Lakhvir Singh Landa, a gangster from Tarn Taran district who has been in Canada since 2017, was identified as a key conspirator in the attack, with police saying that he was an associate of Harwinder Rinda, who was close to BKI chief Wadhawa Singh Babbar and the ISI. Several local foot soldiers arrested in the case had helped the attackers with shelter, logistics and arms, police said.
Although the RPG attack did not cause any injury, several Opposition parties issued warnings about the revival of terrorism in the border state as they targeted the fledgling Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party government over its “lack of experience and capacity” in dealing with serious issues related to security and law-and-order.
Babbar Khalsa, which had been banned under the anti-terror Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, is the oldest and most organised Sikh militant outfit since India's Independence. The ultra group got its name from the militant organisation “Babbar Akali”, which was active in the 1920s during the British rule.
While BKI reportedly operates in several countries, including Canada and the UK, it is most active in Pakistan under the ISI's patronage. A section of BKI has engaged in informal negotiations with the Indian government in recent years, with several of their operatives adopting a “soft line” towards India. It has also led to the government removing the names of some ex-BKI militants from “terrorist black list”.
However, these…
