Involvement in killing innocents and triggering unlawful terror activities, Centre adds Khalistan Liberation Force in banned list
New Delhi, December 28: Citing involvement in several killings, bombings and other terror activities during its violent campaign for "secession of Punjab", the central government has added the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) in its banned organisation list.
The Ministry of Home Affairs in its notification pointed out that the Khalistan Liberation Force and all its manifestations have been declared outlawed under the under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) making it the 40th banned organisation in the central governments list. The move came into force in the backdrop of agencies detecting several KLF modules in recent months, which has led to fear and hesitation that it is attempting to revive terrorism in the state.
The Home Ministry maintained that a five-member KLF module was busted by the Punjab Police, which resulted in working out the two cases relating to planting of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in Nabha, Punjab. Another KLF module was busted in Gurudaspur district and four terrorists were arrested with illegal arms and ammunition. They were planning to target Pathankot based leaders of a particular political party.
Undoubtedly known by all, the KLF organization was involved in the unlawful activities carried on in Punjab during the 1980s and 1990s raising the fear of terrorism. The notification asserted that the Khalistan Liberation Force came into force in the year 1986 with the sole purpose to use violent means in order to establish an independent Khalistan by secession of Punjab from India.
The ban imposed on KLF mainly citied their involvement in killing innocent people and police officers. Along with that the organisation also implemented several bombings targeting civilians in India. It also included collection of funds for terror activities through extortion, kidnappings, bank robberies and assassination attempts of important government functionaries.