Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun revealed that he has been cautioned by the FBI and the RCMP about a credible new threat to his life. Pannun, who serves as the general counsel for Sikhs For Justice, disclosed that FBI agents advised him not to travel until the threat is resolved and to inform the agency in advance of any travel plans. Additionally, the RCMP contacted him by phone to alert him of the threat, although no specific details were provided by either law enforcement agency.
Under the “duty to warn” protocol in the U.S., intelligence and law enforcement agencies are required to notify individuals when credible threats of murder, severe bodily harm, or kidnapping are identified. Sikhs for Justice has been organizing referendums worldwide advocating for an independent nation-state known as Khalistan, causing tension with the Indian government. Recently, Inderjeet Singh Gosal, who took over the leadership of Sikhs for Justice in Canada following the death of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in 2023, received a warning letter about a potential threat.
Gosal succeeded Nijjar, who was fatally shot in a Sikh temple parking lot in Surrey, B.C., on June 18, 2023. Four individuals from India are awaiting trial in connection with Nijjar’s killing after being arrested in Edmonton and Ontario in the spring of 2024. In addition, two men in California face charges of orchestrating the killing, although they are not currently in U.S. custody.
Meanwhile, Nikhil Gupta from India is awaiting sentencing in a Manhattan federal court on November 20 for his involvement in a 2023 plot to assassinate Pannun. Gupta, who pleaded guilty earlier this year, was instructed by an Indian government employee to carry out the assassination. Gupta unknowingly communicated with an undercover officer posing as a hitman. He pleaded guilty to various charges, including murder for hire, conspiracy to commit murder for hire, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, with potential sentencing guidelines recommending at least twenty years in prison.
Despite the threats, Pannun, who holds Canadian citizenship and resides in Ontario, remains resolute and undeterred. He emphasized his fearless approach towards the death threats, urging the U.S. and Canadian governments to address the threats to their sovereignty posed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration. Pannun views the ongoing threats as a testament to the effectiveness of his advocacy work and vows to persist, even in the face of danger.