The Ministry of Home Affairs has designated 33-year-old gangster Lakhbir Singh Landa as a terrorist under the stringent anti-terrorism law, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
According to the MHA, Landa, besides being involved in other terrorist activities, was also implicated in a rocket attack on the Punjab Police Intelligence Headquarters in Mohali in 2021.
Born in the Tarn Taran district of Punjab in 1989, Lakhbir Singh Landa migrated to Canada in 2017. The Ministry of Home Affairs has labelled him as a notorious member of the Khalistani extremist group, Babbar Khalsa International (BKI).
It is believed that Landa has close ties with Harvinder Singh, alias Rinda, a gangster based in Pakistan who has collaborated with BKI.
According to the Home Ministry, Landa has carried out many major attacks in India. Responsible not only for the rocket attack in Mohali but also actively participating in terrorist activities involving the supply of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), weapons, sophisticated arms, and explosives across the border.
In September, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) declared cash rewards for providing information about five terrorists, including the Canadian-based gangster Lakhbir Singh Landa and Pakistan-based Harvinder Singh Rinda, associated with Babbar Khalsa International (BKI).
The agency announced a reward of 10 lakh rupees for information leading to details about Landa and Rinda.
Additionally, rewards of 5 lakh rupees each were declared for Parminder Singh Kaira alias Pattu, Satnam Singh alias Satbir Singh, and Yadwinder Singh, all known associates of Landa.
As per the notification from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Lakhbir Singh Landa is implicated in various criminal cases related to terrorism, encompassing the formation of terrorist modules, extortion, assassinations, planting IEDs, and trafficking of weapons and narcotics.
His involvement extends not only in Punjab but also in different parts of the country, utilizing funds for terrorist activities.