On March 23, supporters and followers marked the 93rd death anniversary of independence war heroes Bhagat Singh, Raj Guru, and Sukh Dev and demanded the reopening of their case for justice, akin to the reevaluation of former Prime Minister (PM) Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto's case in Lahore, Pakistan. Bhagat Singh, revered across the subcontinent, was executed by British rulers in 1931 at Shadman Chowk, Lahore, sparking calls for justice and the renaming of the square after him. The Bhagat Singh Memorial Foundation, Pakistan, organized the event, urging the Supreme Court to revisit Singh's case and grant him national hero status, echoing similar actions for Bhutto.
Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora, who made history by becoming the first Sikh to hold a ministerial position in Pakistan's Punjab, stated in a phone interview with The Tribune on March 7 that he aims to foster ties between India's east Punjab and Pakistan's west Punjab, emphasizing prosperity on both sides of the border.
On March 6, Ramesh Singh Arora, the president of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC), made history by becoming the first Sikh to be sworn in as a minister in Punjab province since the Partition. A member of the provincial assembly on a Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) ticket, Arora hails from Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev. Arora's appointment marks a significant step towards inclusivity and representation for Sikhs in Pakistani governance.
Ramesh Singh Arora, a member of Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, was unanimously elected as the President of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (PSGPC) for a three-year term in Lahore, Pakistan, on March 1. He also assumed the role of ambassador to the Kartarpur Corridor, replacing Ameer Singh. The PSGPC, chaired by Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) Chairman Arshad Farid Khan, underwent changes with new members appointed, including three from the government
Satyam Surana, an Indian student at the London School of Economics (LSE), in an interview with ANI, alleged that he was called a 'fascist' and faced a campaign against him during student union elections, linking him to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) due to his support for the Indian government and due to his stance against Khalistan extremists. He stated that he was accused of being Islamophobic and transphobic, with his posters defaced and false allegations spread across campus groups. He states that despite advocating for campus issues in his manifesto, his stance on Khalistan led to him being targeted, impacting his campus life and highlighting the lasting impact of false propaganda surrounding Khalistan-related issues.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament) Member of Parliament (MP) Raghav Chadha on March 21 met with British Sikh MP and known Khalistani sympathizer Preet Kaur Gill in London, United Kingdom (UK). Gill, a Labour MP, has a history of advocating for Khalistani groups and mobilizing support for Khalistani terrorist Jagtar Singh Johal, accused of multiple crimes, including targeted killings and funding the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF). Chadha's meeting with Gill, without political clearance from the Indian government, is viewed as concerning by intelligence sources.
A Khalistan supporter identified as Gurpreet Singh was sentenced to 28 months in jail on March 20 for stabbing two Indian-origin men and a female police officer with his kirpan during Indian Independence Day celebrations last year (2023) in Southall, United Kingdom (UK). The 26-year-old Indian citizen was ordered to forfeit all three kirpans. Judge Kwame Inyundo stated that while carrying a kirpan is lawful, using it as a weapon is not. Gurpreet, who arrived in the UK in 2020 as a student and applied for asylum in 2021, may face deportation to India after serving his sentence.
According to sources, the United Kingdom (UK) government, led by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, has executed a significant crackdown on Khalistan groups in the UK, seizing over 300 bank accounts linked to supporters. Valued at INR 100 crores, this operation has placed an additional 5,000 accounts under scrutiny, showcasing the UK's firm stance against Khalistan extremism and cooperation with India. Intelligence sharing between the UK and India has intensified, with efforts to extradite accused individuals for trial in India underway.
Participants:
Participants:
Participants:
Participants:
The Air India Flight 182 Kanishka on June 23, 1985, flying from Toronto to Mumbai, exploded in mid-air over the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Ireland killing all 307 passengers and 22 crew members. The mid-air bomb explosion which killed all the 329 persons, including 268 Canadians, 27 British, 22 Indians and 12 others on board, was the deadliest attack on civil aviation until the September 11, 2001 attack in neighbouring USA.
At least 50 passengers were killed and another 30 persons were injured as terrorists belonged to Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) attacked the train passengers in a train at Baddowal village in Ludhiana District on June 15, 1991. When the train was stopped as someone pulled the ‘emergency cords’ at Baddowal on the Ludhiana-Ferozepur railway line, the terrorists entered into the train’s compartments and started firing at the passengers.
Khalistani terrorists attacked a passenger bus and killed 38 innocent civilians and injured another 33 others on July 6, 1987, near Lalru village in Mohali District of Punjab. Around a half dozen terrorists belonging to Khalistan Commando Force (KCF) forcefully stopped a passenger bus - Haryana Roadways bus HYE 1735 – near Lalru village (between Jamalpur and Hasanpur villages) and opened fire on passengers, killing 38 passengers including women and children.
Police on March 26 arrested two individuals, identified as Gurraj Singh and Raghubir Singh and seized 400 grams of heroin and a car from their possession in Duggan village in Sangrur district. Based on information obtained during their interrogation, the police also arrested another individual, identified as Ajay Singh.
Police on March 26 arrested two women, identified as Harpreet Kaur and Navdeep Kaur and seized 705 grams of heroin, INR 29,500, and a two-wheeler from their possession in Sangrur district. After their interrogation, the police arrested Baljinder Singh, while another identified suspect, Amardeep Sekhawat, remains at large.
The Border Security Force (BSF) on March 26 arrested two unidentified individuals and seized 22 grams of heroin and two mobile phones from their possession near Hazara Singh Wala village in Ferozepur district. Preliminary questioning revealed they had received the heroin from a resident of Peer Ismail Khan Basti in Sukna, Ferozepur district.
Sikh extremist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun has issued a threat to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, saying that “Khalistanis” lodged in Tihar jail would “hold accountable” the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader for “taking Sikhs for a ride”.
The Indian government has shared the latest coordinates of Canada-based designated terrorist Arshdeep Singh Gill alias Arsh Dalla of Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) with the Canadian government and asked them to make a provisional arrest of the fugitive.
Reports from central Intelligence agencies over the past few months have indicated that Pro-Khalistan Entities (PKEs) are grappling with a leadership vacuum and are in the process of cultivating a fresh leadership cadre.
A Khalistan supporter has been jailed for 28 months after stabbing two Indian-origin men and a female police officer with his kirpan at Indian Independence Day celebrations in Southall last year.