Avtar Singh Khanda (1988-2023) was a British activist and journalist. He is the vice-president of the youth wing of Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar). In 2023, Khanda was injured when a group of pro-Khalistan supporters vandalized the Indian High Commission in London, England, during a protest against the Punjab police’s attempt to arrest Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh. made headlines. Kanda is considered the mentor of Amritpal Singh. He died on June 15, 2023 at Sandwell Hospital in Birmingham, England.
Wiki/Biography
Avtar Singh Khanda was born in 1988 (35 years; as of 2023) in Lod village, Moga district, Punjab, British India (Punjab, India). He studied in a model school run by Arya Samaj. Due to his father’s separatist image in India, their home was frequently raided by various agencies, including the police, and the family moved the family to various locations in Punjab including Patiala, Ludhiana and Moga.
appearance
Height (approximately): 5′8″
Hair color: black
Eye color: dark brown
family
Avtar Singh Khanda was born into a Sikh family.
Parents and siblings
His father, Kulwant Singh Khukrana, was a terrorist with links to the Khalistan Liberation Forces and the Khalistan Commandos. He died on March 3, 1991, during an encounter with police during anti-Sikh riots following the assassination of Indira Gandhi in 1984. Kanda’s uncle Balwant Singh Khukrana also died in the anti-Sikh riots. Avtar Singh has a younger sister.
wife
There is not much information about his marital status.
Religion/Religious Views
Avtar Singh Kanda believed in Sikhism.
“Mission Khalistan”
Khanda is a pro-Khalistan supporter. He is often found expressing his views on separatism in various interviews. Kanda strongly advocated the establishment of an independent Sikh state.
Profession
host
Avtar Singh has served as the host of the programs “Shera Di Kaum” and “Itihaas” on Khalsa Television (KTV) (also known as KTV Global). On 21 June 2022, Khalsa Television Limited surrendered its UK broadcasting license when Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, found that the channel’s “prime time” programming was promoting separatist propaganda that encouraged violence.
Avtar Singh Kanda (left) interviews an activist at KTV channel
dispute
Indian High Commission in London vandalized
Avtar Singh Khanda was detained on March 21, 2023, for allegedly sabotaging the Indian High Commission in London. Two days before the arrest, on March 19, 2023, pro-Khalistan supporters removed the Indian flag from the top of the High Commission building to protest against the Punjab police crackdown on Amritpal Singh and his followers. The demonstrations included Khalistan supporters and other anti-national elements who gathered outside the High Commission in London and chanted “Khalistan Zindabad” slogans. During the protest, attempts were made to take down the tricolor, but security personnel intervened and stopped the move. The man was later identified as Avtar Singh Khanda.
Avtar Singh Khanda joins a group of pro-Khalistan supporters to vandalize the Indian High Commission in London while trying to remove the Indian flag from the top in 2023
IED expert
In 2015, Kanda was mentioned in a report prepared by India for British authorities on Khalistan activities. India has expressed concern over ideological indoctrination courses and practical bomb-making demonstrations conducted by Khalistan groups for overseas Sikhs at certain gurdwaras in the UK. Intelligence reports indicate that Khanda is planning to conduct radicalization training courses for Sikh youths that will include instruction on how to assemble improvised explosive devices (IEDs) using locally available chemicals. According to sources, similar courses were held at the Guru Nanak Gurdwara in Birmingham in December 2014 and at the Gurdwara Singh Sabha in Glasgow in January 2015.
die
He died on June 15, 2023 at Sandwell Hospital in Birmingham, England. Some media claimed he died of food poisoning, while others claimed he died of blood cancer.
Facts/Trivia
- Avtar Singh was born in the family of Indian activist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. He said in an interview that his family was unable to live in their home as the police frequently visited their home looking for his fugitive father Kulwant Singh Khukrana; however, Bhindranwa Le provided a place for his family to live in his home.
- Khanda is believed to be a close aide of Khalistani nationalist Paramjit Singh Parmar (linked to Babar Khalsa International) and the man responsible for the assassination of former Punjab chief minister Bit Singh Jagtar ·The mastermind of Singh Tara.
- As a student, Kanda did not attend morning assemblies at school. In an interview, he recounted his experiences as a student, harboring strong hostility towards the country and saying that, as a Sikh, he believed singing the Indian national anthem violated the principles of the Sikh community. Therefore, he deliberately avoided attending morning meetings.
- Talking about his childhood memories in an interview, Kanda recalled how his classmates used to laugh at him and call him a terrorist’s child. He added that his mother told him that his father, Kulwant Singh Khukrana, who was killed by the police, was living overseas and would soon return to him; however, in fifth grade, He stumbles upon an old newspaper at home and uncovers the truth behind his father’s death. Following the death of Kulwant Singh Khukrana on March 3, 1991, the police arrested Khanda, his mother and sister at 5 am on April 1, 1991, for investigation.
- In an interview, Kanda shared his views on the 1984 Sikh massacre and said it was a premeditated attack on the Sikh community. He went on to claim that the Indian government had been planning the massacre since India gained independence in 1947.
- Avtar Singh Khanda allegedly gave Amritpal Singh a beautification treatment while he was in Dubai. According to Kanda, although he has been in contact with Amritpal for a long time, he has never met him in person.
Waris Punjab Chief Amritpal Singh
- Indian intelligence agencies believe Khanda has links to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
- Avtar Singh often posts against the Indian government and its leaders. In one such post, he was spotted plugging a statue of former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in a museum.
Avtar Singh Kanda gags statue of former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi at museum
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education