Sikh leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun says FBI warned of ‘imminent threat’ to his life
Warning comes ahead of Khalistan referendum in Canada
Washington: Prominent Sikh leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun has said that the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has warned him of an “imminent threat” to his life ahead of his planned visit to Canada for a Khalistan referendum scheduled for October 18.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Pannun, a leader of the US-based organization Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), told CBS News that FBI agents visited his New York City residence on October 15 to alert him to the threat. He said the warning was particularly related to his planned travel to Canada.
Khalistan referendum in Canada
The warning comes ahead of a non-binding referendum being organized by SFJ in Edmonton, Canada, where participants will be asked whether Indian Punjab should be declared independent and renamed “Khalistan”.
Sikh activists demand that their homeland “Khalistan” be created out of Indian Punjab. Pannun, a dual American-Canadian citizen and general counsel of the SFJ, plans to travel to Canada from the US to attend the referendum.
Pannun, a US citizen and general counsel of SFJ, said that the FBI issued a “Duty to Warn” notification. He has also reported receiving warnings from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) about threats to his life and his residence in Ontario. According to CBS News, FBI agents said they were investigating leads but did not provide further details about the threat.
Previous assassination plot
The latest warning follows a foiled assassination plot against Pannun in New York in 2023. In February 2026, Indian national Nikhil Gupta pleaded guilty in a US federal court to murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with the plot.
According to the US Justice Department, Gupta acted at the direction of an Indian government employee identified as Vikash Yadav, who was employed by India’s Cabinet Secretariat, which oversees the country’s foreign intelligence service, the RAW. The department said that in May 2023, Yadav recruited Gupta to arrange the killing of Pannun. Prosecutors said the plan involved a payment of $100,000, with $15,000 paid in advance. The plot was disrupted before the killing could take place.
SFJ has said that other organisers of Khalistan referendums in Canada have also received warnings in recent months.
The case has renewed attention to threats against Sikh activists abroad, following the June 2023 assassination of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia, which severely strained relations between Canada and India.
India-Canada ties under scrutiny
Pannun’s latest warning comes as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi seek to strengthen bilateral relations after years of diplomatic tensions over allegations of Indian involvement in threats against Sikh activists in North America.
Questioning Ottawa’s approach, Pannun said closer economic and security ties with New Delhi raised questions about Canada’s response to reported threats against Khalistan referendum organisers.
“How can Canada claim progress on security cooperation with India while assassination threats against Khalistan referendum activists continue on Canadian soil?” he asked.
