Conspiracy theories spread after death of Sikh activist in Birmingham

Conspiracy theories spread after death of Sikh activist, 35, in Birmingham as his mother claims the Indian government POISONED him and is now targeting other Khalistan separatists after he died just five days on from cancer diagnosis 

• Avtar Singh Khanda, 35, died on June 15, days after being admitted to hospital 

The death of a Sikh activist in Britain has sparked a conspiracy theory that he was killed by the Indian government.

Avtar Singh Khanda, who rose to prominence over his support for an independent Sikh state – called Khalistan – in the Punjab region of India, died suddenly earlier this year.

The 35-year-old was diagnosed with leukaemia just four days before he died in Birmingham on June 15, with doctors and police saying he passed from natural causes. 

However, his mother Charanjeet Kaur, has insisted her son – who lived in Oldbury in the West Midlands, close to Smethwick Gudwara – was ‘killed by poisoning’ after his sudden deterioration.

It has reignited conspiracy theories that Narendra Modi’s government is targeting pro-separatist activists among the Sikh diaspora.

Avtar Singh Khanda (pictured) died in June at the age of 35 days after being diagnosed with leukaemia

His family claim he was poisoned by the Indian government. Pictured: Supporters of Mr Khanda at his cremation in Smethwick in August 

Mr Khanda was a supporter of the Khalistan separatist movement, which calls for Sikhs to have an independent nation in Punjab. Pictured: Supporters stand over his coffin at his funeral last month

It comes days after Canada claimed that agents linked to the India could have been behind the murder of another Sikh activist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar,  who was shot dead outside a temple in British Columbia in June.

This sparked a furious response from Modi’s administration, which expelled a senior Canadian diplomat and strongly denied claims from Justin Trudeau there were ‘credible allegations’ linking the killing to the Indian government.

READ MORE HERE:  Furious India expels Canadian diplomat in tit-for-tat move after Justin Trudeau accused New Delhi of assassinating Sikh leader outside temple in British Colombia 

Tensions have risen in recent years amid the rise of Hindu nationalism that propelled Modi to power in the world’s most populous country 2014, while there has been increasing activism among the Sikh community for an independent nation.

An insurgency in the Punjab region calling for the creation of Khalistan led to thousands of deaths in the 1980s, and in recent years Sikhs living abroad have protested for this again.

In Britain experts have warned that extremists are inflaming tensions between Sikhs and Hindus using the movement, potentially fuelling violence. 

The Shawcross report into the Government’s anti-terrorism Prevent strategy remarked that some pro-Khalistan groups were falsely claiming ‘that the government is colluding with its counterpart in India to persecute Sikhs’.

It added: ‘Such groups’ narratives glorify violence carried out by the pro-Khalistan movement in India. While the current threat is low, praise for violence overseas and a simultaneous belief in a state-led campaign of repression domestically is a potentially toxic combination for the future.’

Mr Khanda, who was raised in Moga in Punjab before moving to the West Midlands, was branded a terrorist by Indian media, who claimed he was head of the Khalistan Liberation Force, the Telegraph reports. 

However, his friends denied this and said he was an aide to Amritpal Singh, a separatist preacher.

Mr Khanda’s death certificate, which the paper claims to have seen a copy of, says he died from acute myeloid leukaemia and a blood clot in his lungs.

It is claimed that his last words in hospital were: ‘Humans come and go. Long live Khalistan.’ 

He had been admitted to hospital on June 11 after coming down with a ‘mere bout of physical pain’, his mother Charanjeet Kaur said. 

She has since lashed out at the explanation of the authorities for his death, insisting her son was ‘killed by poisoning’ and that her family has no history of cancer.

She said: ‘I mean, who develops and succumbs to cancer within just four days? Cancer doesn’t manifest within such a short span.

‘I am telling you he was poisoned. You should ask the hospital authorities. They would know who the doctors and other people involved in his murder.’ 

Pictured: Supporters at Mr Khanda’s funeral as his body is cremated at the Guru Nanak Gurdwara in Smethwick in August

Khalistan movement protesters are pushed back by police during a demonstration outside the Indian High Commission on March 22, this year

Khalistan supporters have called for an independent Sikh nation in the Punjab region of India (pictured)

Thousands of people attended his funeral in August, although his family were not there as the Home Office refused to give them visas to attend from India.

Part of the reason for this refusal were allegations that Mr Khanda was involved in an incident that saw Khalistan supporters demonstrate outside the Indian High Commission in London in March, Sky News reported.

One such incident saw windows broken and two security guards injured, while the Indian flag was also ripped down from outside the building and replaced with yellow banners that signify the Khalistan movement.

Jas Singh, from the Sikh Federation UK, told the Telegraph that Mr Khanda had been made ‘enemy number one’ by false reports he was the one who had torn the flag down, adding: ‘They basically put out a callout for any Indian patriot to deal with him.’

What is the Khalistan movement? 

Sikh supporters of the Khalistan movement want to establish their own homeland due to tensions between their people and the Hindu nationalist rulers of India.

These hostilities have historic roots dating back to the British colonial policies of the late 1800s and early 1900s which sought to divide believers of the two religions, according to the Hindu American Foundation.

Sikhs were recruited to the British army to help subdue the Hindu rulers who rebelled against the British Raj.

When India gained independence in 1947, tensions between the Sikh-dominated Punjab region and the central Indian government persisted.

In the 1980s there was an armed insurgency in Punjab calling for independence, with thousands of people being killed.

The defeat of armed insurgents sparked many Sikhs to flee abroad, and in recent years the strength of the movement has grown among the diaspora, with activity in Canada, Italy, UK and USA. 

He added: ‘They are harassing him, intimidating him and threatening him. This is somebody really fit, 6ft 2in, he’s absolutely fine, then a week later he is admitted to hospital seriously ill. Within 72 hours he died. Doctors had said his condition was treatable.’

Mr Khanda’s supporters say they believe he could have been poisoned with clotting agents before or after he went to hospital, although they have not provided proof yet.

A spokeswoman for West Midlands Police said: ‘Following speculation surrounding the death of Avtar Singh Khanda, a thorough review was undertaken by West Midlands Police which concluded that there were no suspicious circumstances.’

The conspiracy theory comes days after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said there were ‘credible allegations’ that India was linked to the death of a separatist leader in British Columbia. 

Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was president of the Surrey Gurdwara in BC and Chief Coordinator of the Canadian Chapter of global Khalistan Referendum, was shot outside a Sikh temple on June 18. 

The latter is an initiative of secessionist group ‘Sikhs For Justice’ (SFJ) in which Sikhs across the world are voting on the question ‘Should Indian Governed Punjab Be An Independent Country?’

In his final address to the community hours before he died, the 46-year-old urged people to continue supporting the Khalistan Referendum campaign – and spoke about threats to his life allegedly from the Indian government.

Trudeau made a statement about the death of Singh Nijjar, 46, who was a strong supporter of the Khalistan movement, while addressing the Canadian House of Commons on Monday. 

‘Today I’m rising to inform the house of an extremely serious matter,’ he told MPs.

‘I just informed the leaders of the opposition directly, I want now to speak with all Canadians.

‘Over a number of weeks Canadian security agencies have been actively pursuing credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the government of India and the killing of a Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar.’

Trudeau said security services were working to ensure the ‘continued safety of all Canadians’ and vowed that ‘all steps will be taken to hold perpetrators of this murder to account’.

‘Canada has declared its deep concern to the top intelligence and security officials of the Indian government,’ he said.

‘Last week at the G20 I brought them personally and directly to Prime Minister Modi in no uncertain terms,’ Trudeau added.

‘Any involvement of a foreign government in the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil is an unacceptable violation of our sovereignty.’

He urged the Indian government ‘in the strongest possible terms’ to ‘cooperate with Canada and get to the bottom of this matter’.

Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly said ‘if proven true’ the assassination would be a major violation of the ‘most basic rule of how countries deal with each other’.

‘As a consequence we have expelled a top Indian diplomat,’ she said.

Following the announcement by Trudeau, India announced it was expelling a senior Canadian diplomat in response, with its ministry of external affairs saying it ‘reflects Government of India’s growing concern at the interference of Canadian diplomats in our internal matters and their involvement in anti-India activities’.

Previously Hindu nationalist Modi had called on Trudeau to crackdown on Sikh pro-separatist demonstrators who are active in Canada.

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