KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
12-May-2026
A Punjabi-origin man, Jashanpreet Singh, founder of the outlaw motorcycle club ‘Punjabi Devils’ in Stockton, California, was sentenced on May 12 to five years and four months in a United States (US) federal prison for illegal firearms trafficking and possession of a machine gun. The Stockton-based gang, reportedly linked to the ‘Hells Angels’, used patches featuring a map of Punjab and a turbaned skull, reflecting the group’s Punjabi identity. According to the US Department of Justice, Singh attempted to sell a cache of weapons, including assault rifles, machine gun conversion devices and a revolver, to an undercover officer on June 6, 2025. A search of his residence led to the seizure of additional firearms, explosives, a silencer, high-capacity magazines and a suspected Claymore mine. Singh was arrested at San Francisco International Airport on July 26, 2025, while allegedly attempting to flee to India after skipping a court appearance.
06-May-2026
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the chief of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), released a video threatening Punjabi singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh and warned that the group would oppose his upcoming music shows in the United States. The threat followed Dosanjh’s remarks during his Aura 2026 concert in Calgary, where he reportedly confronted pro-Khalistan supporters for waving Khalistan flags and raising anti-India slogans. Dosanjh also allegedly directed security personnel to remove the individuals from the venue, drawing applause from sections of the audience.
02-May-2026
United States (US)-based Khalistani activist Surinder Singh Thikriwala on May 2 denied involvement in the April 27 Shambhu railway track blast in Patiala, calling the allegation “completely fabricated.” However, he confirmed the role of Pakistan-based Ranjeet Singh alias Neeta, head of the Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF). Speaking to The Indian Express, Thikriwala said he was unaware of any communication by the Indian government with the US regarding his deportation. Thikriwala, a US-based truck driver, said he had no personal contact with Jagroop, who was killed while he was allegedly attempting to plant an IED, adding that he had shared his photos on social media only as a gesture of sympathy.
25-Apr-2026
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, chief of the banned pro-Khalistan outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), claimed in a statement that India is a place where the Sikh community has faced prolonged persecution. He endorsed remarks attributed to United States President Donald Trump, asserting that Sikhs have been subjected to injustices across successive governments, and alleged that under the current administration they face economic hardship and discrimination.
15-Apr-2026
A ground investigation by journalist Gagandeep Singh, published by CalMatters on April 15 and featured in the San Francisco Chronicle, reports that Indian criminal networks—allegedly led by the Lawrence Bishnoi gang—are systematically extorting and intimidating Punjabi immigrants in California’s Central Valley, United States, through cross-border threats of violence. The report, based on interviews with victims, US and Indian law enforcement officials, court records, and community leaders, exposes a largely underreported campaign of fear and highlights how these networks exploit the diaspora’s family and business ties to Punjab, Haryana, New Delhi, and Rajasthan.
07-Apr-2026
The Lawrence Bishnoi gang has claimed responsibility for the alleged killing of Haryana-based gangster Bhanu Rana in California, United States (US), through a viral social media post, though official confirmation is awaited. In the post, accounts linked to the gang stated they had earlier vowed to eliminate Rana, describing him as a “traitor” and warning that those supporting rival networks could face similar consequences. The claim has raised serious concerns, but its authenticity and the reported killing remain unverified. A Karnal-based youth residing in California has reportedly said there is no local confirmation of such an incident, casting doubt on the gang’s claims.
22-Mar-2026
Despite opposition from India and rising global tensions over attacks on Sikh leaders abroad, the United States (US) permitted a Khalistan referendum organized by Sikhs For Justice to proceed in Seattle on March 22. According to reports, thousands of Sikhs gathered to cast their votes as part of SFJ’s global campaign. SFJ chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun emphasized Punjab’s historical resilience and expressed confidence in a transformative future.
15-Mar-2026
A 21-year-old Punjabi youth, identified as Gurdas Singh, was shot dead by unidentified assailants while driving in California, United Sates (US) on March 15. Gurdas, a resident of Fatehpur village in Samana, Punjab, had moved to California in 2023 on a work permit after completing his Class XII exams.
21-Feb-2026
The United States (US) Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has detained alleged extortionist and Lawrence Bishnoi gang member Hari Chand Jat alias Harry Boxer in California, US. The development comes nine days after Mumbai Police confirmed that Boxer had allegedly sent three-minute voice clips to Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh and filmmaker Rohit Shetty. In the clips, he reportedly threatened the two with “dire consequences” if they did not comply with his demands. Sources in Mumbai Police said that multiple cases—including extortion, robbery, and attempt to murder—are registered against him in Rajasthan, Punjab, and Delhi, and that Look-Out Circulars (LoCs) had been issued. He was detained in California earlier this week. Police added that they are coordinating with central agencies to facilitate the former boxing coach-turned-gangster’s return to India.
21-Feb-2026
Avtar Singh, who was allegedly abducted on February 17 from the Gurdwara Guru Nanak Parkash complex in the Tracy area of California, United States (US), was found dead on February 21.
19-Feb-2026
Leaders associated with the pro-Khalistan movement staged a protest outside the United States (US) Institute of Peace in Washington, DC, on February 19, claiming they were offering USD 1 billion to join a proposed “Board of Peace” and urging US President Donald Trump to “liberate Punjab from Indian occupation.” Bakshish Singh Sandhu, President of the Council of Khalistan, stated that the proposal included a USD 1 billion donation to fund an official referendum. Protesters displayed a large symbolic check attributed to Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) reading “$1 billion for Khalistan referendum” and “for liberating Punjab from Indian occupation,” with the years “1984–2026” printed on it.
17-Feb-2026
A 57-year-old Sikh man, identified as Avtar Singh, was allegedly abducted from the Gurdwara Guru Nanak Parkash complex in the Tracy area of California, United States (US) on February 17. Avtar Singh had been working as a cook at the gurdwara—run by Damdami Taksal—for several years and was residing within the gurdwara complex at the time of the incident.
17-Feb-2026
Sikh Federation America issued a strong rebuke of alleged Indian state operations on foreign soil following the recent guilty plea of Indian citizen Nikhil Gupta in a Manhattan federal court in the United States (US). Gupta admitted to participating in a murder-for-hire conspiracy targeting Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, chief of Sikhs For Justice (SFJ). The organization described the plea as a “grave and unprecedented moment for freedom of expression, international law, and the Sikh struggle for an independent homeland, Khalistan.”
15-Feb-2026
Indian national Nikhil Gupta, who pleaded guilty in the United States (US) to his role in a plot to assassinate Khalistani separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, allegedly told an undercover agent of the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) that Hardeep Singh Nijjar “was also a target” a day after Nijjar was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18, 2023. Nijjar, a Canadian citizen earlier designated a terrorist by the Indian government for his involvement in pro-Khalistan activities, was killed outside a gurdwara in Surrey. Citing court documents, the US Department of Justice (DoJ) stated that on or about June 19, 2023—the day after the killing—Gupta told the undercover DEA officer that Nijjar “was also a target,” adding, “We have so many targets.” The DoJ described Nijjar as an associate of Pannun, chief of the banned organisation Sikhs For Justice (SFJ). The statement referred to Pannun as a vocal critic of the Indian government who leads a US-based group advocating Punjab’s secession to establish a sovereign Sikh state called Khalistan.
14-Feb-2026
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a US citizen and Khalistani separatist designated as a terrorist by India, has been described by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as “a target of transnational repression.” The FBI made the statement while posting on X about Indian national Nikhil Gupta pleading guilty in an alleged assassination plot against Pannun. In a message attributed to Roman Rozhavsky, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division, the agency stated: “The message from the FBI should be clear—no matter where you are located, if you try to harm our citizens, we will not stop until you are brought to justice.”
13-Feb-2026
Indian national Nikhil Gupta on February 13 pleaded guilty in the United States (US) to charges linked to a murder-for-hire plot targeting Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York. Gupta admitted guilt to murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. According to a statement issued by Jay Clayton, US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, the charges carry maximum sentences of 10 years each for murder-for-hire and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and up to 20 years for conspiracy to commit money laundering.
03-Feb-2026
Jashanpreet Singh, the 27-year-old founder of the Stockton-based Punjabi Devils outlaw motorcycle gang, has pleaded guilty to federal charges of unlawful dealing in firearms and possession of a machine gun, United States (US) Attorney Eric Grant announced on February 3. Singh, a resident of Lodi, California, US, faces up to 15 years in federal prison for his role in an illegal arms operation linked to transnational criminal activity. According to court documents, Singh’s motorcycle club—associated with the Hells Angels—came under law enforcement scrutiny during an undercover operation on June 6, 2025. Singh allegedly attempted to sell a cache of weapons to an undercover officer, including a short-barrelled rifle, three assault weapons, three machine-gun conversion devices, and a revolver. A subsequent raid on his residence led to the recovery of additional illicit arms, including a machine gun, a silencer, and high-capacity drum magazines.
21-Jan-2026
The United States (US) Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on January 20 said that Harpreet Singh, a suspected Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terrorist wanted in India, had been released into the US interior under the Biden administration before his arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Singh, linked to the designated foreign terrorist organisation BKI, is accused of planning over a dozen grenade attacks on police officials in India. DHS said he entered the US illegally via Arizona on January 27, 2022, was later released, and was finally arrested by ICE in April 2025, as detailed in an enforcement recap under President Donald J. Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
29-Dec-2025
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, chief of the banned Khalistani group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), announced a reward of BDT 55 lakh for information leading to the identification of those involved in the killing of Inqilab Moncho leader Osman Hadi in Bangladesh. In a post on X, Pannun alleged that the killing was ordered by the Indian government and claimed it was part of what he described as transnational terrorism spanning from Bangladesh to the United States.
25-Dec-2025
The pro-Khalistan group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) on December 25 held a rally outside the Indian Embassy in Washington, D.C., United States (US) claiming solidarity with Bangladesh and alleging transnational repression by the Indian government. The group said the protest was triggered by the killing of Bangladeshi student leader Osman Hadi, which it termed a political assassination, and called for an independent international investigation. Addressing the rally, Khalistan Council member Dr. Bakhshish Singh Sandhu claimed Hadi was targeted for his political views and alleged support for the Khalistan movement.