Ramnagar: At a time when the security agencies in Punjab are involved in a massive search operation to nab radical Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh, intelligence agencies have issued a high alert in Ramnagar district of Uttarakhand in view of Khalistani threats to the upcoming G20 summit in the district. Amid hunt for Amritpal, security agencies in Uttarakhand believe a new Khalistani challenge is rearing its head in the state.
A recent purported audio of a recorded call by Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, the head of pro-Khalistani and banned organization Sikhs for Justice threatening the upcoming G20 meeting in the district has caused a stir in the security grid keeping security agencies on tenterhooks. In the purported audio call, Pannu not only threatens to show black flags to the G-20 delegates, but also warns Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.
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Following the Khalistani threats, the Uttarakhand Police and intelligence agencies are on high alert. Police have launched a probe into the matter with police keeping a close watch on Khalistan elements on social media. That said, the Khalistani threats in Uttarakhand have not surprised the security agencies. The Ramnagar district in Kumaon division of Uttarakhand was considered sensitive with a sizeable Sikh population.
Following the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in the country, Uttarakhand, along with Punjab remained amid the demand for a separate Khalistan state during the 90s. The Udham Singh Nagar district, which was earlier part of Nainital district of Uttarakhand, in particular has been considered sensitive in this regard. According to the 2011 census, Udham Singh Nagar district had a population of over 16 lakh of which 10%, that is, more than 1,64,000 are Sikhs.
Security agencies believe that the Khalistani radicals might exploit the Sikh majority in the district to press for their agenda. With the upcoming G20 summit being held at Ramnagar in Nainital district, the Khalistan elements are projecting the venue as “part of Khalistan territory” given its adjacency to Udham Singh Nagar.
Intelligence sources said that one of the reasons for the opposition of the Khalistan supporters to the G-20 meeting is to bring themselves into the limelight at the international level by threatening this international level summit.
