Mehal Singh Babbar, Notorious Babbar Khalsa Militant, Dies in Pakistan

Mehal Singh Babbar, a Babbar Khalsa militant wanted since 1990, died in Pakistan due to kidney failure. He was implicated in coordinating militant activities and supplying arms into India. His death follows a life intertwined with radical militancy, familial ties to leadership in the group, and historical conflicts in Punjab.

Mehal Singh Babbar, a wanted militant associated with Babbar Khalsa, passed away from kidney failure in Pakistan on March 24. He had been a proclaimed offender since 1990, facing charges related to militancy in districts such as Amritsar, Jalandhar, and Faridkot during the 1980s. His death occurred at a private hospital in Nankana Sahib, and he is expected to be cremated on Wednesday evening.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had recently implicated Babbar in facilitating weapons trafficking into India, asserting that he held the position of deputy chief within Babbar Khalsa International. Babbar had resided in Pakistan since the early 1990s after serving in the Indian Air Force, with a brief period in France in 2003.

He was the brother of Sukhdev Singh Babbar, the leader of Babbar Khalsa International in 1984, who was killed in 1992. His wife, Gurdev Kaur, currently resides in Amritsar. During the late 1980s, she, along with other relatives of militants, was reportedly detained by Gobind Ram, the Senior Superintendent of Police in Batala at the time. This incident prompted a protest led by Giani Darshan Singh Raggi, the then Jathedar of Akal Takht, against the acts of the police, who faced further violence as Ram was later killed in a bomb blast.

In summary, Mehal Singh Babbar’s death marks the end of a long-standing figure in the Babbar Khalsa militant group, linked to serious crimes in India. His life, intertwined with significant militant activities and the legacy of his brother, reflects the ongoing challenges related to terrorism and security in the region. His passing will likely have implications for the remaining operatives of Babbar Khalsa and their operations.

Original Source: indianexpress.com