Canada-Based Gangster Lakhbir Singh Landa Designated As Terrorist

The Home Ministry has designated Lakhbir Singh Landa, a 33-year-old Canada-based gangster, as a terrorist under the stringent anti-terror law UAPA. Landa was involved in a rocket attack on the Punjab Police Intelligence Headquarters in Mohali in 2021, among other terrorist activities, according to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

Born in Punjab's Tarn Taran district in 1989, Landa fled to Canada in 2017. The MHA identifies him as a member of the notorious Khalistani group, Babbar Khalsa International (BKI). Landa is believed to have close ties with Harvinder Singh, also known as Rinda, a gangster based in Pakistan who has collaborated with the BKI.

According to the Home Ministry, Landa was not only responsible for the rocket attack in Mohali but also involved in the supply of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), arms, sophisticated weapons, and explosives from across the border to various modules engaged in terrorist activities in Punjab.

The Home Ministry in its notification said Landa is involved in various criminal cases related to the formation of terror modules, extortion, killings, planting IEDs, smuggling weapons and narcotics, and utilising funds for terrorist acts not only in Punjab but also in other parts of the country.

Landa had close ties to several Khalistani terrorists based in Canada, including Gurpatwant Singh Pannun of Sikhs for Justice and the late Hardeep Singh Nijjar of the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), among others.