Ahead Of G-20 Meet In Uttarakhand, Banned Group Makes Threat Calls To 'Internationalise' Khalistan issue

A banned group made threat calls with recorded messages of Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, warning that they will raise Khalistani flags at airports and railway stations during the G-20 meeting.

A banned group said that they will raise Khalistani flags at airports and railway stations during the G-20 meeting. (Representative image)

A pro-Khalistan group on Monday made threatening calls to several people, including journalists, before the upcoming three-day G-20 meeting in Ramnagar, Uttarakhand. The group aims to "internationalise" the issue, reported news agency PTI, quoting officials.

The calls contained recorded messages of Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, the head of the "Sikh for Justice" organisation, warning that they will raise Khalistani flags at airports, railway stations, and other areas during the G-20 meeting. Pannu stated in the message that Ramnagar is not part of India and will become part of Khalistan after Punjab is freed.

The Chief Scientific Advisors' Roundtable of G-20 countries is scheduled to take place in Ramnagar from March 28-30, focusing on traditional knowledge in healthcare. The Uttarakhand Special Task Force's Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Senthil Abudai Krishnaraj S confirmed that all the numbers from which the recorded calls were received are being traced, and the Special Task Force is investigating the matter. According to PTI, he suspects that Pannu is attempting to gain publicity on the Khalistan issue through the G-20 meeting.

The Uttarakhand police are fully prepared, and senior officers are keeping a watch on the situation to prevent the separatists' purpose from being fulfilled. The police in Uttarakhand's Udham Singh Nagar district, which has a significant Sikh population, are also on alert over the absconding Khalistan separatist preacher Amritpal Singh and his associates.

The district police has tightened security, particularly in areas bordering Uttar Pradesh districts of Rampur, Pilibhit, and Bareilly, and Nepal. All government and private vehicles are being checked, and religious places are being monitored. The police are searching religious places near the international border and keeping a special vigil on people passing through the India-Nepal border. They have pasted posters of Amritpal and his associates at various places and are running a verification campaign.

The Punjab Police has alerted their Uttarakhand counterpart, suspecting that Amritpal Singh might have taken shelter in Uttarakhand and may attempt to flee to Nepal. The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and the state police in Pithoragarh are also keeping a close watch on areas near the India-Nepal border. The officials reassured the public that the police are fully prepared to handle any situation and that the G-20 meeting will take place without any hindrance.