Khalistani terrorist Lakhbir Singh Rode, one of the accused in the 1985 bombing of the Air India jet Kanishka, has died in Pakistan due to a heart attack as per the media reports. Lakhbir Singh, 72, was a self-styled head of the International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) and nephew of slain Khalistani militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. Lakhbir Singh’s brother and former Akal Takht Jathedar Jasbir Singh Rode confirmed the news of his death. Rode was cremated in Pakistan yesterday. He was listed as an ‘individual terrorist’ under the UA(P)A and had fled to Pakistan.
Recently, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) special court in Mohali ordered the confiscation of land belonging to Lakshbir Singh in Punjab’s Moga district. The court ordered the confiscation of the land under Section 33(5) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, under which a judge can confiscate moveable and immovable property of a proclaimed offender involved in serious crimes.
Lakhbir Singh worked closely with Pakistan-based ISI to disrupt peace in India. He was behind the tiffin bomb modules that were busted by the Punjab Police in recent years. Lakhbir Singh was also the key conspirator of the Ludhiana Court blast of 2021.
The killing of Shaurya Chakra awardee Comrade Balwinder Singh in 2020 was planned by Lakhbir Singh only, according to a report by the Hindustan Times.
According to the US State Department, Lakhbir Singh's ISYF was an active terrorist group organisation, having links with Islamist militant groups including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). ISYF was banned under the Prevention of Terrorist Activities Act (POTA) on March 22, 2002 in India. The UK banned the terror group in 2001. Following the ban in the UK, the group changed its name to Sikh Federation-UK (SFUK). ISYF was founded in 1984 and is quite active in Canada and the UK.
