INVESTIGATION INTO THE

DEATH OF
BHAI AVTAR SINGH KHANDA
December 2023
Front and inside cover photographs taken on 4th June 2022.

This report was researched and prepared by a collective of UK based Sikh organisations:
1984Tribute, Sikh Human Rights, Sikh Youth UK, #FreeJaggiNow, Sikh Federation UK, NSYF

Contact us: info@avtarsinghkhanda.com

This report is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial 4.0

International license.

Edition 1, Southall, 16 December 2023.

CONTENTS

Report Summary 6

Who Was Bhai Avtar Singh Khanda? 8

How Was Bhai Avtar Singh Khanda Targeted? 10

What Happened To Bhai Avtar Singh Khanda? 12

Indian Social Media Activity 12
Bhai Avtar Singh Khanda’s Health 13
Police and Coroner Negligence 13
Leaked Comments by Mortuary Team and Police Investigation 14
Use of Poison, Dissidents, and AML 14

Private Investigation Into Bhai Avtar Singh Khanda’s Death 16

Forced Into Obtaining Death Certificate 17
Visa Rejection By UK Authorities 17

Conclusion 19

References 20
 6 FINDINGS INTO THE DEATH OF BHAI AVTAR SINGH KHANDA
Report Summary
This report investigates the circumstances
and suspicions surrounding the death of
Bhai Avtar Singh Khanda, a prominent figure
in the Sikh community. Avtar Singh fled
Punjab and arrived in the United Kingdom
in 2010, where he sought political asylum.
In 2015, he was targeted by Indian media.
Due to his advocacy in support of the Sikh
freedom struggle and Khalistan, he was
constantly targeted by the Indian state both
in Punjab, from where he escaped, and the
UK, where he sought refuge.
The Indian government has a long track
record of repressing Sikh dissent, particularly,
movement, advocacy, and activism that
builds toward Khalistan. As a community,
Sikhs can recall state-sanctioned violence,
torture, mass arrests, disappearances, and
the extrajudicial killings that peaked between
1980 and 1995, aimed at stifling dissent and
challenges to Indian sovereignty. Some refer
to these horrific state-sanctioned violence as
the 1984 Sikh Genocide. Like many families
involved in the Sikh struggle, Avtar Singh’s
family also suffered at the hands of the state;
his father and uncle, both resistance fighters
and political activists, were killed by India.
On March 19th, 2023, a protest occurred
outside the Indian High Commission in
London. The Indian media wrongly accused
Avtar Singh for taking down the official
Indian flag that hung outside the Indian
High Commission. His name was published
in various Indian newspapers and media,
which made him more susceptible to state
persecution. Avtar Singh was previously
targeted by the Indian media in 2015.
The incident provoked a major diplomatic
and Indian media backlash, leading to a
coordinated campaign that painted Avtar
Singh as a culprit and a priority enemy of
the Indian state. Soon after, the Indian police
arrested Avtar Singh’s mother and sister
in Punjab. Various Punjab police officers,
including the ACDP Ludhiana Officer Bhatti,
called Avtar Singh in the United Kingdom
to make threats. The Indian propaganda
campaign demonised Avtar Singh across all
sections of Indian media, in both English and
Hindi. One prolific nationalist commentator,
retired major Guarav Arya, who has links to
the Indian establishment, openly advocated
for Avtar Singh to be “eliminated” by Indian
agencies. Guarav Arya has, at various points,
called for Indian agencies to hire hitmen to
assassinate vocal Khalistan supporters.
On 11th June 2023, during the height of
the campaign against Avtar Singh, he
was unexpectedly admitted to hospital in
Birmingham, UK. He died 4 days later, in
the early hours of 15th June. His death was
attributed to Acute Myeloid Leukaemia
(AML). However, Avtar Singh was a fit and
healthy individual with no personal or
familial history of illness. The numerous
facts and details concerning Avtar Singh’s
suspicious death were presented to the
West Midlands Police (WMP), and they were
urged to investigate. Yet, they failed to follow
their own procedures or investigate. Family
members, friends, and Sikh organisations
requested a postmortem numerous times,
yet all requests were denied. The senior
coroner for Birmingham and Solihull was
also asked to investigate and carry out a
forensic post mortem, which she denied.
Despite the requests and assertions, WMP
took no substantive action. WMP would
later issue a statement claiming they carried
out a “thorough review,” only to distance
themselves from their comments when
asked by journalists to substantiate the
nature of that “review.”
Avtar Singh’s death was immediately
suspicious; this suspicion rested on three
main factors: firstly, the fact that he was in
great health, secondly the way in which he
was being demonised by Indian media in the
lead-up to his death, and thirdly the timing
of Indian social media activity in announcing
 7

and overtly celebrating his death as a victory

for Indian intelligence agencies. The wide-
ranging targeted messaging that took
place on Twitter from Indian bot accounts
announced his death before it was public
knowledge. In addition to celebrating his
sudden death, this impartation emphasises
the role of Indian intelligence in his sudden,
untimely death.

This report contextualises Avtar Singh’s

suspicious death in relation to several
targeted assassinations and attempted
assassinations during this period. Three days
after the death of Avtar Singh, Bhai Hardeep
Singh Nijjar was assassinated in Canada.
The Canadian government would go on to
accuse Indian intelligence of orchestrating
the assassination. The report highlights a
pattern of targeted assassinations of Sikh
leaders, attempted assassinations, and
other ‘live targets’ of Indian intelligence.
United States and Canadian governmental
officials have warned numerous Sikhs about
potential threats to their lives. Sikhs have long
known the reality of Indian state repression,
following assassinations of Sikhs in Canada
and Pakistan, and the recent attempted
assassination in the United States. “The Centre has
asked the National
After the death of Avtar Singh, and the lack
of cooperation from WMP and the senior
Investigation Agency
coroner, a group of panthic naujawan, who to investigate the
were friends and allies of Avtar Singh, came attack on the Indian
together to investigate their suspicions
about the cause of death. The findings are
high commission in
presented in the report, and we conclude London....The probe
that Avtar Singh’s death bears the marks of requires ascertaining
an intelligence agency-led assassination,
with potential complicity or negligence from the identities of those in
UK authorities. The report contextualises the mob led by alleged
Avtar Singh’s death within the increased
Khalistani terrorist Avtar
targeting of Sikh activists and leaders, which
has received global attention. Singh Khanda”.

The Times of India

18 Apr 2023
 8 FINDINGS INTO THE DEATH OF BHAI AVTAR SINGH KHANDA
Who Was Bhai
Avtar Singh
Khanda?
Bhai Avtar Singh was a son, an older brother,
an endearing friend, and Sikh panthic
activist. Those closest to him recall his loving
nature, witty humour, and dedication to the
panth (Sikh collective). Avtar Singh was born
in May 1988 in Rode, Punjab to Bhai Kulwant
Singh and Bibi Charanjit Kaur. During his
upbringing, Avtar Singh was surrounded
by Sikh figures involved in the struggle for
Khalistan,1 including his father, Shaheed
Bhai Kulwant Singh, and his fathers older
brother, Shaheed Bhai Balwant Singh.2
Avtar Singh’s father was involved in student
organising; in 1980, he was elected the
student union president in ITI Faridkot. Like
many in his generation Bhai Kulwant Singh
met Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and
became committed to the cause of the Sikh
revolutionary struggle. Bhai Kulwant Singh
was imprisoned following the invasion of Sri
Darbar Sahib in June 1984.3 Shortly following
his release from prison, Bhai Kulwant Singh
faced continued police harassment.
Avtar Singh’s parents were married on 7th
May 1986, and the Indian police carried out
a raid at their wedding. After three weeks
of marriage, Bhai Kulwant Singh went
underground. Avtar Singh’s grandfather,
Sardar Pala Singh, was arrested to add
pressure on Bhai Kulwant Singh and Bhai
Balwant Singh to surrender. Sardar Pala
Singh’s release was secured by the village
panchayat, and the family went into hiding,
forced into moving between different
villages and safe houses.
Avtar Singh was born shortly after into these
confining conditions. After his birth, Bhai
Kulwant Singh came to Rode and spent
two days with his son before returning
underground. Bhai Kulwant Singh’s
daughter was born in February 1991. On 31st
March, 1991, Bhai Kulwant Singh embraced
martyrdom. Shaheed Bhai Kulwant Singh
Khukrana, and Shaheed Bhai Balwant Singh
Khukrana, are remembered and honoured as
shaheed jujharoo (martyred Sikh warriors).
Due to threats and extensive surveillance
from the Indian state, Avtar Singh did not
live an average childhood as he only saw his
father a handful of times. By the time Avtar
Singh reached the age of 4, his father was a
martyr. This had a profound impact on Avtar
Singh.
Like his father, Avtar Singh was actively
involved in the movement that surrounded
him, participating in Sikh organising in
the face of displacement, government
targeting, surveillance, and continual
family harassment. Avtar Singh’s family has
endured decades-long of multi-generational
harassment, imprisonment, and surveillance
including his surviving mother, Bibi Charanjit
Kaur, and his sister. For those who knew him,
the parallels between Avtar Singh’s life and
that of his father are clear.
Avtar Singh was passionate about the Sikh
struggle at an early age and was involved
in student organising. In 2010, at the age of
22, he was pushed out of Punjab, following
the concerns his family had for his safety.
In the UK, Avtar Singh became a much-
loved figure in panthic circles and the wider
Punjabi community. He was politically active
on matters related to Khalistan, and regularly
spoke and wrote on the Sikh struggle. He
bridged the gaps between Punjab and
the diaspora on what Khalistan and the
continual struggle for self-determination
means to Sikhs.
When Avtar Singh was admitted into the
hospital on 11th June, no one thought he
would be dead four days later. Avtar Singh’s
death shocked the Sikh community in the
UK, Punjab, and the wider diaspora. From
 9

A young Avtar Singh alongside a photo of his

father displayed in a Gurdwara in Leicester, UK

the outset, the community was suspicious of community has for the resilience and
his sudden symptoms and death. commitment of those on the path of Sikh
struggle, and a reflection of the Sikh spirit of
That suspicion rested on three main factors: chardikala, that on 12th August 2023, at his
1) the sudden turn of his health since he was funeral programme, Bhai Avtar Singh was
in great health, 2) the insistent demonisation declared a Shaheed of the Sikh nation.
led by the Indian media in the months
leading up to his death, and 3) the timing of
Indian social media activity in announcing
and overtly celebrating his death as a victory
for Indian intelligence agencies prior to any
public announcement of his death.

After leaving home at the age of 22, only Avtar

Singh’s ashes would return back to Punjab in
2023. As it will be detailed later in this report,
his mother and sister were not allowed to
attend his funeral services in the UK. They
were left to grieve their beloved with his
ashes while having to endure continual state
surveillance and decades-long repression.

It is testament of the respect the Sikh

 10 FINDINGS INTO THE DEATH OF BHAI AVTAR SINGH KHANDA
How Was Bhai
Avtar Singh Khanda
Targeted?
The genocidal campaign to eliminate
support for the Sikh freedom movement
has been well documented. Human rights
organizations sketched the general profiles
of targets identified by Indian security forces
for illegal detention, torture, and extra-
judicial killings as:
a. Politically active young Sikh men,
whether involved in political parties,
student organizations, or religious groups
b. Families of activists and guerrillas
c. Any Amritdhari (initiated) Sikhs or
those who maintain the dastar (turban)
and beard.4
These conditions led to his arrival to the UK
in 2010. In 2016, Avtar Singh sought asylum
in the UK following a dossier being handed
over by Modi in 2015 to the UK government,
which mentioned Avtar Singh.5 This shows
that Avtar Singh was targeted as early
as 2015. At the time, a prominent Indian
newspaper ran an article that levelled
serious allegations citing sources from
‘Indian intelligence agencies’ that claimed
“Avtar Singh Khanda [was] planning to hold
theoretical radicalization training classes for
Sikh youths”.6
The targeting of 2015 was only a
foreshadowing of what unfolded from
March 19th 2023 when the targeting of
Avtar Singh gathered renewed momentum
following a protest where the official Indian
flag was taken down from outside the
Indian embassy in central London. The
incident of March 19th launched a wide-
ranging campaign across all major Indian
media outlets that manufactured outrage
over the flag incident and defamed Avtar
Singh as the main culprit.
Prominent right-wing Indian media outlets
continued to build on this manufactured
outrage to demonize Avtar Singh, going as
far as erroneously claiming that Avtar Singh
had been arrested.7
The false claims of Avtar Singh’s arrest were
used to arrest his mother and sister.8 They
were detained and harassed to further
intimidate Avtar Singh. Indian security
officials also made several calls to Avtar
Singh, making direct threats to his life
(recordings of which Avtar Singh retained on
his phone).9
A former Indian army major and a leading
nationalist commentator, who is affiliated
with the BJP and a consultant for Republic
TV, Gaurav Arya, threatened Avtar Singh.
In a now removed video uploaded to Arya’s
YouTube channel on 18th April 2023, Arya
stated: “Khanda, son, you are finished”, -
and that “the NIA (National Investigation
Agency) will eliminate him.”10
India’s demonisation campaign against
Avtar Singh rested on several key points:
a. Criminalising Avtar Singh’s advocacy
for Khalistan as “terrorist activity”,
b. Making a false claim linking him to
jujahroo jathebandia (Sikh insurgent
formations)
c. Claiming he was involved in providing
support and guidance to Bhai Deep
“Khanda, son,
you are finished...
the NIA (National
Investigation
Agency) will
eliminate him”
Major Guarav Arya

Sidhu and Bhai Amritpal Singh. This in
particular would be considered a major
threat by India as a narrative of “outside
agitators” has long been a cornerstone of
Indian state propaganda to delegitimize
and target support for Khalistan within
Punjab. Indian policy is to criminalise any
activity, even social media posts, that can
be seen as galvanising public campaigns
and support for Khalistan in Punjab.11
The Indian media made several
unsubstantiated claims about Avtar Singh,
manufactured by Indian intelligence and
further propagated by the media. At its core,
Avtar Singh was painted as a legitimate
target and threat to the Indian state. Below
is are examples of the strongly accusatory,
but unsubstantiated claims in the Indian
media:
“According to security agencies, Khanda
not only trained Amritpal but was also
instrumental in propping him up in
Punjab as the leader of Waris Punjab
De”.12
“Khanda is on the list of “most-wanted”
terrorists who have been allegedly
giving training on explosives to Sikh
youths in UK-based religious institutions.
Earlier, he was an aide of Babbar Khalsa
International leader Paramjit Singh
Pamma. He allegedly introduced
Amritpal to Pamma. The Anandpur
Khalsa Force was formed by Amritpal
with the help of Pamma under the
guidance of Khanda, police officials
claimed.”13
Following the two months of demonisation
of Avtar Singh across Indian media, the
NIA dispatched a team of five individuals
to ‘probe’ the ‘flag incident’ at the Indian
Embassy. According to Indian reports, the
NIA team met with Scotland Yard and the
Metropolitan Police around the 24th of May
2023. This visit by the NIA and the buildup
was covered extensively by Indian media.
Here are two examples:
11
“The Centre has asked the National
Investigation Agency to investigate the
attack on the Indian high commission in
London....The probe requires ascertaining
the identities of those in the mob led
by alleged Khalistani terrorist Avtar
Singh Khanda. Khanda had pulled down
the Tricolour at the mission, He is also
learnt to have trained fugitive Khalistani
sympathizer Amritpal Singh. An expert
in explosives, Khanda has sought UK
asylum”.14
“As reported by HT last month, NIA is
investigating a larger conspiracy by
Pakistan-backed UK-based pro-Khalistan
leaders including Avtar Singh Khanda,
who is also the alleged handler of Waris
Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh”.15
It is worth noting that Bhai Paramjit
Singh ‘Panjwar’, a former jujahroo living in
Pakistan was assassinated by Indian agents
on 6th May 2023.16 Following Avtar Singh’s
suspicious death, on 15th June 2023, Bhai
Hardeep Singh Nijjar was assassinated
on 18th June 2023 in Canada.17 Hyper
nationalist Indian media outlets have
repeatedly claimed that the attacks on Sikhs
are part of a coordinated Indian intelligence
operation.
An article published in India Today on 20th
June 2023, two days after Bhai Hardeep
Singh’s assassination, states:
“The deaths of prominent terrorists come
amid a surge in anti-India activities.
They also come at a time when India
has vowed to take strong action against
Khalistani terrorists who attacked India’s
missions and were trying to revive
militancy in Punjab. Avtar Singh Khanda,
who died in the UK in May, was the
mastermind behind the pulling down of
the Indian flag during a protest outside
the UK High Commission in London on
March 19.”18
 12 FINDINGS INTO THE DEATH OF BHAI AVTAR SINGH KHANDA

What Happened To serious, as would the repercussions for the

Sikh community. The major effort was to

Bhai Avtar Singh investigate and attempt to substantiate the

allegation that Avtar Singh was poisoned.
Khanda? We speculate that the Indian state, which has
used such methods before, perhaps targeted
On the 11th of June, 2023, Avtar Singh was
Avtar Singh in a covert way because of their
suddenly taken ill and admitted to Sandwell
diplomatic relations with the UK. As Avtar
Hospital. This was following a period of
Singh had a pending asylum application he
intense public demonisation across Indian
did not have UK citizenship, which made
media, the arrest of his family members, and
him vulnerable as there would be much less
public/private threats. In the early hours of
compulsion for the UK to act than if he had
15th June, just 4 days after his admittance,
been a UK citizen. This is a key difference
he was declared dead by hospital staff.
in how governmental officials in Canada
and the United States responded to the the
The reported cause of death was Acute
assassination of Bhai Hardeep Singh, and
Myeloid Leukaemia (AML), which is caused
the attempt on Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
by a DNA mutation in the stem cells in bone
marrow. As a result, stem cells forcefully
produce more white blood cells than
Indian Social Media Activity
needed. This condition is commonly referred
The team has documented an extensive
to as ‘blood cancer’.
list of tweets that pull together the entire
manufactured narrative around the targeting
From our initial research, it was apparent
of Avtar Singh. One such example is a tweet
that: 1) AML-like symptoms can be induced
made by a notorious anti-Sikh account
by poisoning using chemicals such as
called ‘@PunFact’. This tweet was made at
benzine and polonium-210. 2) poisoning has
3:27pm on 14th June 2023 and it stated: “As
been used to target dissidents to induce
per media reports, Avtar Singh Khanda (A
symptoms that lead to their death, and 3)
Top Khalistani terrorist, head of KLF, expert in
India has historically used poisoning as a
bomb making) suspectedly poisoned in UK;
method to target Sikh resistance figures,
On life support.”
notably in the cases of Shaheed Baba
Gurbachan Singh Manochahal, Shaheed
The tweet is still online: https://twitter.com/
General Labh Singh, and Shaheed Bibi Bimal
pun_fact/status/1668988607124627457. The
Kaur.
tweet did not cite any source, but ‘quoted’
and other account, rumoured to be linked
Traces of poisons can be hard to locate as
to Indian intelligence. Another example is
they have to be tested for specifically, with
an automated bot account that tweeted
the appropriate expertise, and with advanced
“Khalistani Terrorist Avatar Singh Khanda,a
testing equipment. Standardised hospital
associate of arrested Khalistan Terrorist
procedures and testing do not account for
#AmritpalSingh , is Died in London, a news
advanced toxicologies, something we cover
report said. There are speculations that he
in more detail further on.
has been poisoned.” This tweet also still
online: https://twitter.com/Stroke0Genius18/
The insinuation by those who saw Avtar
status/1669207629178994689 was made
Singh’s death as suspicious was that
at 5:58am on 15th June 2023, before some
he was given a substance that caused
friends and the wider Sikh community were
the symptoms that led to his death. The
even aware of Bhai Avtar Singh’s death.
diplomatic implications of this would be

Bhai Avtar Singh Khanda’s Health
The causes of AML stem from factors such
as:
- Age, smoking, or obesity
- Exposure to ionising radiation
- Workplace chemical exposure
- Hereditary susceptibility
- History of chemo-therapy
Avtar Singh was 35, Amritdhari, not obese,
had no exposure to radiation, no exposure
to chemicals as part of his work, and had no
history of AML in his family. The following are
our findings about Bhai Avtar Singh’s health
prior to his mysterious illness:
1. Avtar Singh was part of a 2-man
delivery team, working daily in a physically
demanding environment.
2. His delivery colleague, who worked
consistently with Avtar Singh for over
5 years, detailed the high-paced and
labour-intensive work environment
consisting of 5-6 days of weekly delivery
work.
3. His colleague mentioned that Avtar
Singh was fit and healthy, never had any
medical conditions, and never missed
work due to health related issues.
4. Avtar Singh often unloaded two-
man delivery items from the vehicle by
himself. These items included household
appliances such as washing machines,
fridges, and other heavy items.
5. Avtar Singh was not registered with
a local doctor, as according to his family
and friends, ‘he never had a need to as he
was fit and healthy’.
Police and Coroner Negligence
Following the circumstances and suspicions
around Bhai Avtar Singh’s death, there was
a meeting with West Midlands Police (WMP)
at PBC Studios on 19th June 2023. In this
meeting Lisa Monohan and Jenna Dixon,
representing WMP, convened with close
friends and family. WMP was provided with
13
all key, relevant information, including news
articles that demonstrated how Avtar Singh
was being actively targeted and threatened
by Indian media and security officials,
including Gaurav Arya, NIA, and Punjab
Police.
Family and close friends who attended
the meeting requested an investigation
be launched to examine the suspicious
conditions leading up to Bhai Avtar Singh’s
sudden and untimely death.
During the meeting with WMP a crime
reference number was requested. This
is important as it is a requirement of the
‘Victims Code for Policing’, a part of official
policing guidance as issued by the College
of Policing in the UK. Specifically it is the
right of victims to receive a crime reference
number within 5 working days of reporting
a crime. Further to the crime reference
number being a right, it is the police’s
responsibility, in particular that of counter
terror units, to investigate cases where
unknown substances or foreign states are
involved.
Despite the seriousness of the allegations, a
crime reference number being a right, and
being requested, WMP stated that it was
unnecessary as they were acting on behalf
of the coroner, and there would be no need
to visit the police station to obtain one or
request further details. This is again contrary
to the College of Policing guidelines.
When the team requested an update directly
from the senior coroner, Louise Hunt, she
stated that a crime reference number was
needed to take the matter further. Which
further demonstrates that WMP did not
follow procedure.
In an email sent on 26th June 2023 WMP
stated, “We do not have a crime reference
number for you and I am not sure why the
coroner would need one. We passed all
information to the Coroner’s Office as they
 14 FINDINGS INTO THE DEATH OF BHAI AVTAR SINGH KHANDA
are the people who are dealing with the
case. We take the lead for them.” This shows
that WMP did not treat the death with any
level of seriousness.
The team continued to pressure for an
investigation at the highest level or a transfer
of Avtar Singh’s body to another hospital
so that we could get a second opinion. This
is part of government procedures when
questioning a cause of death; a second
opinion from another coroner can be
requested.
Following our requests to the senior coroner,
on 30th June 2023, a letter was issued by
Lousie Hunt that stated: “West Midlands
Police have concluded there is no evidence
to support that Mr Singh has been poisoned.
If you continue to have concerns, you
should contact West Midlands Police.” The
letter went on to say that “the coroner no
longer has jurisdiction over the case and it
is not possible to effect any transfer.” These
comments from Louise Hunt were made
without any post-mortem being conducted.
No tissue samples were taken from Avtar
Singh, and no advanced toxicology was
carried out.
Leaked Comments by Mortuary
Team and Police Investigation
An anonymous staff member from
Birmingham City Hospital mortuary
leaked information to the funeral directors
appointed to check on Avtar Singh’s body.
When the funeral directors were making
arrangements to collect Avtar Singh’s body
the following was said by mortuary staff:
“We were initially contacted by the
National Crime Agency (NCA) and told to
seal up the body and not allow anyone
access. Nothing was even done, we then
got a message stating that we are not
investigating this, and no reason was
given at all.”
Like the coroner, WMP did not carry out any
actual investigation. A proper investigation
that looked into foul play, foreign interference
or transnational repression was not
conducted by the police or any government
agency. As a result the police never visited
Avtar Singh’s residence, his belongings were
not examined, including his phone which
contained recordings of threats made by
Indian Police. None of his associates were
asked any questions, and no effort was made
to retrace his steps prior to Avtar Singh’s
sudden illness.19
WMP’s lack of investigation, and their failure
to follow their own procedures, raises serious
concerns about the level of scrutiny that
threats Sikh activists face at the hands of
Indian transnational repression will receive. It
is also pertinent to mention that in 2018 WMP
was at the centre of carrying out supposed
‘counter terror’ police raids on the homes
of Sikh activists. During that time WMP
openly worked with and leaked information
to Indian agencies, resulting in the names of
Sikh activists appearing in Indian media.20
As no charges were ever brought from those
raids, it is counter to the College of Policing
rules to name individuals at the centre of
investigations. This is in addition to wider,
long standing, collusion between the UK and
India, most notably highlighted during the
1984 invasion of Darbar Sahib, and recently
in UK intelligence handing over information
to Indian agencies resulting in the arbitrary
detention of Jagtar Singh Johal.21
Use of Poison, Dissidents, and AML
It is alleged that Avtar Singh died from Acute
Myeloid Leukaemia (AML). Yet, there is an
international record of the use of poison to
target dissidents, and chemical poisoning
that causes AML-like symptoms, similar to
those that Avtar Singh endured. There are
numerous case studies of other individuals
who were likely poisoned and died of AML-
like symptoms by Israel, a close ally of India.
Here are a few examples:
In 1978, Wadie Haddad, a leader of the

armed wing of the Popular Front for the
Liberation of Palestine, was gradually
poisoned through chocolate by a double
agent. This resulted in AML like symptoms
that led to his death.22
In 2004, Yasser Arafat, a Palestinian leader,
died as a result of a stroke and blood
disorder. Al-Jazeera conducted a nine-month
investigation that revealed a link to polonium:
“Analysis of Yasser Arafat’s personal
belongings has revealed high levels of
the radioactive material polonium-210
on the deceased Palestinian leader’s
clothes, though symptoms detailed in his
medical records are not consistent with
radiation poisoning.”23 This investigation
saw the remains of Yasser Arafat being
exhumed where the Palestinian medical
investigator collected 20 specimens and
handed samples to three international
teams – Swiss, French and Russian which
found “unexpected high” polonium-210
activity.24
There has only been one case where
Israel has been openly linked to chemical
poisoning.
In 1997, Khaled Meshal, a leader of Hamas
who was exiled in Jordan, was targeted.
Two operatives squirted a fast-acting toxin
into Meshal’s ear. However, they were
chased down by Meshal’s bodyguards
and arrested. Under pressure from
Jordan, one of two Arab states with which
Israel has a peace accord, Israel handed
over the antidote and Jordan released the
jailed operatives.25
India and Israel are close allies and have
a long history of military and intelligence
cooperation and collaboration. India’s
relation with Israel in targeting Sikhs first
emerges during the Indian government’s
invasion of Darbar Sahib where commandos
trained by Israel were used.
“The commandos, known as Special
15
Group or SG commandos, had received
training from an elite branch of Mossad
commanders in 1983 under an agreement
with RAW.”26
Since 1983, India and Israel’s relationship has
strengthened, which includes the exchange
of military and intelligence surveillance,
training, and chemical warfare.27 “In 2014, the
Punjab Police travelled to Israel for training
on security and anti-terror operations.” A
year later, “the Indian Police Service (IPS)
began an annual program in which recent
graduates would spend one week studying
best practices in counterinsurgency,
managing low intensity warfare and use of
technology in policing and countering terror
with the Israel National Police Academy.”
Sikhs have drawn the link between India
and Israel’s surveillance technologies for
many years. Today, the link between India’s
R&AW and Israel’s Mossad is being drawn
openly by nationalist Indian media following
revelations into the killing of Bhai Hardeep
Singh Nijjar. One paper quoted an unnamed
source in India’s security establishment who
stated: “we can hire hitmen from any lane
in Lahore” to which the reported concluded
that “Justin Trudeau has much to fear and
learn from that chilling hiring prophecy.”28
Above are a few case studies that reveal the
use of chemical poisoning and chemical
warfare. Therefore, it is imperative to
contextualise Avtar Singh’s AML-symptoms
to the chemical poisoning utilised by India’s
allied nations. Other people have died with
similar outcomes, but detailed reporting and
autopsies have revealed the role of the state
and poison that mimics AML symptoms.
 16 FINDINGS INTO THE DEATH OF BHAI AVTAR SINGH KHANDA
Private Investigation
Into Bhai Avtar
Singh’s Death
Following the inaction by WMP and the
refusal of the senior coroner to carry out
a post-mortem a collective of panthic
naujawan formed a team to carry out
a private investigation. Based on the
circumstantial evidence of Avtar Singh’s
demonisation by Indian security and media,
including the intimidation and threats
to Avtar Singh and his family there was
a significant possibility of assassination.
Considering the cases that we came across,
which were outlined in the previous section,
it is clear that this is plausible in the context
of a political activist in exile and at the
forefront of dissent. This is why we wanted
a serious investigation, but WMP and senior
coroners’ negligence prevented that from
happening
We also came across the case of Alexander
Perepilichnyy, a Russian whistle-blower
who collapsed and died in 2015. Initially,
the police attributed his death to natural
causes. However, a private post-mortem was
subsequently conducted, revealing traces of
a rare plant poison in his stomach.29
The team initiated research into medical
professionals who had experience with
poison attacks linked to Russia in the UK.
Multiple experts were contacted, and they
offered medical guidance and advice.
The team raised concerns with PALS and
contacted leading pathologists, forensic
toxicology specialists, and forensic medical
specialists, including; Procurators Fiscal
of Glasgow, Queen Elizabeth University
Hospital Mortuary, Victoria Jenkins (Forensic
Toxicologist), Professor Jason Payne-James,
Medical Director, Dr Matthew Carey (who
dealt with a Russian poisoning case), Dr
Nigel Copper (Newcastle), Dr Matthew
Lyle (Liverpool), Dr Grieve, Professor Robin
Ferner (Inst of Clinical Sciences), Dr Nat R
Cary, Dr Ashley Fegan-Earl, Grace Payne-
James, and the Royal Biological Society,
British Toxicology Society, and the Chemical,
Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense
Special Interest Group (CBRN).
Professor Robin Ferner, who has written
papers on the limitation of testing when
dealing with poisoning states:
“Negative results can sometimes be
assumed because standard screening
tests have shown nothing suspicious.
This may be unwise if relevant specific
tests have not been conducted. The
initial failure to detect polonium in
samples from the Russian Alexander
Litvinenko, murdered in London in 2006,
may have stemmed from a false belief
that radioactive substances were absent
because standard tests for ionizing
radiation were negative”.30
The team was in contact with forensic
pathologist Dr Ashley Fegan-Earl; she stated
the following:
“A case such as this would require
specialist toxicological support that
cannot be provided in standard
laboratories.
Further it would be inappropriate for me
to perform an independent postmortem
examination upon an individual where
there is concern of homicide.
This is a matter which requires a full
forensic postmortem examination with
appropriate toxicological back up. Given
your concerns, have you contacted the
local anti-terrorist unit to seek their
advice?
Alternatively, you may wish to express
your concerns to the Chief Coroner for an
appropriate determination to be made.
The analogy of this case is that of
various Russian individuals who have
died suddenly and unexpectedly, and in

whom the above procedures have been
followed.”
All the experts we spoke to refused to
carry out a private autopsy. A CBRN email
response stated “It is for the police to
determine this and it is also for the coroner”.
Which summarises the response from the
vast majority of those contacted.
Many solicitors firms, medical lawyers and
medical negligence firms were contacted,
but the level of investigation we wanted was
beyond the scope of what such firms could
provide.
Out of all the independent experts
contacted, only one private forensic
pathologist agreed to complete a full
post-mortem. This doctor had extensive
experience having carried out over 4000
autopsies in various coronial and procurator
fiscal jurisdictions across the country.
The private forensic pathologist contacted
the senior coroner at Birmingham City
Hospital to arrange the post- mortem.
The senior coroner refused to give
permission to the private forensic
pathologist to carry out the post-mortem at
City Hospital (where Avtar Singh’s body had
been since his death). The private forensic
pathologist then arranged permission from
Coventry Hospital to undertake the post-
morum.
During the intervening time the senior
coroner had sent Avtar Singh’s body to
Sandwell Hospital to be placed in frozen
storage. A post-mortem cannot be carried
out on a frozen body. The body had to be
unfrozen, which takes 5 days and can cause
decomposition to accelerate.
The senior coroner was informed that we
want a post-mortem to take place and will
wait for the body to thaw, informing her that
we have arranged the post-mortem with
17
Coventry Hospital. The senior coroner then
refused access to Bhai Avtar Singh’s body
and refused to carry out the transfer, stating
that she would not release the body without
a death certificate.
Forced Into Obtaining Death
Certificate
If a death certificate were to be issued, we
would be required to acknowledge the
stated cause of death, which was being
attributed to AML.
Subsequently, we convened a meeting with
Avtar Singh’s mother (Mata ji), Avtar Singh’s
sister (Bhen ji), and close friends in the UK.
During the meeting, Mata ji and Bhen ji
were briefed about the obstacles posed by
the coroner.
Meanwhile, as the visa application for Mata ji
and Bhen ji’s to visit the UK for the funeral
was still pending, an unexpected response
was received from the Home Office,
requesting the submission of the death
certificate.
With reluctance, the team was compelled to
proceed with registering the death as this
appeared to be the only avenue to conduct
the post-mortem and enable his mother
and sister to participate in his final rites.
Subsequently, the death certificate was
submitted to both the coroner and the
Home Office as part of the visa process.
Visa Rejection By UK Authorities
Ultimately, the visa request was denied by
the UK Home Office. On 23 June 2023 – a
‘priority service’ visa application for Mata
ji and Bhen ji was submitted to the UK
Home Office. A priority service visa is a fast-
track process which gives a decision to the
applicant in 5 business days.
On 28th July 2023, more than one month
 18 FINDINGS INTO THE DEATH OF BHAI AVTAR SINGH KHANDA
later, the UK Home Office rejected the visa
applications of Mata ji and Bhen ji’s to visit
the UK for the funeral.
In rejecting the visa, the Home Office
demonstrated they were aware of Bhai Avtar
Singh’s political views and the targeting
of his family by the Indian state. However,
it seems that none of this awareness was
used to make a decision based on a rational
analysis of the situation; in fact, the opposite
is on display as the Home Office quoted
Indian media sources in their decision. This
is significant as there is no analysis of the
implications of the role of the Indian state
in targeting Bhai Avtar Singh and his family,
but the fact that they were targeted is
enough to refuse a visa:
“Open-source reporting demonstrates
that your brother was a public figure
with a strong online presence who made
his political convictions clear, including
platforms such as KTV, a TV station which
has had its broadcast license suspended
in the UK by Ofcom due to programmes
containing material likely to encourage
or incite the commission of crime or
lead to disorder. Furthermore, press
reports allege his involvement in violent
protests at the Indian High Commission
in London in March 2023. I also note
that, according to press reports, you
had other family members besides your
brother with similar political convictions.
Online reporting in India (https://www.
tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/uk-based-
activist- khandas-mother-among-3-
detained-496763, last accessed on 24
July 2023; https://indianexpress.com/
article/cities/chandigarh/police-question-
mother-khalistanleader-avtar-khanda-
second-day-8555630/, last accessed 24
July 2023), indicates that you and your
mother has recently been detained and
questioned by the Indian authorities
because of your relationship to your late
brother.”
Given the role the death certificate played
in the visa application and the nature
of the refusal, it appears the application
process was used to pressure the family into
obtaining a death certificate. Avtar Singh’s
family were left with no avenue to see his
last remains or any other recourse to have
his death investigated. An expedited visa
application for Avtar Singh’s family to come
to the UK was made very early on, yet the
decision process took months instead of
days.
These combined processes of obtaining a
visa and investigating the cause of death
resulted in a significant delay to the last
rites of Avtar Singh being performed. In
particular, a visa process that relied on
faulty and biassed information was used
to obstruct Avtar Singh’s family, whilst, at
the same time, clear procedural violations
that failed to consider India’s role prevented
any serious investigation. This ultimately
resulted in the family being coerced into
carrying out Avtar Singh’s cremation
without any closure as to the questions
surrounding the cause of his death.
Even after the Home Office’s refusal,
multiple attempts were made by UK
Sikh organisations, Gurdware, and Sikh
organisations and institutions in Punjab
to appeal to the Home Office in hope of
any form of reconsideration by the UK
government. All correspondence and efforts
were ultimately unsuccessful.
Bhai Avtar Singh’s last rites and funeral
were carried out on 12th August, 2023 with
thousands of Sikhs attending from all over
the UK and his family watching remotely.
 19

Conclusion
in this case, including the leaking of medical
information to the India media, the UK
authorities ignored their duty to carry out
the most basic investigative steps and
The findings of this report were shared with
failed to eliminate any possible or potential
leading Sikh organisations across the world
interference by foreign agencies.
before they were made public. On the 12th of
August 2023, the findings were shared with
The UK Government and Home Office
the gathered sangat at Avtar Singh’s funeral
delayed the visa application decision for
program. Following this, the sangat made a
over 4 weeks, causing untold distress to
collective declaration to honour Avtar Singh
the family and serious deterioration to Bhai
as a shaheed, a Sikh martyr, for the Sikh
Avtar Singh’s body and large-scale funeral
struggle in Khalistan.
plans. Furthermore, they ignored their own
humanitarian policies and grounds for visas
Avtar Singh was a committed organiser and
in such circumstances, instead citing biased
spoke publicly on the cause of Khalistan.
Indian media news articles to question the
He was not, however, a leader of any armed
family’s character.
movement. Avtar Singh was intensely
demonised in the India media, where it was
Bhai Avtar Singh was admitted to the hospital
made out that he was the leader of an armed
on the 11th of June and died by the early
movement, behind galvanising public
hours of 15th June. Indian media and hyper-
support and mobilisation in support of
nationalist Indian Twitter handles openly
Khalistan and the taking down of the Indian
began ‘reporting’ that Bhai Avtar Singh was
flag in London. After being demonised, Bhai
poisoned and had died in a Birmingham
Avtar Singh was openly threatened by former
hospital even before members of the UK Sikh
Indian army personnel linked to the ruling
community knew what had happened. Bhai
political party and Indian nationalist media.
Avtar Singh’s health declined immediately
after the NIA visited the UK. He had no health
The timing and circumstances of Bhai Avtar
issues prior to their visit.
Singh Khanda’s death, paired with the
reality of India carrying out assassinations
We conclude that Bhai Avtar Singh Khanda
in Pakistan and Canada it is clear that India
was assassinated by India, and the UK is
is carrying out assassinations of those who
complicit in the cover-up.
they deem a threat.

The role of the UK must also be questioned as

the police and coroner both worked against
the interests of Bhai Avtar Singh Khanda and
neglected their duty of care to establish the
chain of events and facts surrounding his
very sudden death.

The coroner exercised a complete abuse

of power and process by failing to carry out
a postmortem and hindering any private
postmortem investigation into the cause of
Bhai Avtar Singh’s death.

Despite the public interest of Sikhs in the

UK and across the world and the suspicion
 20 FINDINGS INTO THE DEATH OF BHAI AVTAR SINGH KHANDA

References
uploaded to his facebook page on 14th April
2023 which can be viewed with subtitles
here: https://youtu.be/W5866HaL3WU
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w w w. 1 9 8 4 t r i b u t e . c o m /s h a h e e d - b h a i -
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12. ET Online, “Avtar Singh Khanda, a UK-
in Indian Occupied Punjab (Vancouver: Sikh
based bomb expert, is Amritpal Singh’s
Liberation Front, 2018), online: https://www.
handler.” Economic Times (23 Mar 2023),
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based-activist-khandas-mother-among-3-
6. HT Correspondent, “Modi to ask UK to
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Hindustan Times (15 Nov 2015), online: https://
14. Rajshekhar Jha, “NIA to probe Indian
www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/modi-to-
mission attack in UK”. The Times of India
ask-uk-to-take-action-against-sikh-radical-
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7. Tribune News Service, “UK-based activist
Khanda’s mother among 3 detained”.
15. HT Correspondent, “NIA team travels to
The Tribune (13 Apr 2023), online: https://
the UK in Indian High Commission attack
www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/uk-
probe”. Hindustan Times (24 May 2023),
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Kaur Bhatti (ADCP Ludhiana), in a video he
Paramjit Singh Panjwar”. National Sikh
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Singh Nijjar, the Sikh separatist killed in
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singh-nijjar-sikh-canada-killed/
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months”. India Today (20 Jun 2023), online:
h tt p s : //www. i n d i a to d ay. i n / i n d i a /s to r y/
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months-2395378-2023-06-20
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Petersen, Kiran Stacey, “Indian police
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before his sudden death”. The Guardian (4
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before-his-sudden-death
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Association (29 Sep 2019), online: https://
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21. Frank Gardner, “Jagtar Singh Johal case:
UK spy agencies accused of tip-off that led
to torture”. BBC (22 Aug 2022), online: https://
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-62639233
22. Dominic Sandbrook, “How Israel’s secret
service has become the world leader in
assassinations”. NZ Herald (20 Jul 2018),
online: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/
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the-world-leader-in-assassinations/
TROFXH5UYJOONRZ7IPRPA5UKU4/.
23. Jacob Aron, “Was Yasser Arafat killed by
radioactive polonium-210?”. New Scientist (4
Jul 2012), online: https://www.newscientist.
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24. Angelique Chrisafisin, “Yasser Arafat:
what the report shows”. The Guardian (6 Nov
2013), online: https://www.theguardian.com/
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25. Yossi Melman, “Israel’s Secret Poisonings
in 1948”. Haaretz (6 Oct 2022), online: https://
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New Alliance Between India and
Israel (London: Pluto Press, 2023).
27. Ibid.
28. Abhijit Majumder, “Is R&AW the new
Mossad? India’s image turns from ‘soft State’
to hard under Modi and Doval”. First Post
(20 Sep 2023), online: https://www.firstpost.
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29. Peter Walker, “Russian whistleblower had
traces of rare poison in stomach, plant expert
says”. The Guardian (18 May 2015), online:
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/
may/18/russian-whistleblower-traces-poison-
stomach-plant- exper t-says-alexander-
perepilichnyy-inquest.
30. Ferner R. E. (2008). Post-mortem clinical
pharmacology. British journal of clinical
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“India is answerable to the Khalsa panth,
and an answer will be taken, whether
today, tomorrow, or in ten years, the
coming generations of the Khalsa panth
will give a response. We will keep fighting
until the last breaths of India, until India
keeps breathing on our land of Punjab,
we will keep fighting.”

Shaheed Bhai Avtar Singh Khanda