NEW DELHI: US authorities thwarted plot to kill Sikh separatist in United States and issued warning to India over concerns government in New Delhi was involved, Financial Times reported, citing unnamed sources.

There was no immediate response from India’s Foreign Ministry, or from US Embassy in New Delhi, to requests for comment on report.

Financial Times said that sources did not say if protest to India resulted in plot being abandoned by plotters, or if it was foiled by Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Apart from diplomatic warning to India, US federal prosecutors have also filed sealed indictment against at least one suspect in New York district court, FT report said. Paper identified Gurpatwant Singh Pannun as target of foiled plot.

FT report said Pannun had declined to say whether US authorities had warned him about plot, but quoted him as saying he would “Let US government respond to issue of threats to my life on American soil from Indian operatives”.

Pannun, like Nijjar, is proponent of decades-long, but now fringe demand to carve out an independent Sikh homeland from India named Khalistan.

Financial Times report mentioned that US shared details of thwarted plot with wider group of allies after Canada’s public accusation.

Protest to New Delhi was registered after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was welcomed on state visit by President Joe Biden in June, report said. Report comes two months after Canada said there were “Credible” allegations linking Indian agents to June murder of Sikh separatist leader, Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Vancouver suburb. India has rejected Canada’s accusations.

Published in The Daily National Courier, November, 22 2023

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