We Will Avenge Hardeep Nijjar's Death: Khalistani Separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun Warns India

Amid rumours of death, Khalistani Separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun has come out to clarify that he is "alive". He has also warned India that they will avenge the death of Hardeep Nijjar, who was recently shot dead by two unidentified persons in Surrey in Canada's British Columbia.

The fugitive secessionist, in an interview with The Times Of India, has taken responsibility for spreading "kill posters" aimed at Indian diplomats serving in Canada, the UK and the US.

"Hardeep Nijjar was my younger brother and we had an association of more than 20 years. We will avenge his death," Pannun said.

"Yes, I am the one who issued and authorised these posters and I am the one who went outside the UN headquarters and challenged the Indian diplomats that they represent a state which is responsible for the assassination of Hardeep Nijjar and we will hold them accountable under international laws," Pannun added.

However, he pointed out that those posters did claim that they will incite violence against the diplomats. "On August 15, we will put out posters saying 'This is Indian mission - house of terror'," he stated.

Last month, pro-Khalistan leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar was killed in a targeted shooting in Canada's Surrey.

He was shot outside the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in the Punjabi-dominated Surrey city of British Columbia province, according to a report in the IANS. Nijjar was the president of Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey.

"They are the face of the Indian regime who are responsible for the killing of Hardeep Nijjar. We want the people to know that these are the officials who are responsible for Nijjar's killing. We are killing India's AK-47 bullets through ballot (reference to referendum). We will kill the Indian system which is responsible for genocide of innocent people," Pannun, who is one of the founders of Sikh For Justice (SFJ), added.

In a video doing rounds on social media, he is heard saying that he is not absconding and is very much alive. "They don't want to highlight the real issue... that we are seeking a peaceful and democratic referendum as per the will of the people of Punjab to know if they want to remain a part of India or be a separate country," said the SFJ founder.

Earlier, rumours were doing rounds that Khalistani leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun was killed in a road accident.

However, Sukhi Chahal, founder, CEO and editor-in-chief of The Khalsa Today, has denied the rumours, saying Pannun is "alive".

"Regarding news about the alleged car accident in my neighbourhood in California and the death of SFJ's Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, I would like to emphasise that the information is fake and false. I kindly urge everyone to refrain from spreading his misinformation," Chahal tweeted.

Pannun rose to prominence by leading the Khalistan 2020 referendum campaign across various Western countries, garnering significant attention.

In 2020, the Indian government designated Gurpatwant Singh Pannun as a terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Reportedly, he has 22 cases against him including three sedition cases, according to a report in Times Now.