A 30 December 2000 Times of India report states that three members of the Pakistan-based Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF), Manjit Singh, Mohammed Tahir and Iqbal Singh, all residents of Pakistan and referred to as "militants", were killed in the Jammu and Kashmir City of Ranbirsinghpura by Indian security forces. Manjit Singh, a close associate of KZF leader Ranjit Singh, was allegedly involved in several bombing attacks in Jammu and Punjab (ibid.).

A 9 November 2000 Times of India report states that three KZF militants, identified as Sartaj Singh, alias Raja, Hardev Singh, alias Lakha, and Lakhwinder Singh, alias Lakha, referred to as "subversives", were arrested in the city of Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir. The report also quotes Indian police as saying that these arrests provided further evidence of the connection between Kashmiri and Punjab militants involved in "narco-terrorism and counterfeit currency smuggling with special focus on Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Delhi." The police also claimed having arrested 75 five militants and "eliminated" 700 others "in the entire Jammu division."

A 25 August 2000 Times of India report, states that three KZF militants, who were "allegedly running KZF's Nepal Module, with the support from Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence" (ISI), were arrested by the Delhi police crime branch. Those arrested were Lakhbir Singh, Surjeet Singh and Ranjit Singh's sister-in-law Manpreet Kaur, known in KZF circles as Mann Behenji (ibid.; PTI 24 Aug. 2000)

No information on the treatment of KZF militants and relatives by the Indian authorities between July and December 2000 could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Indian News Agency (PTI) [New Delhi, in English]. 24 August 2000. "Police Arrest Members of Khalistan Militant Group." (BBC Summary 26 Aug. 2000/NEXIS)

The Times of India [Delhi]. 30 December 2000. "Top Punjab Militant Killed." (NEXIS)

_____. 9 November 2000. "Arrest Reveals Nexus Between Punjab , Jammu and Kashmir Militants." (NEXIS)

_____. 25 August 2000. "Three Terrorists Held, Police Claim Khalistan Module Neutralized." (NEXIS)

IRB databases

Internet sources including:

Amnesty International

Human Rights Watch (HRW)

World News Connection (WNC)

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