KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
04-May-2023
The Punjab and Haryana High Court on May 4 was informed that three accused in the drug case against former minister Bikram Singh Majithia were still at large and residing in Canada. The court was also told that the investigation into the case would examine the role of all police officers who may have helped in drug trafficking or smuggling and would be concluded within a month, taking into account all three reports of the SIT. The extradition process had been initiated against 12 accused, including Majithia, with regard to six First Information Reports (FIRs) mentioned in a report earlier submitted by the head of the special task force.
04-May-2023
Kirandeep Kaur, the wife of Amritpal Singh, a Khalistan sympathizer and the leader of Waris Punjab De (WPD) who was arrested on April 23 and sent to Dibrugarh Jail in Assam, met him at the prison on May 4. She was accompanied by family members and other WPD activists. Amritpal Singh is among nine of his associates who are also in jail with NSA (The National Security Act) invoked against him and facing multiple FIRs (First Information Report). Discussions about the cases were held between his family members and lawyer, Simranjit Singh.
04-May-2023
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami on May 4 urged the BJP-led Centre to release Sikh prisoners who have completed their terms in jails across the country as a befitting tribute to late leader Parkash Singh Badal. Dhami made the request during a prayer meeting for Badal, which was attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Shah paid tribute to Badal and praised him as a true nationalist who always stood with the nation.
04-May-2023
According to reports, a man dressed as a Nihang and believed to be a drug addict, identified as Karam Singh committed a sacrilege of a Gutka (a religious text) at Hargobindpur village in Gurdaspur district on May 4.
04-May-2023
Punjab police on May 4 arrested 13 persons connected to cross-border smuggling, with links to Pakistani smugglers supported by ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence), and seized arms, ammunition, drugs and cash from them from different parts of Punjab. The Deputy Inspector General, Border Range, Narender Bhargav, said that police had arrested 13 smugglers and recovered 6 foreign-made pistols including one .32 bore, two Glocks, and three 30 bore, 7 magazines, 77 live rounds, 4.5 kg heroin and INR 32.5 lakh drug money from their possession. He said the arrest of the gang has not only disrupted the cross-border drug and arms smuggling operation but also prevented potential terrorist incidents in the border state. The seized arms, including Austrian Glocks, were brought into India through drones and traditional smuggling techniques. Most of the suspects were natives of border villages in Punjab.
03-May-2023
Police on May 3 arrested a man, identified as Gaurav Pandit for allegedly posting objectionable comments on social media against Sikh gurus and the community, in Yamunanagar district of Haryana.
03-May-2023
Police and Border Security Force (BSF) troops on May 3 arrested two persons from Firozpur in Punjab, when they came to collect heroin smuggled via a drone from Pakistan in Sri Ganganagar district of Rajasthan. The men were found with a country-made pistol and three phones.
03-May-2023
Two men, who were arrested in March for allegedly sending pro-Khalistan voice messages ahead of the India-Australia cricket match, have been denied bail by a sessions court in Ahmedabad, Gujrat on May 3. The messages threatened to disrupt the match and were sent using a sim box, allegedly by Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the chief of Khalistani terror outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ).
03-May-2023
The Uttarakhand special task force has discovered that Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a leader of banned pro-Khalistani group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), used a Japanese telecommunications company to make threat calls to recipients in India while sitting in United States (US). The police have written to the company for further action, but are yet to receive a reply. Pannun had made threat calls to police officers, media persons and government employees in the state ahead of the three-day G20 event in Ramnagar near Nainital, a city in Uttarakhand in March.
03-May-2023
The Supreme Court (SC) on May 3 denied the commutation of the death sentence of Balwant Singh Rajoana, a Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terrorist convicted of assassinating former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh. The court has directed the Centre to decide on Rajoana's request for compassion. The decision was made by a panel of three judges who had reserved their decision in March 2023, due to the Centre's delayed decision on Rajoana's mercy petition.
03-May-2023
The Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) has started the ‘Akhand Path’ to celebrate the 300th birth centenary of Sardar Jassa Singh Ramgarhia at the Bunga Ramgarhia in the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab. The main event will be held at Gurdwara Sri Manji Sahib Diwan Hall on May 5, which will be attended by Singh Sahibs, Jathedars of Takht Sahibs, heads of various sects and prominent personalities of the Panth.
03-May-2023
According to reports, Chinese-made DJI Matrice 300 RTK drones with advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities have become a popular tool for Pakistani smugglers to drop drugs, arms, and ammunition in Punjab from across the border. Border Security Force (BSF) officials have seized 10 drones in 2023, with eight being Matrice 300 RTK models. The drones are equipped with high-definition cameras that can live record and take pictures, and up to three payloads can be mounted on them simultaneously. They can also be operated with dual remote controls having an HD screen. At least 30 drone intrusions have been reported at the Punjab border this year, with BSF having captured 22 drones last year. The BSF is hopeful of acquiring an effective anti-drone technology soon to combat the threat.
02-May-2023
The Border Security Force (BSF) on May 2 arrested two suspected drug smugglers, identified as Harjinder Pal Singh and Lovepreet Singh from near the Kaku Singh Wala border post in Abohar in Fazilka district. According to BSF, they were carrying out a reconnaissance mission to locate a suitable spot to receive a drug shipment from across the border.
02-May-2023
The Garhshankar police arrested two smugglers and recovered drugs and liquor from their possession in Hoshiarpur district on May 2.
02-May-2023
Tanda police arrested one person, identified as Suraj and seized 58 gm of intoxicating powder from him in Hoshiarpur district on May 2.
02-May-2023
Mukerian police arrested a drug smuggler, identified as Sunil Kumar and seized 100 gm of heroin from him in Hoshiarpur district on May 2.
01-May-2023
Pro-Khalistan leader Amritpal Singh, who was arrested on April 23 in Punjab’s Moga district after a month-long manhunt, has refused to disclose his sources of money and poses a threat to peace and security, according to officials. He has pledged to fight against drugs and conversions if released but authorities fear he will resume his previous activities. His arrest has raised concerns about a resurgence of militancy in Punjab.
01-May-2023
The Border Security Force (BSF) seized 2.5 kg of heroin that were dropped by a drone from Pakistan in Setha Wala village in Ferozepur district on May 1. The BSF recovered three packets of heroin, two sparkling balls, and a luminous blue LED bulb with battery attached to the consignment. This is the fifth incident of drug seizure in the past five days along the International Border in Punjab.
01-May-2023
A study conducted by the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), focused on the drug addiction problem in Punjab and neighbouring states, found that more than 95% of respondents believed that politicians were distributing drugs to woo voters and that some leaders were involved in the drug trade. The addicts also talked about a nexus between political leaders, police officials, and drug smugglers. The study also mentioned media reports that had previously exposed the police-drug-politician nexus. The researchers emphasized that it was impossible to break the supply chain of drugs without punishing the major players involved in it.
01-May-2023
Police arrested a drug peddler, Lakhwinder Singh following the recovery of 1 kg of heroin from his fields near the barbed fencing at Kilche village in Ferozepur sector in Ferozepur district on May 1.
01-May-2023
Police arrested two associates of gangsters Lakhbir Singh Landa and Satnam Singh alias Satta Naushehra, identified as Jobanjit Singh and Joginder Singh alias Rinku in Amritsar on May 1. The arrests were made in connection with a recent shooting incident in Naraingarh area in Punjab. The suspects were acting on the directions of Ravisher Singh, who is currently in Portugal and is an accomplice of Landa and Satta.
30-Apr-2023
The Border Security Force (BSF) seized 1 kg of heroin near the International Border in Ferozepur sector in Ferozepur district on April 30.
29-Apr-2023
On April 29, members of pro-Khalistan outfit Dal Khalsa gathered at Akal Takht in Amritsar and demanded the formation of Khalistan. They celebrated April 29 as Khalistan Declaration Day and held placards with messages promoting Khalistan. They claimed that Sikhs were promised a sovereign nation in 1947, but India did not fulfil its promise. They insinuated that the demand for Khalistan is a "conflict between Punjab and India". They appealed to the international community to press India to let the people have the right to self-determination. The spokesperson of Dal Khalsa claimed that India wants to solve the political problem in Punjab using armed forces and that they do not want violence. They also claimed that the people of Kashmir and Nagaland should have the right to self-determination.
29-Apr-2023
The Border Security Force (BSF) recovered 1.5 kg of heroin from fields near the International Border (IB) in Amritsar sector of Amritsar district on April 29.
29-Apr-2023
To commemorate Khalistan Declaration Day, Bhai Daljit Singh issued a statement on April 29.
29-Apr-2023
The Border Security Force (BSF) arrested three drug smugglers, identified as Jobanjot Singh, Bohad Singh and Angrej Singh, who were sent to collect a consignment of heroin by Amritsar-based drug smugglers near the International Border (IB) on April 29. The suspects were found to have made phone calls to numbers in Pakistan and shared their location, but were arrested by BSF personnel.
28-Apr-2023
The Intelligence Wing of the Punjab Police has issued a warning to the Jail Department, cautioning them of a potential armed attack by notorious gangster and Khalistani terrorist, Lakhbir Singh alias Landa, who is suspected to be in Canada, for the release of his accomplices. The Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) (Jails), Arun Pal Singh, has communicated with the authorities of various jail authorities in Punjab, including Amritsar Central Jail, to make the necessary arrangements to prevent any untoward incidents. However, Surinder Singh, the Superintendent of Amritsar Central Jail, declined to comment on the matter.
28-Apr-2023
The Border Security Force (BSF) recovered 8 kg of narcotics, suspected to have been dropped by a drone near the International Border (IB) on the outskirts of Kakkar village in Amritsar district on April 28.
28-Apr-2023
According to his lawyer Bhagwant Singh Siyalka, Amritpal Singh, the leader of Waris Punjab De (WPD), currently lodged at Dibrugarh Central Jail in Assam, has affirmed that he is in a state of high spirits behind bars. The extremist leader conveyed a message written in Gurmukhi to Siyalka while in prison, stating that he was in "chardi kala" (high spirits) owing to divine blessings. Amritpal Singh criticized the Punjab government for registering "numerous false cases" against Sikhs, including members of his organization, and appealed to the Khalsa Panth for assistance, requesting the establishment of a competent legal team to handle these cases.
28-Apr-2023
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) officials on April 28 wrote a letter to Amritsar Police commissioner Naunihal Singh, urging him to take action against social media accounts disseminating derogatory material concerning the Sikh faith and its spiritual leaders.
28-Apr-2023
The Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) of the Punjab Police arrested three persons, identified as Onkar Singh, Sukhjinder Singh and Prabhjot Singh, for their involvement in obtaining and supplying passports using fraudulent information to aid the escape of gangsters and other offenders from the country. Police have seized at least nine passports, besides recovering several photocopies of passports of absconding gangsters prepared using fake particulars.
27-Apr-2023
The Mohali-based special CBI-cum-NIA court issued a proclamation notice for two absconding terrorists, Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh Dalla and Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who are believed to be operating from Canada. The court has directed the accused to appear before it by May 18, and failing to do so will result in proclaimed offender proceedings against them. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had booked them under different sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) on October 8, 2021.
27-Apr-2023
The Border Security Force (BSF) on April 27 shot down a drone and seized two packets of narcotics including heroin weighing 2 kg and 170 gm of opium from near the International Border (IB) in Dhanoe Kalan village in Amritsar district.
27-Apr-2023
The Counter Intelligence sub unit on April 27 arrested three youths, identified as Lavish, Jitender Kala and Kulwinder Kindu along with three pistols, two magazines and live cartridges on the Abohar-Malout road in Abohar in Fazilka district.
27-Apr-2023
The family members of the imprisoned youths in Dibrugarh jail, Assam were granted a special appointment arranged by the Dibrugarh jail authorities and Amritsar DC Harpreet Singh Sudan, to meet with their loved ones.
27-Apr-2023
In response to an intelligence alert from the banned terror outfit, Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), regarding a rail roko protest call, security has been strengthened at the Ludhiana railway station. The Government Railway Police (GRP) has added 41 extra police personnel to increase patrolling and guard vital points. According to the police, SFJ chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, has called for the protest on April 29 to support Amritpal Singh of Waris Punjab De (WPD), who is presently detained in Dibrugarh jail in Assam under the National Security Act (NSA).
27-Apr-2023
An individual, identified as Sucha Singh was arrested in connection with an incident of sacrilege reported in Shuor Kalan village in Gurdaspur district. The man has been accused of desecrating the Sri Gutka Sahib, a holy book of the Sikhs.
27-Apr-2023
Bhagwant Singh Sialka, who is a member of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and an advocate, on April 27 alleged that the arrest of pro-Khalistani leader Amritpal and other associates of the Waris Punjab De (WPD) group was a political maneuver intended to generate electoral benefits in the forthcoming by-polls in Punjab.
26-Apr-2023
According to a source, the Indian intelligence agencies, along with Dubai police assistance, have tracked down Jasmeet Singh Hakimzada, a suspected drug smuggler based in Dubai who is accused of funding the banned Khalistan Liberation Force's (KLF) operations in Punjab. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had filed a chargesheet against Hakimzada and 11 other individuals two years ago.
25-Apr-2023
According to Punjab Police’s dossier, the arrested Waris Punjab De (WPD) chief Amritpal Singh attempted to wage war against the state for Khalistan, even warned Union Home Minister Amit Shah against putting any obstacle to his goal of creating a separate Sikh nation, and gave provocative speeches that promoted enmity among people of different faiths and languages.
25-Apr-2023
Two days after arresting pro-Khalistan activist Amritpal from outside a gurudwara in Moga, the Punjab Police on April 25 conducted a special check at gurdwaras, temples and churches to review the security arrangements and make sure that CCTV cameras were installed and working. The review was conducted across all 28 police districts in the state, as per the directive of Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav.
25-Apr-2023
Parkash Singh Badal, the patron of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and former Chief Minister of Punjab, died at the age of 95 at Fortis Hospital in Mohali on April 25.
25-Apr-2023
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) expressed deep condolences on the passing away of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief patron and former five-time Chief Minister of Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal.
25-Apr-2023
Police arrested one person, identified as Sokha along with 1 kg of heroin in his possession near Mahilpur in Hoshiarpur district on April 25.
25-Apr-2023
Police arrested a woman, identified as Kulwinder Kaur, and recovered 5 grams of heroin from her at a checkpoint in Phagwara in Kapurthala district on April 25.
25-Apr-2023
Police arrested two drug peddlers along with 20 grams of heroin in Phagwara in Kapurthala district on April 25.
25-Apr-2023
The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has got the custody of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi in connection with a case of cross-border smuggling of drugs, an official said on April 25.
24-Apr-2023
Intelligence officials on April 24 stated that the radical separatist Amritpal Singh aimed to establish a new brand of Khalistani separatist identity in Punjab by generating a false sense of alienation and discontentment, especially among the youth. The officials believe that Amritpal's arrival in Punjab is part of a larger scheme by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), in collaboration with Khalistani elements in the United Kingdom (UK). Over the last two months, the investigation against members of Waris Punjab De (WPD) revealed imprints of these groups' Europe and United States (US) networks, apparently used as a front by the Pakistan ISI to create a false narrative and fuel separatism.
24-Apr-2023
The Punjab Police said that Amritpal Singh's 'provocative' speeches, which he made on social media and at gatherings since arriving in Punjab in September 2022, as the primary reason for invoking the strict National Security Act (NSA) against him. It has been reported that the Punjab Police will include these reasons in the dossier that they plan to present to the state government's advisory board on April 25.
24-Apr-2023
It is believed that Jasbir Singh Rode, the former chief of Akal Takht and the nephew of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, played a role in the arrest of Khalistani separatist Amritpal Singh in Moga, as it was reported a day after the arrest. Sources said that Jasbir, after getting the information that Amritpal was planning to surrender at Rodewal Gurdwara, had secretly shared the information with the police.