Khalistani terrorist Lakhbir Singh Landa

On Monday Firozpur Police conducted raids on the premises of associates of Lakhbir Singh alias Landa, Khalistani extremist on the radar of National Investigation Agency (NIA). According to media agency reports, raids have been conducted at 48 places in the entire district and many people have also been detained

This comes even as the diplomatic relations between India and Canada continues worsening as Canada Prime Minister Justin Trdueau said there were ‘credible allegation’ that Prime Minister Narendra Modi led India Government and India's intelligentsia was involved in the June killing of Canada-based Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Earlier on Wednesday, NIA had announced cash rewards for information leading to the arrest of five Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) operatives, including Harwinder Singh Sandhu alias "Rinda" and Lakhbir Singh Sandhu alias "Landa".

The federal agency announced a cash reward of ₹10 lakh each for Rinda and Landa and ₹5 lakh each for Parminder Singh Kaira alias “Pattu", Satnam Singh alias “Satbir Singh" alias “Satta" and Yadvinder Singh alias “Yadda".

A spokesperson of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had said these five terrorists are wanted in a case registered early this year related to the BKI's terrorist activities aimed at disturbing India's peace and communal harmony and spreading terror in the state of Punjab.

"The wanted terrorists are accused of commission of terror acts and activities, besides raising funds for the BKI, a banned terror outfit, through smuggling of terrorist hardware and narcotics into Punjab and also through extensive extortion from businessmen and other prominent individuals.

"They are also wanted in cases relating to commissioning of targeted killings as well as targeting of law enforcement agencies in order to create an environment of terror in the state of Punjab," the spokesperson said.

The official said investigations have shown that the five terrorists have been engaged in recruiting new members of the BKI by promising them monetary benefits.

Rinda, originally a resident of Maharashtra, is a Pakistan-based "listed individual terrorist" and member of the BKI, while Landa, Khaira, Satnam and Yadvinder are residents of Punjab.

Meanwhile, the NIA released two lists of 54 individuals with their photographs who are wanted in the investigation of two cases, registered last year, to dismantle terror-gangster networks in the country.

The lists, one naming 11 persons and the other 43 persons, were shared by the NIA on its official account on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The list included several wanted gangsters, including Goldy Brar, Lawrence Bishnoi, Anmol Bishnoi and Arshdeep Singh Gill.

The NIA has also confiscated India properties of slain Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, and banned terror outfit Sikhs For Justice leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.