SFJ chief Gurpatwant Pannun threatens to disrupt India-England test match in Ranchi, urges CPI to intervene as well

A First-Information Report (FIR) has been lodged against the Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun for threatening to disrupt the fourth Test match between India and England in Ranchi, officials said, adding that security has been tightened in the capital of Jharkhand in the wake of threats.

According to an Indian media agency, the head of the Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) who has been designated as terrorist by the Home Ministry has also appealed to the banned Communist Party of India (CPI) Maoist through a video uploaded on social media to disrupt the match. The fourth test will commence at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi from February 23, 2024. The England team reached th city a day before.

“Gurpatwant Singh Pannun has threatened the India and England teams to cancel the match in Ranchi. He also urged the CPI (Maoist) to create disturbance in a bid to cancel the match. Subsequently, an FIR has been lodged against him at Dhurwa Police Station under the IT Act and the investigation has been initiated,” an Indian media agency quoted Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) of Hatia, PK Mishra as saying to reporters on February 20, 2024.

Chandan Kumar Sinha, the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Of Ranchi, told an Indian media agency that steps have been taken to beef up security in the state capital and around 1,000 police personnel have been deployed to provide security.

Pannun has been under the radar of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) since 2019, when the anti-terrorist federal agency registered labelling him a proclaimed Offender on November 29, of the same year. In a move aimed at tightening its grip on Pannun, who operates from the US and Canada, the NIA seized properties belonging to him in Amritsar, Punjab and in the Union territory of Chandigarh in September 2023. He serves as the self-proclaimed general counsel for the banned Sikhs for Justice (SFJ).

The pro-Khalistan lawyer has been a key organizer of non-binding referendums that seek a separate Sikh State held in countries with large Indian Diaspora such as Canada, the UK and Australia. He is well known for intimidation tactics and threats.