(MENAFN- AsiaNet News) An FIR has been lodged against US-based designated Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun for threatening to disrupt the fourth Test match between India and England in Ranchi. In response to these threats, security measures have been heightened in the capital city of Jharkhand. As per PTI, officials have stated that Pannun, identified as a terrorist by the home ministry, has also utilized social media to urge the banned CPI (Maoist) to disrupt the match.
The fourth Test is set to kick off at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi starting from February 23. The England team arrived in the city on Tuesday.
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“Gurupatwant Singh Pannun has threatened the India and England teams to cancel the match in Ranchi. He also urged the CPI (Maoist) to create disturbance in a bid to cancel the match. An FIR has been lodged against him at Dhurwa police station under the IT Act and investigation has been initiated,” PTI quoted Deputy Superintendent of Police, Hatia, P K Mishra, as saying to reporters on Tuesday.
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun has been on the radar of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) since 2019 when the anti-terror federal agency initiated its first case against the designated individual terrorist. Pannun has allegedly been spreading fear and terror in Punjab and other parts of the country through threats and intimidation tactics. Non-bailable warrants for his arrest were issued by the Special NIA Court on February 3, 2021, and he was declared a "Proclaimed Offender" on November 29 of the same year.
The NIA has been actively pursuing Pannun, and in September 2023, it seized a house and land belonging to him in Punjab's Amritsar and the Union Territory of Chandigarh. Pannun, associated with the outlawed Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) outfit, has faced increasing scrutiny and legal action by Indian authorities.
In response to Pannun's threat and the potential security risk surrounding the Test match, authorities in Ranchi have taken preemptive measures to ensure the safety of players, officials, and spectators. The local law enforcement agencies, in collaboration with relevant security forces, have tightened security at the JSCA International Stadium Complex and its vicinity.
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The cricket series between India and England has been marked by intense competition and dramatic turnarounds. Despite losing the opening Test in Hyderabad, the Indian team, led by Rohit Sharma, made a remarkable comeback with a comprehensive 106-run victory in Vishakhapatnam, followed by a massive 434-run win in Rajkot. Jasprit Bumrah will sit out the 4th Test due to rest, while Virat Kohli and KL Rahul remain unavailable.
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