Shillong, October 3: The family of Avtar Singh Khanda, a key figure linked to the violence at the Indian High Commission in London who passed away this year, has requested a formal inquest into his death from the chief coroner for England and Wales.
This request, made by Khanda’s family and the Sikh Federation UK, coincides with an anti-India protest staged by Khalistan supporters outside the Indian High Commission in London.
It also aligns with the ongoing diplomatic tension between New Delhi and Ottawa, sparked by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s recent allegations of India’s involvement in the death of pro-Khalistan activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Both Nijjar and Khanda were associated with Khalistani organizations designated as terrorist groups in India.
According to The Guardian, barrister Michael Polak is leading the call for an inquest. Polak suggested that British police should have recognized that Khanda might be in danger. While he couldn’t definitively state that India was responsible for Khanda’s death, Polak argued that the circumstances warranted an investigation. He emphasized that there were threats against Khanda, and he was prominently featured in the media as “enemy No 1.”
Khanda died on June 15 this year after being hospitalized in Birmingham due to sudden illness. The official cause of death, determined through a post-mortem examination, was acute myeloid leukemia (blood cancer). Khanda’s family expressed concerns, stating that they had not received medical records or evidence supporting the leukemia diagnosis. His mother, unable to attend the funeral due to an alleged visa denial by the Home Office, believed he was poisoned.
The West Midlands police conducted a thorough review of Khanda’s death and found no suspicious circumstances. Khanda had also played a significant role in overseeing Amritpal Singh, the chief of arrested Waris Punjab De, following the death of Deep Sidhu. Amritpal was arrested by Punjab police on various charges, including inciting disharmony among classes and attempted murder.