Lakhbir Singh Rode, who was listed as an ‘individual terrorist’ under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UA(P)A) and the Pakistan-based chief of the banned Khalistan Liberation Force, was a key figure in anti-India operations and was known for his involvement in Khalistani activities. He was listed as an ‘individual terrorist’ under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UA(P)A) and had sought refuge in Pakistan.
Lakhbir Singh Rode, who was associated with the ISYF, has reportedly passed away at the age of 72 in Pakistan. The news was confirmed by Rode’s brother, Jasbir Singh Rode, who also revealed that Lakhbir Singh Rode had been cremated in Pakistan on Monday.
Recently, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) special court in Mohali ordered the confiscation of land owned by Rode in Punjab’s Moga district under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The court’s decision to seize the land in Kothe Gurupura village near Smalsar in Baghapurana tehsil was based on the case registered by the NIA on October 1, 2021. The case involved charges under the Explosive Substances Act, UA(P)A, NDPS Act, and the IPC, stemming from a tiffin bomb blast near Punjab National Bank at Jalalabad in Fazilka district on September 15, 2021.
Lakhbir Singh Rode, who was associated with the ISYF, was actively operating from Lahore, according to reports. The ISYF, founded in 1984, has been known for its activities in Canada and the UK. The organization, banned under the Prevention of Terrorist Activities Act (POTA) in 2002, changed its name to Sikh Federation-UK (SFUK) following a ban in the UK in 2001.
Rode’s close association with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) was highlighted as he worked to disrupt peace in Punjab. The Punjab Police attributed several tiffin bomb modules busted in recent years to Rode’s influence. Notably, Rode was identified as the main conspirator behind the Ludhiana Court blast of 2021, and his nephew, the son of former Akal Takht Jathedar Jasbir Singh Rode, was arrested in connection with the recovery of RDX and a tiffin bomb.
