Centre bans Jammu and Kashmir Ghaznavi Force, declares Rinda a terrorist

By invoking the said amended provision, the Central Government had designated 53 individuals as terrorists.

The Jammu and Kashmir Ghaznavi Force (JKGF), which has been formed with cadres from terrorist organisations such as the Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed and terrorist Harwinder Singh Sandhu Harwinder Singh Sandhu was banned on Friday.

In furtherance to India's Zero Tolerance policy towards terrorism, the Central Government amended the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in August 2019 to include the provision of designating an individual as terrorist. Prior to this amendment, only organisations could be designated as terrorist organisation.

By invoking the said amended provision, the Central Government had designated 53 individuals as terrorists.

Reinforcing the commitment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to strengthen national security and combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, the Ministry of Home Affairs under the guidance of Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah today declared one more individual and two organisation as 'Terrorist'/'Terrorist Organisation'.

One more individual -Harwinder Singh Sandhu@Rinda declared as terrorist today. He has been associated with terrorist organization Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and is presently based in Lahore, Pakistan under the patronage of cross border agencies and has been found involved in various terrorist activities particularly in Punjab. With this declaration, now there are 54 designated terrorists in the IVth Schedule of UAPA.

The Central Government today also declared following two organization as terrorist organizations under the provisions of the UAPA:

Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF): It is a militant outfit and it aims reviving terrorism in Punjab and challenges the territorial integrity, unity, national security and sovereignty of India and promotes various acts of terrorism, including targeted killings in Punjab.

Jammu and Kashmir Ghaznavi Force (JKGF): It has been found involved in infiltration bids, narcotics and weapon smuggling and carrying out terror attacks in the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It draws its cadres from various terrorist organisations, such as Lashker-E-Taiba, Jaish-E-Mohammed, Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen, Harkat-ul-Jehad-E-Islami etc.

With declaration of these two organisations as terrorist organization, there are now total 44 designated terrorist organizations under the Ist Schedule of the Act.