Govt bans Khalistan Liberation Force
New Delhi, Dec 27 : The government has banned Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) for its involvement in several killings, bombings and other terror activities during its violent campaign for "secession of Punjab".
The decision to ban the outfit under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) comes in the backdrop of agencies unearthing several KLF modules in recent months which has led to apprehensions that it is attempting to revive militancy in the state.
The Khalistan Liberation Force and all its manifestations have been declared outlawed under the under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), a Home Ministry order said on Wednesday, adding it will be the 40th organisation to be proscribed under this law.
According to officials, during the height of militancy in Punjab in 1980s and 1990s, the group was involved in a series of unlawful activities.
The ban on KLF has been imposed as it is involved in "killing of innocent people and police officers, several bombings on civilian targets in India, collection of funds for terror activities through extortion, kidnappings, bank robberies and assassination attempts of important government functionaries", the order said
The KLF came into existence in 1986 with the objective of establishing an independent Khalistan by secession of Punjab from India "through violent means", the order said
"The KLF has committed acts of terrorism and promoting acts of terrorism and has been engaged in radicalisation and recruitment of youth for terrorist activities in India," the order said.
The Home Ministry maintained that a five-member KLF module was busted by the Punjab Police, which resulted in working out the two cases relating to planting of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in Nabha, Punjab. Another KLF module was busted in Gurudaspur district and four terrorists were arrested with illegal arms and ammunition. They were planning to target Pathankot based leaders of a particular political party.
Another KLF module was busted by Amritsar police and three KLF terrorists were arrested, who were planning to target prominent members of a particular community, so as to disrupt communal harmony in Punjab.
The home ministry said the Jalandhar police also busted a KLF and Khalistan Zindabad Force module of four members and arrested the chief of KLF along with illegal arms and ammunition on November 7, 2014.
Yet another KLF module was busted in 2017, which carried out a series of eight killings or attempted killings of specific communities and organisations in order to destabilise the law and order situation and reviving terrorism in Punjab.
The ministry also said the members of KLF in India are getting financial and logistic support from their handlers based abroad and it believes that the KLF is involved in terrorism as it has committed and participated in various acts of terrorism in India.
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PBKS restrict CSK to modest 167 for 9 in IPL
Dharamsala, May 5: Rahul Chahar's spin wizardry was complemented well by pacer Harshal Patel's superb variations at death as Punjab Kings produced a spirited bowling effort to restrict Chennai Super Kings for a par 167 for nine in the IPL here on Sunday.
At 60/1 in Power Play, CSK were going great guns with skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad (32) and Daryl Mitchell in the middle during an entertaining 57-run partnership when the wily leg-spinner (3/23) triggered a collapse taking two wickets in two balls after PBKS opted to bowl.
The partnership was halted as CSK went on to lose three wickets in 11 balls with Harshal taking the prized-scalp of Mitchell (30; 19b, 2x4, 1x6) in a controversial DRS.
Harshal returned at the death to dismiss Shardul Thakur (17) and MS Dhoni for a golden duck as CSK's hopes for a revival went up in smoke.
First, he cleaned up Thakur with a slower off-cutter as the CSK fans in Dharamsala waited for yet another piece of Dhoni magic with eight balls to go.
But the Yellow Army left in disbelief as the talismanic Dhoni departed in the very first ball, unable to counter Harshal's impeccably executed slow yorker.
With no time to bring his bat down, Dhoni's off-stump was knocked over.
Earlier, veteran Ajinkya Rahane continued his wretched form with the bat and got out for nine from seven balls with Arshdeep Singh giving the breakthrough inside the Power Play.
Rahane lost his balance trying to flick a delivery on his leg to midwicket where Kagiso Rabada took a low catch.
But from thereon, Mitchell looked in complete control, returning to the same venue seven months after the New Zealander smashed a 127-ball 130 against India in the ODI World Cup.
He stepped on the gas in Arshdeep's second over, pulling him for a midwicket boundary and then lofted him over mid-off.
From being 10 off 11 balls, Ruturaj took the attack to PBKS' most economical bowler Harpreet Brar, smashing him for one six and two fours in a row as they ended up taking 19 runs off the last over of the Power Play.
Chahar turned it around for PBKS right after the timeout, dismissing Ruturaj and Shivam Dube in successive deliveries.
Having just picked up pace, the CSK skipper swung at a wide delivery but the big edge was caught splendidly by Jitesh Sharma behind the stumps.
Dube's run of golden ducks stretched to two matches after being picked for the upcoming T20 World Cup when the big-hitting allrounder was done in by a Chahar googly.
Dube failed to read the wrong'un and pushed the ball with an angled bat, and the edge nestled in the hands of Jitesh.
But a shocker followed to end Mitchell's stay.
The Kiwi fell victim to a contentious umpire's call even as the ball was going down the leg. But the UltraEdge showed that the ball was hitting the leg-stump, resulting in his leg-before dismissal.
Thereafter, CSK could not get a partnership going as PBKS bowlers kept chipping away.
Brief Scores:
Chennai Super Kings: 167 for 9 in 20 overs (Ravindra Jadeja 43; Rahul Chahar 3/23, Harshal Patel 3/24).
