On 23rd December, Punjab Police and UP Police neutralised three Khalistani terrorists in a joint operation in the district of Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh. The terrorists killed in the encounter have been identified as Gurwinder Singh, Virendra Singh, and Jasanpreet Singh and were linked to the Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF). They were wanted in a grenade attack on a police post in the district of Gurdaspur, Punjab.
In a joint operation against, #Pakistan's ISI operative in Punjab, a collaborative effort between UP Police & Punjab Police led to an encounter with three operatives of KZF in the jurisdiction of PS Puranpur, Pilibhit. Recovery: Two AK rifles and two Glock pistols
— DGP Punjab Police (@DGPPunjabPolice) December 23, 2024
The three… pic.twitter.com/ezEvP0WpOI
In a video statement on the matter, Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav informed that one of the suspects running the module of the Khalistan Zindabad Force has been identified as a Sikh soldier of the British Army, Jagjeet Singh, alias Fateh Singh ‘Baggi’. According to DGP Yadav, the module was controlled by KZF chief Ranjeet Singh Nita, who is based in Pakistan, and Jaswinder Singh Mannu, who operates the module from Greece.
Who is Jagjeet Singh?
Jagjeet Singh, who is suspected to be part of the British Army, was a resident of Tarn Taran, Punjab. He comes from a family with a deep military background. Reports suggest that his grandfather and father served in the Indian Army. His father retired as a Subedar. Jagjeet’s brother also served in the Sikh Regiment of the Indian Army. According to a report in The Indian Express, around ten years ago, Jagjeet moved to the United Kingdom (UK) on a student visa to pursue software engineering at the University of East London. Later, he enlisted in the British Army.
The report further stated that Singh was part of the 4th Battalion of The Rifles, a prominent infantry regiment known for its deployments in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo, and Sierra Leone. After completing his basic training, Jagjeet served on a tour of duty in Afghanistan. DGP Yadav told the media that Jagjeet is currently based in the UK, but it is unclear if he is still serving in the British Army.
Religious identity and Amritdhari Sikh
Notably, Jagjeet Singh identifies as an Amritdhari (baptised) Sikh. He adhered to Sikh traditions while serving in the British Army. This distinction marks him as one of the few individuals granted such religious exemptions within the British military.
Involvement in KZF and ISI connections
This is the first time a British Army soldier has been linked to a terrorist module that has targeted India. Punjab Police suspect that Pakistan’s ISI is behind the recruitment of Jagjeet into the terror module. The ISI has a history of exploiting Sikh personnel in foreign militaries to use them for the Khalistan movement.
Indian Express further quoted unnamed sources in Punjab Police stating that the module led by Jagjeet Singh predominantly relied on petty criminals to execute attacks, including the grenade incident at the Bakshiwal police post in Gurdaspur. KZF had taken responsibility for the attack on social media.
Ongoing investigation and international implications
Punjab Police have alerted central agencies to further investigate Jagjeet’s activities. Furthermore, requests have been sent to the British authorities for assistance in the matter, including locating Jagjeet’s whereabouts and his possible link to the British Army. However, police officials said, “Normally, we do not get a positive response from foreign agencies on such inquiries as they tend to deny any involvement of any citizen of theirs who is working in a government establishment.” The Ministry of External Affairs is expected to address the matter via diplomatic channels with the government of the UK.
Further investigation into the matter is underway.