Who Is Harjeet Singh Laddi, Khalistani Terrorist, Man On India’s Most Wanted List Who Allegedly Attacked Kapil Sharma’s Cafe?

New Delhi: Comedian Kapil Sharma’s newly inaugurated café was attacked in Canada’s Surrey on Wednesday night.

An operative from the banned Khalistani extremist group Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), named Harjeet Singh Laddi, has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Khalistani terrorist Harjeet Singh Laddi is one of the most wanted criminals by India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA). There have been no reports of casualties in the firing incident

All You Need to Know About Harjeet Singh Laddi: 

Harjeet Singh Laddi is designated as one of the NIA’s most wanted terrorists and is an operative of Babbar Khalsa International, one of the oldest and most organized Khalistani terrorist groups. He hails from Garpadhana village in the Aur area of Nawanshahr, Punjab.

According to a report by Financial Express, Laddi currently resides in Germany and is responsible for orchestrating BKI’s activities globally. He is also the prime accused in several violent attacks in Punjab, including the targeted assassination of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Vikas Prabhakar in April 2024.

Last year, the National Investigation Agency announced a ₹10 lakh cash reward for information leading to Laddi’s arrest.

The terrorist group, which operates in several countries including Canada and the UK, gets its name from the militant organization Babbar Akali, which was active during the 1920s under British rule.

Details of the Attack

According to a report by The Indian Express, at least eight gunshots were fired at the café. Surrey police confirmed receiving a report of shots fired at approximately 1:50 a.m. Officers responded quickly and found that the bullets had damaged the property while staff members were still present inside.

“Upon police arrival, it was quickly determined that the shots were fired towards the business, damaging the property, while staff members were still present inside,” read a statement from Surrey Police released on Thursday, July 10.

Fortunately, no injuries were reported. The café extended its gratitude to both Surrey and Delta Police for their swift response and efforts in ensuring everyone’s safety.

Who Was Behind the Attack?

Harjeet Singh Laddi, an operative of the banned terrorist organization Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and one of India’s most wanted men, claimed responsibility for the attack via social media.

Laddi alleged that an episode of The Kapil Sharma Show mocked Nihang Sikhs through comments made about their attire and behavior. He claimed the remarks were offensive to Sikh values and spiritual identity.

“This mockery is an attack on the dignity of Nihang Singhs. No religion or spiritual tradition should be made fun of in the name of comedy,” his statement read.

Laddi also claimed that attempts were made to contact Kapil Sharma’s management team to express their displeasure before the attack, but these were allegedly ignored.

“All our calls were ignored,” he wrote.

Kap’s Café, located in central Surrey, opened its doors on July 4, just days before the attack. Canadian authorities are actively investigating the incident, while Indian intelligence agencies are closely monitoring developments. Kapil Sharma and his family are also expected to receive increased security in light of the threats.