KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
26-Mar-2026
The Border Security Force (BSF) on March 26 recovered 536 grams of opium, along with packing material and a foreign-made DJI Air-3 drone, during an operation near the Pulmoran border outpost in Amritsar district.
26-Mar-2026
On March 26, the Border Security Force (BSF) recovered 1.04 kg of heroin along with packing material in Amritsar district.
26-Mar-2026
Punjab Police’s Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), in a joint operation with Chandigarh Police, on March 26 arrested the main shooter involved in the firing incident on student leader Jashanpreet Singh Jawanda at Panjab University, and seized a .32 bore country-made pistol, magazines, two live cartridges, and four empty shells in Fatehgarh Sahib district. Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav said the accused is a key member of the Doni Bal/Bambiha group, adding that the attack was carried out at the group’s behest.
26-Mar-2026
Police on March 26 arrested four persons, Jasvir Singh, Ajay Kumar alias Billa alias Jaddu, Inderpal Singh, and Gaurav Rana and seized 1,110 intoxicating tablets and capsules from their possession in Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar district.
26-Mar-2026
Punjab Police’s counter-intelligence wing in Jalandhar on March 26 busted an inter-state illegal arms supply module, arresting Dalesh Kumar alias Saurav Kumar alias Nannu and Amit Chahar and recovering 10 country-made pistols and 20 magazines, in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. This comes nearly a month after the arrest of two Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) operatives, Sukhwinder alias Sunny and Rawal, who had procured and planted three grenades and an IED near Balachaur on the directions of their foreign-based handler, Jassi Kulam. The same IED was later used in the Nalagarh police station blast in Himachal Pradesh.
26-Mar-2026
Police arrested Gursahib Singh for allegedly firing at the nephew of a former legislator in Ghuman Kalan, on November 18, 2025, reportedly at the behest of handlers of an overseas extortion gang, in Gurdaspur district. He had been declared a proclaimed offender (PO) in the case registered at Ghuman Kalan police station under Sections 109 and 3(5) of the BNS and is also facing at least four other cases across different police stations.
25-Mar-2026
The Counter Intelligence (CI) wing of Punjab Police on March 25 arrested two operatives of a narcotics smuggling module, Inderjeet Singh and Ravinder Sharma and seized 7 kg of heroin from their possession in Amritsar district. Preliminary investigations suggest that both accused were actively involved in transporting heroin consignments and are suspected to be part of a larger narcotics network operating in the region.
24-Mar-2026
Gurvinder Singh, who allegedly took over the Rocky Gang after Jaswinder Singh Rocky was shot dead near Timber Trail in Himachal Pradesh in May 2016, was arrested in Sriganganagar, Rajasthan on March 24. Police recovered an illegal .32 bore pistol, two magazines, and 14 cartridges from his possession. Subsequently, his associate and weapon recipient, Gurjant Singh alias Janta, was arrested on March 25, and a pistol, one magazine, and six cartridges were recovered from him. Police said the weapons had been supplied by Gurvinder. Officials added that Gurvinder was wanted by Punjab Police as the prime accused in a Fazilka shooting incident and had fled to Sriganganagar after the crime.
24-Mar-2026
Bathinda police have recovered the stolen pistol of slain kabaddi promoter Kanwar Digvijay Singh alias Rana Balachauria, who was shot dead during a tournament in Sohana, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar district, on December 15, 2025. The accused, Gurmel Singh alias Jassa, a resident of Hamirgarh village and currently living in Jandanwala village in Bathinda, was arrested in connection with a robbery case in which a youngster was allegedly robbed of his motorcycle and mobile phone at gunpoint on March 22 evening. His accomplice is yet to be identified and arrested.
24-Mar-2026
As Khadoor Sahib Member of Parliament (MP) Amritpal Singh’s absence from Parliament reached 59 sittings, the Punjab and Haryana High Court was informed on March 24 that there was “no immediate threat” to his membership, as he could still apply for leave, which is ordinarily condoned by the competent parliamentary committee.
24-Mar-2026
On March 24, the 63rd day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangsters Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahaar—the police conducted 501 raids, arrested 181 persons and recovered two weapons from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 68 individuals, while 50 persons were verified and released after questioning. Three proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
24-Mar-2026
On March 24, Punjab Police, on day 388 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 104 drug smugglers, and seized 666 grams of heroin, 1.3 kg of opium, 5 kg of poppy husk, 557 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 17,740 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
24-Mar-2026
The Delhi Legislative Assembly and its Speaker Vijender Gupta have once again received a bomb threat via email, containing provocative language and references to support for a so-called Khalistan referendum. According to sources, a threatening email was sent to the Assembly at around 7:28 am, warning of a possible bomb attack, followed by another email at 7:49 am to the Speaker’s official ID. The threat comes on the day the Delhi Budget is scheduled to be presented.
23-Mar-2026
Police on March 23 arrested a drug smuggler, identified as Prince Mehta and seized 100 grams of heroin, a .32 bore pistol, and two cartridges from his possession, near Ladhowal toll plaza in Ludhiana district.
23-Mar-2026
The Counter Intelligence wing of Punjab Police on March 23 arrested two members of a narcotics smuggling module, identified as Maninder Singh and Gurjant Singh and seized 5 kg of heroin from them in Amritsar district. Preliminary investigations revealed that the accused were in contact with a Pakistan-based smuggler and a foreign-based handler, allegedly coordinating cross-border consignments. Officials suspect the module to be part of a larger international drug syndicate.
23-Mar-2026
An accused, identified as Harmandeep Singh alias Harman, was arrested for allegedly executing “TTH” graffiti at multiple locations in Talwara, Hoshiarpur, Punjab, while being in contact with Pakistan-based gangster Shahzad Bhatti, from New Delhi on March 23. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Narra Chaitanya said Harman was in direct communication with Bhatti and his foreign associates via social media platforms. Police recovered incriminating chats, along with photos and videos related to the activities of the terror module, from his mobile phone. The officer added that the operation was part of broader surveillance on Pakistan-based handlers suspected of planning terror activities in India.
23-Mar-2026
On March 23, the 62nd day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangsters Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahaar—the police conducted 447 raids, arrested 186 persons. Preventive action was taken against 52 individuals, while 74 persons were verified and released after questioning. Three proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
23-Mar-2026
On March 23, Punjab Police, on day 387 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 102 drug smugglers, and seized 6.2 kg of heroin, 10 kg of poppy husk, 2162 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 17,113 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
22-Mar-2026
Police on March 22 arrested three associates of the Goldy Brar gang, Jagdeep Kumar alias Deepu, Sunny Singh, and Chetan Gharu alias Chetu and seized a Glock 9 mm pistol, a magazine, and five live cartridges from their possession in Faridkot district. During interrogation, the accused revealed that the illegal weapon had been supplied to them for further distribution. Police have also nominated two more suspects and are probing backward and forward links to dismantle the entire network.
22-Mar-2026
A Sarpanch (village head) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader, Dr Jaswinder Singh, and his servant were attacked by five unidentified assailants at his private clinic in Shahpur village, Amloh subdivision, Fatehgarh Sahib district, on March 22. The attackers, with their faces covered, barged into the clinic armed with kirpans and iron rods, assaulted both victims, and fled the spot, leaving them seriously injured.
22-Mar-2026
The Border Security Force (BSF) and Punjab Police’s Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF), in a joint operation on March 22, arrested three persons, Jagjit Singh alias Rana, Manpreet Singh alias Preet, and Roshan Singh and seized 24.5 kg of heroin, INR 21 lakh drug money, a multi-copter drone, and two vehicles, including an SUV, in Amritsar district. Preliminary investigations revealed their direct links with handlers based in Pakistan.
21-Mar-2026
Police on March 21 arrested two persons, Akashdeep Singh alias Mintu and Balraj Singh for allegedly spying for Pakistan in Sri Muktsar Sahib district. The accused are alleged to have leaked sensitive information related to the Army and cantonment areas to Pakistan-based handlers, including photographs and videos from the “SwaRaksha Mahotsav 2025” held in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
21-Mar-2026
The Counter Intelligence wing of Punjab Police, in coordination with the Border Security Force (BSF), on March 21 recovered 6.5 kg of heroin from agricultural fields near a border outpost at Mahatam Nagar village in Fazilka district.
21-Mar-2026
Police on March 21 arrested two persons, identified as Swarn Singh alias Kaka and Sukhdev Singh alias Sassi and seized 1.052 kg of heroin from their possession in Ferozepur district.
21-Mar-2026
Police on March 21 arrested a man, identified as Sukhdev Singh and recovered 2.72 kg of heroin from his possession in Ferozepur district.
21-Mar-2026
On March 21, police recovered 1.9 kg of heroin near Lanegana village in Ferozepur district.
21-Mar-2026
Punjab Police’s investigation into the murder of property dealer Charanpreet Singh Chinni—shot dead in broad daylight in Sector 9, Chandigarh on March 18—has revealed that the main accused, Rajan alias Piyush Pehalwan, was involved in multiple killings and extortion-related attacks across Punjab after returning from Malaysia. Pehalwan and another shooter, Pritam Shah, were arrested during a joint operation by the Punjab Police Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) and Haryana Police Special Task Force (STF), on March 19 in Kaithal, Haryana,
21-Mar-2026
The Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) on March 21 arrested two persons, identified as Jacky Kumar and Vikas Arora, and recovered two illegal country-made .32 bore pistols, magazines, and four live cartridges from them in Bathinda district.
21-Mar-2026
Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann on March 21 blamed opposition parties for fostering gangsterism in the state, alleging that some leaders may have had prior knowledge of certain criminal incidents. He claimed that gangster culture thrived under previous regimes due to political patronage, allowing criminals to operate with impunity. Mann also referred to the Nabha jailbreak, noting that Sukhbir Singh Badal commented on the incident within half an hour of it becoming public.
21-Mar-2026
Delhi Police on March 21 arrested a suspected sharpshooter and an alleged arms supplier linked to the Kapil Sangwan alias Nandu gang, recovering two country-made pistols and five live cartridges in two separate incidents. The main accused, Sumit Punia, a resident of Mahendergarh, Haryana, was arrested along with a country-made semi-automatic pistol and five live rounds, in Dwarka, Delhi. Based on his disclosure, police also arrested the alleged arms supplier, Badar Islam and recovered a country-made pistol from his possession, from Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh.
20-Mar-2026
On March 20, the 59th day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangsters Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahaar—the police conducted 599 raids, arrested 225 persons. Preventive action was taken against 59 individuals and five proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
20-Mar-2026
On March 20, Punjab Police, on day 384 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 182 drug smugglers, and seized 5.1 kg of heroin, 1717 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 88,603 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
20-Mar-2026
Sadar Police on March 20 arrested a man, identified as Neeraj and seized 15 grams of intoxicating powder in Hoshiarpur district.
20-Mar-2026
Police on March 20 arrested a man, identified as Rajat and seized a large cache of intoxicating tablets from him, in Shankar Nagar, Hoshiarpur district.
20-Mar-2026
Police on March 20 arrested a person, identified as Mandeep Singh alias Aadu and recovered 79 grams of intoxicating powder along with a large number of prohibited capsules from his possession in Hoshiarpur district.
19-Mar-2026
On March 19, the 58th day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangsters Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahaar—the police conducted 426 raids, arrested 207 persons and recovered three sharp edged weapons from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 80 individuals, while 101 persons were verified and released after questioning. Six proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
19-Mar-2026
On March 19, Punjab Police, on day 383 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, registered 200 first information reports (FIRs), arrested 248 drug smugglers, and seized 710 grams of heroin, 20 kg of poppy husk, 2655 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 14,150 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
19-Mar-2026
The Amritsar Commissionerate on March 19 arrested six members of a cross-border illegal arms smuggling module, including one juvenile, identified as Gurpreet Singh alias Gopi, Munish Kumar alias Jerry, Saroop Singh alias Roop, Chamkaur Singh, Vansh Sharma, and a minor, and seized five Glock 9mm pistols and two .30 bore pistols from their possession in Amritsar district. Police. Preliminary investigations revealed that the accused were in direct contact with a foreign-based handler operating from Portugal.
19-Mar-2026
The Punjab Police’s Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), in a joint operation with the Haryana Police Special Task Force on March 19, arrested two shooters, Rajan alias Piyush Pehalwan and Pritam Shah and recovered a .30 bore PX-5 pistol, a .30 calibre Chinese pistol, a .32 calibre pistol, and ammunition from their possession in Kaithal district of Haryana after a brief exchange of fire. The accused were wanted in connection with the murder of a property dealer in Sector 9, Chandigarh.
19-Mar-2026
The Amritsar Rural Police on March 19 arrested three persons, Lovepreet Singh, Simarpreet Singh, and Balwant Singh and seized 4.3 kg of heroin along with a .30 bore pistol and four live cartridges from their possession in Mehta, Amritsar district. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) alleged that one of the accused was an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) youth leader. However, AAP denied the claim, stating that Lovepreet Singh of Kot Hriday Ram village had been “suspended” from the party in January over alleged anti-party activities.
19-Mar-2026
An accused shooter, identified as Jaswinder Singh alias Jassi, wanted in connection with a firing incident in Jagatpuri last year in an alleged extortion bid at the behest of a Punjab-based gangster, was arrested following a raid in Punjab on March 19. He had been absconding for nearly a year, allegedly hiding at a religious site in Amritsar, after being named in a case registered in April 2025 under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Arms Act.
19-Mar-2026
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on March 19 filed a chargesheet in a special court in Panchkula, Haryana, against another accused, Ramdutt, for his alleged involvement in the 2024 bomb attacks at two clubs in Gurugram by members of the proscribed Babbar Khalsa International (BKI). He is the ninth accused to be chargesheeted in the case linked to Canada-based designated terrorist Goldy Brar, the NIA said. Investigations found that he was associated with Brar’s close aide Rohit Godara and foreign-based gangster Randeep Malik.
19-Mar-2026
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, chief of the banned outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), has condemned the arrest of an American national and six Ukrainians by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on charges of plotting terror activities against India. Referring to the accused as “Trumpanists”—a reference to Donald Trump—Pannun claimed in a video message that they were “not terrorists” but were “fighting for freedom.” The arrests of six Ukrainians and one American have reportedly exposed an alleged terror conspiracy involving Western actors supplying military training and advanced drone technology to ethnic rebels fighting the Myanmar junta.
19-Mar-2026
Punjabi singer Mankirat Aulakh reportedly received a death threat on March 19 from gangster Lucky Patial of the Bambiha gang. An audio recording attributed to Patial has surfaced, in which he refers to the recent Sector 9 murder in Chandigarh and warns that Aulakh is next. In the clip, he allegedly states that regardless of the number of gunmen the singer hires, his turn will come, while also mocking him for staying in Mohali and portraying himself as being abroad on social media.
18-Mar-2026
The Counter Intelligence wing of Punjab Police on March 18 arrested two persons, identified as Buta Singh alias Gurpreet Singh alias Gopu and Harmander Singh alias Neeka and seized two hand grenades near Khall Khurd twin canals in Ferozepur district. Police said the accused were on their way to deliver the explosives on the directions of their handler, identified as Jodha alias Joban, who remains at large. Preliminary investigations indicate that the grenades were part of an illegal supply chain linked to cross-border elements and were intended to disturb peace in the border state.
18-Mar-2026
Two unidentified assailants on a motorcycle shot dead a property dealer, identified as Chamanpreet Singh alias Chini, in a brazen daylight attack near a gym in Sector 9, Chandigarh on March 18. According to initial reports, the victim was stepping out of the Body Zone gym and had just entered his car when the assailants opened fire, pumping 8–10 rounds before fleeing the scene. Later, gangster Lucky Patial claimed responsibility on social media, alleging that the victim had been sharing information with rival groups despite prior warnings.
17-Mar-2026
According to sources, the Lawrence Bishnoi gang has reportedly marked its presence in Madhya Pradesh following a shooting incident in Bheelgaon, Khargone. The group claimed responsibility on social media, alleging that the target was a middleman exploiting local farmers through fraudulent documentation. The development has triggered an alert among law enforcement agencies in Delhi. Sources indicate that the move may be part of a broader strategy to gain control over the “source” of illegal arms supply networks in Delhi and other parts of north India, while projecting a “Robinhood” image to justify its actions.
17-Mar-2026
On March 17, the 56th day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangsters Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahaar—the police conducted 587 raids, arrested 178 persons and recovered three sharp edged weapons from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 99 individuals, while 59 persons were verified and released after questioning. Five proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
17-Mar-2026
On March 17, Punjab Police, on day 381 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 69 drug smugglers, and seized 547 grams of heroin, 550 grams of opium, 918 kg of poppy husk, 544 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 1300 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
17-Mar-2026
A firing incident, suspected to be linked to gang rivalry, was reported near the Department of Botany at Panjab University in Chandigarh on March 17. According to sources, two unidentified individuals entered the campus on a two-wheeler and fired two gunshots in the air near the department’s parking area in the evening before fleeing via Ankur School Road towards the temple inside the campus. The accused abandoned the two-wheeler, crossed the temple area on foot, and exited the campus. CCTV footage reportedly showed the suspects snatching a motorcycle at gunpoint before escaping towards the Punjab border area.