High alert ahead of PM’s Punjab-Haryana visit

Khalistan Group threatens blasts during Modi’s rally

Security forces are on high alert after an email from a group claiming to be the Khalistan National Army threatened bomb attacks in Chandigarh and Jalandhar on July 17, the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit the region for major inaugurations and a large rally in Haryana’s Jind district.

Sent from kengakira@gmail.com, the email claims IED blasts will hit schools at 1:11 pm and the Mohali Mayor’s office at 3:11 pm. It also names Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu as a target and warns people to stay away from Modi’s rally.

The message mentions Khalistan, farmers’ concerns, the late activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, and support for Diljit Dosanjh. It is the latest in a series of similar threats from the same group in recent weeks.

Previous emails targeted the RSS headquarters in Nagpur, temples in Haryana, and Government offices in Maharashtra and Gujarat. Each time, authorities responded by searching and increasing security, taking the threats seriously until they could be ruled out.

The Prime Minister’s July 17 programme includes flagging off India’s first hydrogen-powered train from Jind, inaugurating the redeveloped Jind railway station, laying foundation stones for several development projects, and addressing a major public rally. Virtual inaugurations of additional infrastructure across Haryana and Punjab are also planned.

The email’s reference to Diljit Dosanjh is tied to the controversy surrounding the film Satluj, in which he plays Jaswant Singh Khalra. The movie centres on Khalra’s investigation into the alleged illegal cremation of thousands of bodies in Punjab between 1984 and 1994 during the height of militancy. Released on ZEE5 on July 3, the film was pulled from the platform in India within 48 hours on security grounds.

A Government committee has recommended keeping the ban in place under the IT Act. Some critics, such as Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu, say the film gives a one-sided view and downplays militant violence during the insurgency.

Punjab, Chandigarh and Haryana Police, along with cyber cells and railway security, have launched a full-scale probe. Technical teams are tracing the email’s origin while security has been tightened at schools, railway stations, Government buildings and other sensitive sites.

Officials are assessing the threat’s credibility even as no corroborating intelligence has surfaced so far. The repeated pattern from the same claimed source has forced a strong precautionary response.

The episode shows how fringe separatist elements continue to weaponise historical grievances and recent cultural controversies through anonymous digital threats. Security agencies are not taking chances ahead of the Prime Minister’s high-profile engagements”, a well-placed official said on Monday.

The message mentions Khalistan, farmers’ concerns, the late activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, and support for Diljit Dosanjh