Indian police reported killing three Sikh separatist militants in a shootout in Pilibhit district, Uttar Pradesh. The men were identified as members of the Khalistan Zindabad Force, a group seeking a separate Sikh homeland.
Punjab police chief Gaurav Yadav stated the men were wanted for a grenade attack on a police outpost in Punjab earlier this month. Pilibhit police superintendent Avinash Pandey detailed how officers acted on a tip-off and confronted the suspects. “The men opened heavy fire,” he said. “In the retaliatory action, all three were critically injured and later died in the hospital.”
Authorities recovered weapons, including two assault rifles and two pistols, along with a significant amount of ammunition.
The Khalistan movement, which has its roots in India’s independence, is banned in India. It was involved in high-profile incidents such as the assassination of an Indian prime minister and an airplane bombing in the 1980s.
The push for Khalistan recently drew global attention due to allegations of Indian intelligence involvement in attacks on Sikh leaders in Canada and the United States, claims New Delhi denied.
