The Khalistan movement, operated from overseas, has encountered a significant setback with the recent passing of Avtar Singh Khanda.
Khanda, a Khalistani supporter residing in Britain and known for guiding Amritpal, breathed his last in a hospital located in Birmingham.
This information has been revealed through agency reports, stating that Khanda had been on life support in the ICU and his condition had been critical in the preceding days.
Late at night, he succumbed to his condition. Khanda had been admitted to the hospital the previous week.
Sources indicate that Khanda, who had assisted Amritpal Singh in evading the police in March-April, was initially suspected to have been poisoned. However, medical records later revealed that he was actually battling blood cancer.
Avtar Singh Khanda, the prime suspect in the attack on the Indian Embassy in London, was a wanted individual on the NIA's list.
The NIA had been making continuous efforts to extradite him to India. Prior to his association with Amritpal, Khanda had engaged in extensive communication with Deep Sidhu, the leader of the 'Waris Punjab De' organization.
Avtar Singh Khanda, son of the deceased KLF terrorist Kulwant Singh, initially traveled to the UK in 2007 on a study visa. Subsequently, in 2012, he sought asylum and settled there.
Following the passing of former KLF chief Harmeet Singh in Pakistan in January 2020, Khanda purportedly assumed leadership of the KLF (Khalistan Liberation Force) outfit under the code name 'Ranjodh Singh'.
Khanda gained significant attention when he was arrested for removing the tricolour from the Indian Embassy in London. It is noteworthy that Khanda's entire family has ties to the Khalistan movement.
He is believed to have played a crucial role in facilitating Amritpal's journey to Punjab and orchestrating a campaign there. According to intelligence agencies, Khanda possessed expertise in bomb-making.