by Ajay Kumar
Lucknow: After three Khalistani terrorists were killed in an encounter in Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh, a wave of fear has gripped the region for the first time in three decades. During the 1980s and 1990s, when Sikh terrorism was at its peak in Punjab, several districts in Uttar Pradesh’s Terai region were also impacted. Back then, Uttar Pradesh had not been divided. Districts like Lakhimpur Kheri, Pilibhit, Khatima, and Nainital, with significant Sikh populations, often reported incidents of terrorists seeking shelter and committing crimes. However, the past three decades had seen a remarkable change, with tales of Sikh terrorism becoming confined to books. Yet, the recent encounter in Pilibhit’s Puranpur has once again shaken the Terai region after years of calm.
If we look back at the 1980s and 1990s, those were the years when Khalistani terrorism cast its shadow over the Terai region for nearly 12 years. Khalistani terrorists were responsible for several murders in Pilibhit and Lakhimpur Kheri during that period. The most infamous incident in Pilibhit occurred in July 1992 when terrorists killed 29 people in a forest. This phase, spanning from 1985 to 1997, saw districts like Lakhimpur Kheri, Shahjahanpur’s Khutar, Pilibhit’s Puranpur, and parts of Uttarakhand’s Udham Singh Nagar and Nainital falling under the sway of Khalistani supporters. Many significant and widely reported incidents were executed by Khalistani groups during this time.
One such case involved the killing of an intelligence officer stationed at the Mailani Gurudwara. This was followed by the encounter of the accused, Sukhwinder Singh, a resident of Bhira, by then-SP O.P. Singh. Khalistani terrorists frequently targeted areas in and around Mailani in Lakhimpur Kheri, as well as Pilibhit and Shahjahanpur. Similarly, in 1988-89, Khalistani terrorists from the Major group massacred a dozen people in a milk van near Raj Narayanpur Railway Crossing between Mailani and Bhira. The derailment attempts of the Nainital Express on November 26, 1995, October 26, 1997, and March 28, 1998, near Bhikhampur-Mailani also highlighted the persistent threat of Khalistani extremism.
The recent elimination of three Khalistani terrorists by Punjab and Uttar Pradesh Police in Pilibhit marks a significant achievement. The slain terrorists were found in possession of two AK-47 rifles, foreign pistols, and a large cache of ammunition. According to police and intelligence sources, these terrorists had been involved in throwing bombs at police stations and checkpoints in Punjab to spread terror. They were reportedly affiliated with the Khalistan Zindabad Force, an extremist group. There is evidence suggesting that these terrorists received arms from Khalistani elements abroad. If this is accurate, a thorough investigation is necessary to determine how they succeeded in obtaining such support. Authorities must also probe why these terrorists, after targeting police stations in Punjab, came to Pilibhit. Was Pilibhit merely a safe haven for them, or were they planning an attack here? This cannot be overlooked, especially since Pilibhit and the surrounding Terai region were once strongholds of Khalistani terrorism during its peak in Punjab.
The Terai region, often referred to as Mini Punjab due to its significant Sikh population, raises the question of whether Khalistani supporters are regaining strength in the area. It is concerning that Khalistani terrorists are becoming increasingly audacious. This is evident from the eight recent bomb attacks on police stations and checkpoints in Punjab, for which Khalistani groups have claimed responsibility. One such group is the Khalistan Zindabad Force. The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is assessing these incidents, suspects that foreign-based Khalistani organizations are planning major attacks in Punjab. This suspicion is underscored by the heightened security at the Punjab Police headquarters in Chandigarh. While some of these bombings targeted abandoned police checkpoints, they demonstrate that Khalistani terrorists are becoming bolder.
The Pilibhit incident indicates that Khalistani terrorists are expanding their reach to neighboring states. Punjab Police must enhance its collaboration with police forces in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh to counter this threat effectively.
It is worth recalling that after the backbone of Sikh terrorism was broken in the late 1990s, the region experienced a resurgence of similar activities on September 18, 2017, when Uttar Pradesh ATS and Punjab Police arrested two Babbar Khalsa members in Kheri district. The two, identified as Harpreet alias Tony and Satnam Singh, were residents of Kheri. They had previously escaped from Punjab’s Nabha Jail on November 27, 2016, along with two terrorists and four gangsters. Arrest warrants for Harpreet and Satnam had been issued by Bhagat Singh Nagar court in Punjab, accusing them of supplying weapons and other aid to the escapees. Investigations revealed that they had been operating as sleeper modules for Babbar Khalsa, spanning the Terai region in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.
Though their arrest quieted the situation, a recent connection involving Punjab-based terrorist Narayan Singh Chaurha has emerged. During police remand, Chaurha disclosed that he had hidden weapons in the Nepal-bordering areas of Kheri district. Following this revelation, Punjab Police’s activities in the region created considerable commotion for two to three days. Now, after the Pilibhit encounter, security and intelligence agencies along the India-Nepal border are on high alert.
