Sikh separatist activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun revealed on Tuesday that both the FBI and the RCMP have alerted him to a fresh and credible threat on his life. This warning comes as another individual awaits sentencing later this year for a 2023 plot to harm Pannun.
Pannun, who serves as the general counsel for Sikhs For Justice, disclosed that FBI agents advised him on August 12 not to travel until the threat is mitigated. Additionally, they recommended that he inform the agency in advance of any travel plans. The RCMP also reached out to Pannun by phone on the same day, but specifics about the threat were not disclosed by either law enforcement entity.
Under the “duty to warn” protocol in the U.S., intelligence and law enforcement agencies are mandated to notify individuals when verifiable and targeted threats of murder, severe bodily harm, or kidnapping are identified.
Sikhs for Justice has been orchestrating a series of referendums worldwide within the Sikh community, advocating for an autonomous state known as Khalistan. Recently, a referendum was conducted in Indianapolis, and another is scheduled for Edmonton on October 18, sparking tension with the Indian government.
In a related development, Inderjeet Singh Gosal, appointed by Pannun to lead the Sikhs for Justice movement in Canada following the tragic death of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in 2023, received a threat warning on August 14. Nijjar 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 killing after being apprehended in Edmonton and Ontario in the spring of 2024. Two individuals in California were also charged with orchestrating the murder, although they are not in U.S. custody.
The latest threat to Pannun coincides with the upcoming sentencing of Nikhil Gupta from India in a Manhattan federal court on November 20. Gupta pleaded guilty earlier this year for his involvement in a 2023 plot to assassinate Pannun. The FBI revealed that Gupta was instructed by an Indian government official to carry out the assassination, leading to his entanglement with an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a hitman. Gupta admitted guilt to charges including murder for hire, conspiracy to commit murder for hire, and conspiracy to engage in money laundering, with potential sentencing guidelines indicating a minimum two-decade prison term.
Despite these threats, Pannun, a dual U.S. and Canadian citizen, remains resolute and undeterred, expressing defiance against attempts to intimidate him. He urged both the American and Canadian governments to challenge Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding threats to their respective sovereignties.
Pannun affirmed his unwavering commitment to his cause, emphasizing that the persistent threats only reinforce his determination and conviction in his advocacy efforts, stating, “I’m going to continue, even at the cost of a bullet.”