SFJ Announces Reward in Osman Hadi Killing, Alleges India Link

WASHINGTON: Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), a U.S.-based Sikh separatist organization, announced a reward of 5.5 million Bangladeshi taka for information leading to the location, arrest and extradition of those it says were involved in the killing of activist Osman Hadi, whom the group refers to as “Shaheed” Osman Hadi.

SFJ said the reward targets the alleged hitman responsible for the assassination, who, it claims, fled to India after the killing. The announcement followed what SFJ described as confirmation by Dhaka police that suspects crossed into India after the attack. Police officials in Dhaka were not immediately available for comment.

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, general counsel for SFJ, alleged that the killing was part of what he called India’s “transnational terrorism,” accusing the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi of ordering the assassination. Pannun said the operation bore similarities to other alleged overseas killings attributed by SFJ to Indian intelligence, including the 2023 killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.

Pannun claimed the attack was ordered in New Delhi, planned through India’s High Commission in Dhaka, and carried out locally. He specifically named Pranay Verma, India’s high commissioner to Bangladesh, as the alleged planner on the ground. India has previously rejected similar allegations by SFJ as baseless. The Indian High Commission in Dhaka did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

SFJ said the reward is intended to encourage public cooperation and assist law enforcement in bringing those responsible to justice. No independent evidence was provided by SFJ to support its claims.