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The Babbar Khalsa (, ) is a militant group considered to be among the oldest and most prominent of Sikh organisations calling for the formation of an independent Sikh state. The envisioned state, called Khalistan (meaning Land of the Pure) by its proponents, would comprise Indian territory in the Punjab, and Punjabi-speaking areas of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan. Like other Sikh separatist organisations, the Babbar Khalsa was most active in the 1970s and 1980s, although sporadic acts of violence are still attributed to it. It is sponsored largely by expatriate Sikhs, particularly in the United Kingdom and Canada. The Babbar Khalsa is listed as a terrorist organisation by the United Kingdom,Home Office - Proscribed terrorist groups in the UK the EU,EU list of terrorist groups Canada,Canadian listing of terrorist groups India, and the United States. The United States has designated the Babbar Khalsa responsible for the bombing of Air India Flight 182;US designation of Babbar Khalsa responsibility for Flight 182 although the alleged members deemed responsible were all acquitted in a Canadian trial in 2005.
Origins of the Babbar Khalsa
The Babbar Khalsa traces its origin to the Babbar Akali Movement of 1920, which agitated against British colonial rule in India. The conception of Babbar Khalsa in its modern day form is widely believed to have been brought about as a result of the Nirankari-Akhand Kirtani Jatha clash on Vaisakhi in 1978, where thirteen Sikhs and three Nirankaris died.Punjab: The Knights of Falsehood — Psalms of Terror, All About Sikhs — Amritsar Massacre 1978 The Nirankaris were a sect who claimed to be Sikhs yet, in the opinion of some others, broke many fundamental laws of Sikhism. On 24 April 1980, Gurbachan Singh, the "Baba" of the Nirankaris, was killed. Responsibility for this killing was claimed by the Babbar Khalsa.
Sukhdev Singh Babbar and Talwinder Singh Parmar were the most prominent founding members of this organisation, with Talwinder Singh Parmar founding the Babbar Khalsa International in 1981 and Sukhdev Singh Babbar handling matters within India. Talwinder Singh Parmar later split off forming his own faction (Babbar Khalsa Parmar) when he fell out with the BKI leadership.
The split
The schism greatly weakened the Babbar Khalsa, ultimately leading to the death of Sukhdev Singh Babbar (9 August 1992) and Talwinder Singh Parmar (15 October 1992). Parmar's death remains controversial, and today he is accepted to have been shot in a gun battle with Indian police, with Canada's CBC network reporting that Parmar had been in police custody for some time prior to his death.
According to Punjab Police, the last words uttered by Sukhdev Singh Babbar were: "The Sukhdev Singh you have come to get has left, this body is an empty vessel, you may do with this as you wish." The death of Sukhdev Singh, described by India Today as “the most prominent militant leader since 1978” who had “an aura of invincibility”, severely weakened the Babbar Khalsa.
Recent events
Despite the setbacks incurred in the early Nineties, Babbar Khalsa is still active, although not to the extent it once was. The organisation at present is predominantly active in the USA, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Belgium, Norway, Switzerland and Pakistan. The Parmar faction has a presence in the UK, Germany, Belgium and Switzerland. Current leadership resides with Wadhawa Singh Babbar.
On 31 August 1995, Dilawar Singh Babbar assassinated Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh in a human bomb attack at the civil secretariat in Chandigarh.The Telegraph, Calcutta, India, "Beant trial trio in tunnel getaway" 22 January 2004 Dilawar claimed allegiance to the Babbar Khalsa and four other members of the Babbar Khalsa were named responsible for the killing.
On 31 May 2005 two alleged members of the Babbar Khalsa, Balvinder Singh and Jaganath Yadav were arrested and charged with the bombings of cinemas showing Jo Bole So Nihal in New Delhi on 22 May 2005. On 1 June 2005 the Delhi Police seized arms and ammunition from the house of Jaspal Singh. The seized items included 1 kg of RDX, a timer, detonator, a .303 rifle, 20 rounds of ammunitions, the uniform of a head constable of the Punjab Police along with several fake driving licences.The Tribune, India, "2 Babbars held for Delhi cinema blasts" 31 May 2005
One week later the Delhi police arrested Babbar Khalsa's India operations chief Jagtar Singh Hawara. Hawara had escaped from jail in Chandigarh last year through a long tunnel dug by inmates. He one those accused of having involvement in Beant Singh's assassination. Among the items recoverd in the arrest were 10.35 kg of RDX, four pistols, 207 live cartridges, remote control devices, and a hand grenade.The Tribune, India, "Delhi blasts: Babbar Khalsa chief Hawara held" 8 June 2005
As of 21 March, 2006, three Babbar Khalsa members had been arrested. Among the ones arrested was Paramjit Singh Bheora; the current head of Babbar Khalsa International (India branch). Bheora assumed the position of the Babbar Khalsa International (India branch) after Jagtar Singh Hawara's arrest. Bheora was arrested with his 2 acccomplices Jasbir Singh and Bhupinder Singh.
According to Delhi Police along with the arrest of 3 Babbar Khalsa members they arrested they have also seized "4 kilograms of RDX, 3 detonators, 1 remote control device with a wireless set, 1 timer, 3 Star make pistols, 39 cartridges and a stolen car. Bheora was involved with Jagtar Singh Hawara and Jagtar Singh Tara in digging a 100 foot tunnel to escape from the Burail jail. The Tribune, India, "Bheora, 2 other Babbars arrested" 21 March 2006
Ripudaman Singh Malik, the once accused of the Air India bombing now acquitted has admitted that he had donated money to the Babbar Khalsa. Malik said that he had donated 100 Canadian dollars to the Babbar Khalsa before they were registered as a terrorist organization in Canada this was in 1985. The Tribune, India, "Malik admits donating money to BKI" 30 March 2006
Paramjit Singh Bheora told the Punjab police that after he escaped from prison he had recruited 24 people into the Babbar Khalsa. Bheora wanted to send 6 of them to Pakistan for training and to purchase some weapons. Express Newsline, India, "Bheora recruited 24 men after escaping" 01 April 2006
The Punjab Police arrested 4 more people associated with Babbar Khalsa International (India branch) chief Paramjit Singh Bheora. Outlook India, India, "Four associates of BKI militant Bheora arrested" 04 April 2006
Punjab Police apprended Amanpreet Kaur, wife of Paramjit Singh Bheora along with 4 other suspected terrorists. The police recovered some weapons from them. India Monitor, UK, "Police nab five terrorists in Kapurthala" 04 April 2006
Police arrested an aide to Jagtar Singh Hawara, known as Gurinder Singh in a town of Jagraon. Gurinder Singh charged by the Indian Police for planning to assassinate a retired army general who played a vital part in Operation Bluestar and for providing shelter to Hawara when he escaped from Burail prison. Express India, India, "Jagraon Police nets ‘big fish’: Hawara aide nabbed from bus stand" 28 April 2006
The Indian Police arrested Harpal Singh Cheema in New Delhi at the Indira Gandhi Airport. According to the Indian Police ,Cheema has links to some Sikh extremist groups such as Babbar Khalsa International. India Monitor, UK, "Terrorist nabbed at IGI Airport" 03 May 2006
The Indian Police wants to prosecute people involved in the Cinema bomb blast, which occurred in New Delhi. The bombing was against the movie Jo Bole So Nihal which some Sikhs felt that it degraded the Sikh religion. The Indian Police is in process of laying charges against Jagtar Singh Hawara; who apparently was the mastermind in the Cinema blast and others who played a vital role in the bombing of two theaters in New Delhi. Express India, India, "Custody battle over main accused in blasts case" 22 May 2006
The Canadian government decided to deport a Babbar Khalsa militant Bachan Singh Sogi on charges of planning to assassinate former Chief Minister of Punjab Prakash Singh Badal along with his son Sukhbir Singh Badal, and former Punjab Police Chief KPS Gill. Zee News, India, "Canada deports Babbar Khalsa militant" 03 July 2006
The Indian Police will contine to hold the Babbar Khalsa militant Bachan Singh Sogi in their custody till July 13, 2006. Bachan Singh Sogi, who is considered number three in Babbar Khalsa International after Wadhwa Singh and Paramjit Singh Panjwar (both of the alleged militants are in Pakistan). Zee News, India, "Police remand of Sogi extended till July 13" 10 July 2006
The Indian Police are investigating the case of Dimpy's murder case, which the police believes is related with the Babbar Khalsa International terrorist group. Dimpy was murdered during 8 and 9 p.m. on July 7, 2006 outside Lake Club. To prosecute the criminals behind Dimpy's murder cops are checking all the phone calls made to Dimpy. As per the police that Dimpy's records revealed that his character was of that of a criminal gangster. Express India, India, "Now, cops to check all calls routed by Lake Club tower" 10 July 2006
References
"Babbar Khalsa"