MHA bans Khalistan Liberation Force
ORDER SAYS OUTFIT INVOLVED IN KILLING OF INNOCENT PEOPLE AND POLICE OFFICERS, SEVERAL BOMBINGS ON CIVILIAN TARGETS
NEW DELHI : The Centre has banned the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) for its involvement in several killings, bombings and other terror activities during its violent campaign for ‘secession of Punjab’. The decision of the ban, under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), comes in the backdrop of agencies unearthing several KLF modules. In 2017, a module of the outfit was busted, which had carried out a series of eight killings or attempted killings of specific communities and organisations to destabilise the law and order situation and to revive terrorism in Punjab.
The KLF and all its manifestations have been declared outlawed under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), a home ministry order, adding that it will be the 40th organisation to be proscribed under this law. The ban on KLF has been imposed as it is involved in ‘killing of innocent people and police officers, several bombings on civilian targets in India, collection of funds for terror activities through extortion, kidnappings, bank robberies and assassination attempts of important government functionaries’, the order said.
According to officials, during the height of militancy in Punjab in 1980s and 1990s, the group was involved in a series of unlawful activities.
The KLF came into existence in 1986 with the objective of establishing an independent Khalistan by secession of Punjab from India ‘through violent means’, the order said, adding, “The KLF has committed acts of terrorism and promoting acts of terrorism and has been engaged in radicalisation and recruitment of youth for terrorist activities in India.”
The home ministry maintained that a five-member KLF module was busted by the Punjab Police, which resulted in working out the two cases related to the planting of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDS) in Nabha, Punjab. Another KLF module was busted in Gurudaspur district and four terrorists were arrested with illegal arms and ammunition. They were planning to target Pathankot based leaders of a particular political party.
Another KLF module was busted by Amritsar police and three KLF terrorists were arrested, who were planning to target prominent members of a particular community, so as to disrupt communal harmony in Punjab.
The home ministry added that the Jalandhar police had also busted a KLF and Khalistan Zindabad Force module of four members and arrested the chief of KLF along with illegal arms and ammunition on November 7, 2014.