Who is Canada-based Khalistani terrorist Lakhbir Singh Landa? Rs 10 lakh reward on his head, close aide of...
Landa was charged with murder and a violation of the Arms Act. He is now dealing with about 18 criminal cases in the districts of Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Moga, and Ferozepur, involving murder, attempted murder, and drug trafficking.
India-Canada: The National Investigation Agency, or NIA, on Wednesday announced a monetary reward for information leading to the arrest of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) agent Lakhbir Singh Sandhu alias "Landa" as part of its intensifying crackdown against Khalistani terrorists. Cash rewards were also announced for four other BKI operatives Harwinder Singh Sandhu alias Rinda', Parminder Singh Kaira alias 'Pattu', Satnam Singh alias ‘Satbir Singh’ alias ‘Satta’ and Yadvinder Singh alias ‘Yadda’.
A cash prize of Rs. 10 lakh each for Rinda and Landa, and Rs. 5 lakh for Pattu, Satta, and Yadda was declared by the federal agency. The BKI is a banned terror outfit.
The NIA’s announcement came after Canadian PM Justin Trudeau accused the Indian government agency of killing Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June this year. India, however, denied the allegations and eventually removed a top Canadian official as payback.
Who is Lakhbir Singh Landa?It is thought that Lakhbir Singh Landa, who hails from Tarn Taran in Punjab, is currently living in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He is a close friend of Pakistan-based gangster-turned-terrorist Harvinder Singh, alias Rinda, Landa fled to Canada in 2017. They joined hands with the pro-Khalistan terror organisation BKI.
What are the cases against Lakhbir Singh Landa?At Harike Pattan in July 2011, Landa was charged with murder and a violation of the Arms Act. He is now dealing with about 18 criminal cases in the districts of Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Moga, and Ferozepur, involving murder, attempted murder, and drug trafficking. Before Landa escaped to Canada in May 2016, the Punjab Police had filed the last case in Moga against him on kidnapping allegations.
In addition to laying an IED under a sub-inspector's car in Amritsar, Landa was a key conspirator in the Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) attack on the Punjab Police intelligence headquarters in Mohali.
The NIA opened the case in 2022 when it became clear that terrorist groups and foreign-based terrorist components were collaborating with leaders and members of organized crime gangs operating in the country's northern states to carry out targeted killings and other crimes.