Family believes Khalistan activist poisoned to death by India in UK

LONDON: The family and lawyers of a Khalistani activist Avtar Singh Khanda who died in highly suspicious circumstances in a Birmingham hospital here have alleged foul play by the Indian state and called on the UK government to open an inquest into his death.

Avtar Singh Khanda died on 15 June in Birmingham in suspicious circumstances — just three before the assassination of Canadian national Hardeep Singh Nijjar by the Indian state.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has accused the Indian government of killing the Khalistani activist on Canadian soil.

Addressing a press conference here, Michael Polak, Barrister for the family of Khanda and Jagjit Singh, Jas Singh and Dabinderjit Singh (advisors to the Sikh Federation UK) called on the Chief Coroner to open an inquest into the death of Avtar Singh Khanda, whose mother has alleged that her son was poisoned to death by the Indian state agents.

They accused the UK authorities of covering up facts around the mysterious death of the known pro-Khalistan activist, who was declared an “enemy” by the Indian state and the Indian media.

They said the UK hospital and the West Midlands Police took steps before and after the death of Khanda which clearly points to a cover-up by the UK authorities, to appease the Indian govt in return for a trade deal.

The press conference heard that the UK intelligence figures had told Sikhs in the UK they believed that there was a “foul play” around Khanda’s death and that the Indian govt may have been involved in eliminating him as the Indian media and politicians openly celebrated his death in June this year.

Khanda’s suspicious death was in the context of the assassination of Paramjit Singh Panjwar on 6 May 2023 in Pakistan and the Indian state-backed assassination of the Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar on June 18 2023 in Canada.

Avtar Khanda, who has been described as a mentor and trainer of pro-Khalistan Waris Punjab De leader Amritpal Singh, had received a number of threats to his life from individuals connected to the Indian state after he was wrongly implicated in the removal of the Indian flag during a protest at the London High Commission on March 19, 2023.

Khanda’s death was recorded as being from Acute Myeloid Leukaemia, which can be caused by radiation poisoning, also came at a time when India’s National Investigation Agency had been to the United Kingdom in April 2023 to investigate Sikhs in relation to the High Commission protest, having wrongly named Khanda as being the ringleader of the protest.

Michael Polak, speaking on behalf of the family, called on the Chief Coroner to direct an inquest under Section 3 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 to look into the circumstances surrounding Khanda’s death and whether he was adequately protected given the public threats that were made against him.

He submitted that a senior judge should be appointed to carry out this inquest.

Michael Polak stated: “Sikhs around the world are understandably concerned about their safety in light of the assassination in Canada and warnings, including from the FBI, to Sikhs in the US that their lives could be in danger from Indian state agents."

"It is vital that the UK authorities ensure that the safety of British Sikh activists is protected as well as their right to freedom of expression. Given the timing of Khanda’s death, and the fact that death threats had been made by those with connections to Indian politics before his death, his case is at the very least suspicious."

"We are calling on the Chief Coroner to direct an inquest into Khanda’s death and whether his right to life was properly protected given the public threats which were made. We hope that a senior judge will be appointed to carry out this inquest given the serious issues that it must consider."

Dabinderjit Singh, the Principal Adviser of the Sikh Federation (UK) stated: “Based on compelling intelligence information the Indian government has been accused by the Canadian PM of the assassination of Canadian Sikh leader, Hardeep Singh Nijjar for peacefully campaigning for the re-establishment of a Sikh homeland."

"In the UK the mysterious death of 35-year-old Avtar Singh Khanda under suspicious circumstances in Birmingham three days before the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada needs to be fully investigated. Why was Avtar Singh Khanda not provided security by the British authorities as he had received threats?"

"Why was an autopsy not carried out following his sudden death and what intelligence information do the Five Eyes nations have about the death of Avtar Singh Khanda that may suggest foul play?"

Avtar Singh Khanda, 35-year-old, was diagnosed with leukaemia just four days before he died suddenly in Birmingham on June 15 was healthy and fit and had no previous medical issues, according to his family and friends.

His mother Charanjeet Kaur has said her son - who lived in Birmingham, was “killed by poisoning” by the Indian govt as the Indian govt had issued open threats against Khanda and used Indian media to vilify him for supporting Khalistan.

Over 20,000 Sikhs had turned up for his funeral. The UK govt denied visa to Charanjeet Kaur to attend her son’s last rituals and she joined the funeral online.

Charanjeet Kaur spoke out after the Canadian prime minister said that India was behind the murder of another Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was shot dead outside a Gurdwara in British Columbia two days after Khanda’s suspicious death.

Khanda was a spirited campaigner for Khalistan and said Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, the revered Khalistani Sikh activist who was killed in 1984 during the Operation Blue Star, was his hero.

Khanda's death certificate said he died from acute myeloid leukaemia and a blood clot in his lungs. His mother Charanjeet Kaur said he had been admitted to hospital on June 11 after coming down with a “mere bout of physical pain” and that the family has no history of cancer.

She said: “My son was killed by poisoning. I mean, who develops and succumbs to cancer within just four days? Cancer doesn't manifest within such a short span. I am telling you he was poisoned. You should ask the hospital authorities. They would know who the doctors and other people involved in his murder.”

Sikh campaigners say Avtar Singh Khanda could have been poisoned with clotting agents by the Indian state agents before or after he went to the hospital.

Hardeep Singh Nijjar was the Chief Coordinator of the Khalistan Referendum campaign in Canada and was a close associate of UK-based Paramjeet Singh Pamma who is heading the UK-European phase of Referendum voting.

Nijjar was a close associate of Khalistani leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who is the Counsel General of Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), the advocacy group running Khalistan Referendum globally. Nijjar, Pamma along with Pannun were designated terrorists by the Indian government in 2020.