Khalistan terror: Top four and the most dangerous of them all

New Delhi, Nov 20: The revival of militancy in Punjab has become a major issue. While smaller modules in India have been busted, there seems to a constant propaganda out there, which is looking to gain the attention of the youth in a bid to revive militancy in Punjab and further the Khalistan cause.

While it has become clear that the ISI has been backing this movement, the Indian agencies point out towards four persons living in Pakistan, who are the backbone of this movement.

Here are the top four who are reviving militancy in Punjab:

Wadhawan Singh Babbar, Chief of Babbar Khalsa:

Singh is a resident of Sadhu Chattha, a village near Kaurthala. He started off as a political life member of Punjab's naxalite movement. The defeat of the movement and the ultra-left ideology made his turn towards the far right.

Later on he got motivated by Tarsem Singh Kalasanghian, a top figure of the Khalistan movement in 1978. Singh went on to join the Akhand Kirtani and went on to fun the Babbar Khalsa International. Currently in Lahore, he largely ran the outfit with the backing of the ISI and his brother Mahal Singh.

The BKI is one of the most lethal groups and its chief was the one who ordered the assassination of then Punjab Chief Minister, Beant Singh. He also has been charged for four other cases of murders in 1981.

Ranjith Singh Neeta, chief of Khalistan Zindabad Force:

He resides in Lahore currently. Neeta originally hails from Ward 2 in Jammu's Sumbal camp area. He started off as a small time criminal and was actively involved with smugglers in R S Pora.

Closely linked with the ISI, Neeta's KZF had committed that his troops will fight alongside terror groups in Kashmir. This group is particularly close to the Hizbul Mujahideen. Neeta has been accused of a series of crimes that include blasts on trains and buses running between Jammu and Pathankot between the years 1988 and 1999. In October 2001, a case was filed against him for the killing of a DSP, Devinder Sharma.

Paramjeet Singh Panjawar, chief of Khalistan Commando force:

He is wanted for reviving Sikh insurgency, conspiracy, smuggling and murder. He is also wanted in the murder of former army chief, General A S Vaidya.

He hails from the Panjwar village near Tarn Taran. Prior to joining the outfit, he worked at the Central Cooperative Bank in Sohal. He joined the KCF in the 1990s and has been its active member since then. He is accused of indulging in heroin smuggling to raise funds for the outfit.

Lakhbhir Singh Rode, chief of ISYF:

The nephew of the very feared Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, he joined the movement in 1982 after spending five years in Dubai. He is considered to be a cult figure and is instrumental in overseeing the fund raising that takes place in US, UK and Canada.