{
  "id": 15015155,
  "title": "Sikh activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun claims FBI has warned him of 'imminent threat' to his life",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/sikh-activist-gurpatwant-singh-pannun-claims-fbi-has-warned-him-of",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-16T18:18:31.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dawn",
    "slug": "dawn",
    "url": "https://www.dawn.com/news/2037630/sikh-activist-gurpatwant-singh-pannun-claims-fbi-has-warned-him-of-imminent-threat-to-his-life"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Sikh activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun has asserted that the FBI has informed him of an imminent threat to his life. The FBI agents visited his New York City residence to inform him of this danger. This statement follows a non-binding referendum in Edmonton, Canada, slated for Oct 18, where participants will vote on whether Indian Punjab should be declared independent as \"Khalistan.\" Pannun, a dual American-Canadian citizen and general counsel of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), intends to travel to Canada for the event. He claims the FBI issued a \"Duty to Warn\" notification on Oct 15 specifically regarding his planned travel to Canada. Additionally, he has received warnings from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) about threats to his life and his residence in Ontario. FBI agents informed Pannun that they are investigating leads and stated the threat is tied to his potential travel to Canada for the referendum, though they provided no further details. In February, Indian national Nikhil Gupta was convicted of plotting Pannun's assassination in New York, but the plan was foiled. SFJ claims other organizers in Canada have also received similar warnings. The situation is complicated by Canada's attempt to strengthen ties with India through a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, amid concerns about how this aligns with security and law enforcement cooperation, particularly in light of continuing threats against Khalistan referendum activists.",
  "summary": "WASHINGTON: Sikh activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun has claimed that the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has warned him of “an imminent threat to my life”. He told CBS News on Thursday that FBI agents had visited his New York City residence to alert him to the threat. His statement comes ahead of a non-binding “Khalistan Referendum” in Edmonton, Canada on Oct 18. The referendum is…",
  "key_points": [
    "FBI informed Sikh activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun of imminent threat to his life.",
    "FBI agents visited Pannun's New York City residence on Oct 15.",
    "Pannun to travel to Canada for Oct 18 Khalistan referendum vote."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Daily Times",
        "title": "FBI warns Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun of renewed assassination threat",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/fbi-warns-sikh-separatist-leader-gurpatwant-singh-pannun-of-renewed",
        "published": "2026-10-16T19:01:10.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Hindu",
        "title": "Anant Singh claims nobody can question his loyalty to Nitish Kumar",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/anant-singh-claims-nobody-can-question-his-loyalty-to-nitish-kumar",
        "published": "2026-10-17T00:13:07.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}