Terrorist Pannun threatens to disrupt India-England Test; security tightened in Ranchi

Security tightened in Ranchi as U.S.-based terrorist threatens to disrupt India vs. England Test match, sparking investigation and FIR.

Security has been tightened in the Jharkhand capital after U.S.-based designated terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun threatened to disrupt the fourth Test match between India and England in Ranchi, officials said.

Pannun, who has been designated as a terrorist by the Home Ministry, has also appealed to the banned CPI (Maoist) through a video uploaded on social media to disrupt the match, officials said.

The fourth Test will commence at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi from February 23. The England team reached the city on Tuesday.

"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.

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“An FIR has been lodged against him at Dhurwa police station under the IT Act and investigation has been initiated," Deputy Superintendent of Police, Hatia, P.K. Mishra told reporters on Tuesday.

Pannun has been on the National Investigation Agency’s radar since 2019, when the anti-terror federal agency registered its first case against the "designated individual terrorist", who has been spreading fear and terror in Punjab and elsewhere in the country through threats and intimidation tactics.