Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun disclosed on Tuesday that he has been alerted by the FBI and the RCMP about a credible new threat to his life. Pannun, who serves as the general counsel for Sikhs For Justice, stated that FBI agents advised him on August 12 to refrain from traveling until the threat is neutralized, and if necessary, inform the agency beforehand of any travel plans. Additionally, the RCMP contacted Pannun by phone on the same day to convey the warning, although no specific details about the threat were provided by either law enforcement body.
Under the “duty to warn” policy in the United States, intelligence and law enforcement agencies are mandated to inform individuals when they uncover verifiable and targeted threats of murder, severe bodily harm, or kidnapping against them. Sikhs for Justice has been orchestrating a series of referendums across the global Sikh community to advocate for an autonomous nation-state called Khalistan, causing friction with the Indian government. Recently, an event was held in Indianapolis, with another scheduled for Edmonton on October 18.
Inderjeet Singh Gosal, who took over leadership of the Sikhs for Justice movement in Canada following the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in 2023, received a warning letter on August 14 regarding a potential threat. Gosal was appointed by Pannun to succeed Nijjar, who was fatally shot in a Sikh temple parking lot in Surrey, B.C., on June 18, 2023. Four Indian nationals are awaiting trial in connection with Nijjar’s murder after being apprehended in Edmonton and Ontario in the spring of 2024. Meanwhile, two individuals in California face federal charges for orchestrating the killing, although they are not currently in U.S. custody.
The latest threat against Pannun coincides with the upcoming sentencing of Nikhil Gupta in Manhattan federal court on November 20. Gupta, an Indian national, pleaded guilty earlier this year for his involvement in a 2023 plot to assassinate Pannun. The FBI disclosed that Gupta was instructed by an Indian government official to carry out the assassination but inadvertently engaged with an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a hitman. Gupta confessed to charges of murder for hire, conspiracy to commit murder for hire, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, with federal guidelines recommending a minimum of twenty years in prison.
Despite the persistent threats, Pannun remains resolute and undeterred, dismissing fear of the death threats aimed at him. He has urged both the U.S. and Canadian governments to address Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding threats to their respective sovereignties. Pannun emphasized that the ongoing threats only strengthen his resolve and conviction in his advocacy work, vowing to persevere regardless of the risks involved.