07 Dec 2023 | 07:31 PM UTC
India: Authorities likely to maintain heightened security in New Delhi into mid-December due to reputed threat from activist group /update 1
Tight security likely in New Delhi, India, into mid-December after reputed threat from Sikh activist group. Localized disruptions possible.
Authorities will likely maintain a heightened security posture in New Delhi into mid-December in response to allegations of a threat recently issued by Sikhs for Justice (SFJ). SFJ is a group advocating for Punjab to secede from India and form an independent Khalistan state; the organization is outlawed in India.
Unconfirmed reporting within the Indian media asserts that the SFJ leader recently released a video threatening to "destabilize" the country on or before Dec. 13; certain outlets also allege that the footage specifically warns of an attack on the Indian Parliament. However, the existence of the video in question could not be independently verified as of early Dec. 8.
Nevertheless, the Indian government has bolstered security in the capital, and especially near the Indian Parliament, as a precaution. Officials may impose enhanced security measures, including vehicle checks and roadblocks, based on operational needs. Authorities could also expand measures to encompass additional areas, including airports in other major cities, depending on assessments of the purported threat's credibility. Associated localized ground transport and business disruptions are possible. Minor flight delays are possible if officials tighten checks at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL). Isolated security incidents cannot be ruled out.
Exercise increased caution if operating in or near New Delhi. Avoid government buildings, security installations, and large concentrations of police and soldiers. Check flight status and reservations in advance as a precaution. Strictly heed the instructions of local authorities, including any official transport and security advisories.
The SFJ is a US-based group founded in 2009 by attorney Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. The organization supports the creation of an independent Sikh homeland in India's Punjab region. The SFJ and the government in New Delhi have been at loggerheads with each other, trading a stream of civil complaints and criminal filings in various courts of law since the group's inception. In 2019, India's government outlawed the SFJ and ultimately declared Pannun an individual terrorist; no other nation has as yet taken similar action.
The recent reports of a threatening SFJ video are the latest in a series of occasional claims by the Indian government and media of threats issued by the group. In many previous cases, however, it was impossible to independently verify the existence or authenticity of the alleged warning video. In other instances, SFJ leaders accused Indian authorities of misrepresenting the message being conveyed.
