similar act outside the Parliament building.

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Prior to his threats against the Parliament, Pannun, an American citizen, in November had issued threats against Air India, insinuating a possible attack on flights operated by the airline. He had asked Sikhs to refrain from flying with Air India, saying it could endanger their lives. 

Recently, Pannun called on Muslims to oppose the inauguration ceremony of the grand Ram Temple being built in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya. He also exhorted the Muslim community to carve out "Urduistan" from India. "From Amritsar to Ayodhya, shut down airports. Now is the time, Muslims, you carve out a country Urduistan from India," Pannun said in a video message released on January 8. The 'Pran Pratishtha' of Ayodhya Ram Mandir is scheduled for January 22.

(With inputs from ANI)