Khalistan Liberation Force issues death threat to Shiv Sena leaders

Days after the Gurdaspur terror attack, seven Punjab Shiv Sena politicians have received a death threat from the banned Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF).

The terrorist group in a letter mailed to the seven Shiv Sena leaders including Sanjeev Ghanauli, Rajeev Tandon, Rakesh Arora, Amit Arora , Rubal Sandhu, Sachin Ghanauli and Rajesh Palta has said this is the 'last warning to the Shiv Sena leaders' to leave Punjab.

Confirming the receipt of the letter Punjab Shiv Sena chief Sanjeev Ghanauli said that the letter which was printed on May 15 this year was delivered to him and others on Wednesday. He said that the threat letter has been signed by some Gurmukh Singh and has mentioned its head office in Amritsar.

"The letter says that we are insulting the 'Sikh religion' by calling Devinderpal Singh Bhullar, Balwant Singh Rajoana and Jagtar Singh Rajoana as terrorists and demanding a capital punishment for them. They have threatened to kill us if we did not leave Punjab," Sanjeev Ghanauli told Mail Today and said that he has handed over the threatening letter to the local police.

Another Shiv Sena leader Rajeev Tandon said that they are not against any religion and respect all religion including Sikhism but have demanded that those involved in terror strikes should be hanged without any religious or regional description.

The letter written in Punjabi says that KLF do not take the responsibility for attacking Gurdaspur Shiv Sena leader Harvinder Singh Soni but 'salutes' Kashmir Singh who attacked him.

"We do not believe in unwanted bloodshed but the way Shiv Sena by thriving on Punjab land has named our fight for independence as terrorism, is not acceptable to us.They will be responsible for their death and will have to pay a heavy price for raising a demand for capital punishment," the letter said.

Referring the convicted terrorists as 'independence lovers' the KLF letter also refers every Sikh as 'Khalistani'. The letter also says that they (KLF) can go to any length to save the 'religion'.

"Sanjeev Ghanauli, Rajeev Tandon, Rakesh Arora,Amit Arora, Rubal Sandhu, Sachin Ghanauli and Rajesh Palta will be killed for speaking against Khalistan. They should leave Punjab if they do not want their family members killed in front of their eyes," the letter said.

When contacted SSP Ropar Varinderpal Singh said that the Roop Nagar police is verifying the letter and will comment after the investigation is over.

"They handed over the letter to me on Wednesday which contains a death threat to the Shiv Sena leaders. We are investigating the letter," Varinderpal Singh told Mail Today.