22 August 2024: In an escalation of violence targeting Sikh separatists, gunmen opened fire on a vehicle carrying Satinder Pal Singh Raju, a prominent figure in the Khalistan movement, on the night of August 11th. The incident occurred on Interstate 505, about 30 miles west of Sacramento, in unincorporated Yolo County. The California Highway Patrol was alerted to the attack at 11:37 p.m., but no arrests have been made, and the motive remains unclear, reports Los Angeles Times.
Raju, an organizer for Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), a group advocating for an independent Sikh nation in the Punjab region of India, was travelling with two friends at the time of the attack. The LA Times report says that according to a video shared by Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a lawyer and spokesperson for SFJ, the vehicle sustained multiple bullet holes, particularly on the driver’s side.
Pannun and his organization allege this as an assassination attempt. This is not the first time SFJ members have been targeted; Pannun himself survived a similar attack in 2023.
Despite the attack, Raju, who works as a trucker, remains undeterred in his activism. “The day of our death is already written. I am happy to survive. But this won’t change the work that we do,” he stated, emphasizing his commitment to the Khalistan cause. He is currently involved in organizing a referendum on the issue in New Zealand, scheduled for November.
The attack on Raju is part of a broader pattern of violence against Sikh activists in North America. Last year, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, another prominent Sikh leader, was assassinated in Surrey, Canada, sparking widespread fear among the Sikh community. Additionally, earlier this year, the homes of two Sikh activists in Canada were targeted by gunfire.
The report adds that as investigations continue, the Sikh community remains on high alert.
