KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
11-Mar-2023
Inspector General of Police (IG, Ludhiana Zone) Kaustubh Sharma on March 11 disclosed that Lovejeet Kang, a gangster based in the United States (US), along with his accomplices, recruited Punjab youths into their gang using social media platforms. According to him, the gang members would identify financially vulnerable youth and notify Kang, who would offer them financial assistance before recruiting them into his gang.
11-Mar-2023
Border Security Force (BSF) recovered approximately 3.05 kg of heroin dropped by drone near Dhanoe Kalan village in Amritsar district on March 11. According to reports, the drone was fired by the BSF troops, but it managed to escape back to the Pakistani border.
10-Mar-2023
Nakodar Sadar police arrested a drug peddler, identified as Yadwindar Singh, and recovered 70 grams of opium from his possession in Sidhupur village in Nakodar in Jalandhar district.
10-Mar-2023
The Nurmahal police arrested a drug peddler, identified as Indarjit Singh along with 65 intoxicating capsules and 120 tablets in Sanghe Khalsa village in Nurmahal in Jalandhar district.
10-Mar-2023
Australian Prime Minister (PM) Anthony Albanese and Indian PM Narendra Modi discussed the latest attacks by Khalistan supporters on Hindu temples in Australia during the bilateral meeting on March 10 in New Delhi. The discussion was held in response to pro-Khalistan extremists vandalizing a number of notable temples in Australian cities like Melbourne and Brisbane. “It is a matter of regret that reports of attacks on temples have come regularly from Australia over the past few weeks. It is natural that such news worries everyone in India, disturbs our mind," said PM Narendra Modi in a joint press conference with Albanese. According to Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra, Albanese assured Modi that the Australian authorities will deal with the matter to assure social stability. “The Prime Minister mentioned to the Prime Minister of Australia that this is something that disrupts the peace and harmony of both our societies and there is a need to take cognizance of the challenge that this represents," said Kwatra.
10-Mar-2023
The secretary for information and broadcasting, Apurva Chandra on March 10 stated that at least six foreign-operated YouTube channels that were allegedly promoting pro-Khalistan sentiments were blocked at the instance of the central government during the past ten days. He also said that these channels with Punjabi-language content were trying to stir up trouble in the border state of Punjab.
10-Mar-2023
The Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) vice-chancellor Jaspal Singh Sandhu and police on March 10 denied Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun’s claim that he had raised Khalistan flag at GNDU. A police official investigating the issue said that, “We didn’t find anything with regards to the claims of Pannun; there is much likely possibility of fake videos sent by SFJ to gain popularity in media.” Earlier, ahead of the visit of President Droupadi Murmu, on March 9, Pannun, in a video message, claimed to have put banners eulogizing Khalistan on the walls of GNDU.
10-Mar-2023
According to reports, Punjab police have begun acting against people promoting a pro-Khalistan hysteria and campaign on social media and are gradually tightening the noose around Waris Punjab De (WPD) activists. After the Ajnala incident, the Punjab police reportedly designed a plan to weaken Amritpal Singh's roots in Punjab. The first step was to start the process of canceling the arms licenses of WPD activists, followed by the arrest of Gurinderpal Singh who is a close ally of Amritpal Singh. Further action against WPD activists is expected to follow the G-20 summits in Amritsar.
09-Mar-2023
The pro-Khalistani outfit, Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), put up Khalistani posters at Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar on March 9. The posters were hung on the Guru Nanak Dev University's walls with the slogan, "Welcome G-20 leaders to Khalistan; Punjab is not India; Khalistan Zindabad." Notably, SFJ, earlier, called for ‘Rail Roko' (impeding trains) all across the state on March 15 and 16 in an attempt to disrupt the sessions of the G20 summit 2023, which is scheduled to take place in Amritsar.
09-Mar-2023
A day after the Manikaran incident (Kullu district, Himachal Pradesh), around 100 Punjabi pilgrims protested and shouted pro-Khalistan slogans by blocking the Chandigarh-Manali highway Himachal Pradesh border on March 9. According to reports, the pilgrims brandished swords and clubs, hurled stones at shops and cars, and attacked local people during a fair in Manikaran. Meanwhile, pilgrims also refused to pay the Green Tax at the Manali entry.
09-Mar-2023
According to police sources, during the investigation of the murder case of Jagraon electrician Paramjit Singh, police have found the involvement of Bathinda-based gangster Lucky Khokhar alias Denis. He is currently lodged in a jail in Rajasthan after being arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) from Sri Ganganagar in Rajasthan. Based on the information provided by the shooters arrested in the murder case, Ludhiana police have initiated proceedings to bring Denis on a production warrant for questioning. According to Police, gangster-turned-terrorist Arsh Dalla had assigned Denis to execute the electrician.
09-Mar-2023
Punjab police on March 9 arrested a close aide of Amritpal Singh, identified as Gurinderpal Singh Aujla at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar in Amritsar district. The Jalandhar police were looking for him in a case of allegedly brandishing weapons on social media. Aujla is a United Kingdom (UK)-based NRI (Non-Resident Indian), who was trying to leave the country and travel to UK as per police report.
09-Mar-2023
Khanna police on March 9 busted a module of the Lovejeet Kang gang and arrested six of its members along with 13 weapons, 11 magazines, three live cartridges, and two vehicles in Ludhiana in Ludhiana district. They were involved in the abduction of people and demanded ransom worth several crores across the state. Lovejeet Kang, currently residing in the United States (US), was booked by the Kapurthala police in January 2023 when he had demanded INR 3 crore from an NRI (Non-Resident Indian) after kidnapping the NRI’s father.
09-Mar-2023
The crime branch of the Chandigarh police arrested a drug dealer identified as Amandeep Singh (29) on March 9 from Kapurthala in Kapurthala District. He was earlier arrested by Punjab in a drug seizure case.
09-Mar-2023
The Border Security Force (BSF) shot down a drone and recovered weapons including, an AK series rifle, two magazines, and 40 bullets along the International Border (IB) in the Nabi Nagar village in Gurdaspur district on March 9.
09-Mar-2023
Police on March 9 arrested a Delhi-based drug peddler, identified as Satish Kumar along with 1 kg of heroin from Dera Bassi in the Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar district.
09-Mar-2023
Police on March 9 arrested a drug peddling couple, identified as Buti and his wife Rajni along with 10 grams of heroin and 500 intoxicating tablets from Nakodar city in Jalandhar district.
09-Mar-2023
Police arrested a drug peddler, identified as Gurprit along with four grams of heroin from Shahkot in Jalandhar district on March 9.
09-Mar-2023
On March 9, police arrested a drug peddler, identified as Jagjit Singh with 10 grams of heroin from Lohian Khas in Jalandhar district.
09-Mar-2023
Police arrested one person identified as Rohit Kumar alias Manna and recovered arms including an illegal pistol, along with a magazine and six live cartridges near Gazi Gulla road in Jalandhar in Jalandhar district on March 9.
08-Mar-2023
Giani Harpreet Singh, the Akal Takht Jathedar, on March 8 expressed his disapproval of the formation of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (HSGMC) and accused the Centre of planning to divide the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). He also stated that, "The Sikhs of Haryana have not taken over the reign of HSGMC, but it is the government who has taken its control in reality. The central government knew that major support during the farmer agitation had come from ‘Langar’ (community kitchen) of gurdwaras... The British also adopted this same policy by taking the control of gurdwaras through ‘Mahants’. But Sikhs fought back and freed their gurdwaras,..." He said the SGPC has been “broken” as it is the backbone of the Sikh community. He wondered how a “a country that put efforts to keep its Parliament undivided, did not feel ashamed while dividing the parliament of Sikhs". He then went on to curse the government, saying, " If they have divided the Sikh parliament into two through the Supreme Court, the Almighty would divide such (country’s) Parliament into several pieces...”
08-Mar-2023
Thousands of people in Gujarat on March 8 received bulk messages and pre-recorded calls, purportedly by the head of Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) Gurupatwant Singh Pannun, threatening to “storm into the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium” in Ahmadabad in Gujarat. In the pre-recorded voice message, Pannun stated, “People of Gujarat, on 9th March, stay home and stay safe because pro-Khalistan Sikhs are going to storm Narendra Modi cricket stadium and install Khalistani flag. Do not become a victim between pro-Khalistan Sikhs and Indian police”. The messages were aimed at creating panic amongst people ahead of the visit of the prime ministers of India and Australia.
08-Mar-2023
The Border Security Force (BSF) arrested two intruders, who were trying to enter India by crossing the International Border of Punjab. One man, identified as a Bangladeshi national was arrested when he was intervening on the night of March 8 and 9 in the Rajatal border post area of the Amritsar sector. Another man identified as a Pakistani national was arrested near the Nikka border outpost area of the Gurdaspur sector on March 9.
08-Mar-2023
According to reports, Punjab police started their campaign against the radical group Waris Punjab De, and the arms license of nine of Amritpal Singh's aides were cancelled by the police. According to police sources, the Punjab police are taking up their case with the respective district magistrates and police heads of the state. The Punjab police have also contacted Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) officials as two of Amritpal's nine associates obtained their firearms licenses from J&K.
07-Mar-2023
According to reports, Sikh radicals condemned the deployment of security personnel including eight companies of Rapid Action Force to Punjab prior to the annual Hola Mohalla festival.
07-Mar-2023
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on March 7 said that it has attached five more assets in Haryana and Delhi belonging to gang members of organized syndicates. According to NIA officials, it attached another four properties in Haryana and one in Delhi following investigations into cases involving three significant organized crime syndicates/gangs run by the Pakistan-based Harvinder Rinda, Lawrence Bishnoi, and Bambiha group. These attachments and seizures are a continuation of searches conducted linked to a terrorist-criminal network on March 4. The NIA said that the attached properties were found acquired with funds generated from carrying out different types of terrorist activities and extortion, and were thus "proceeds of terrorism" as they were being used for hatching terror conspiracies and execution of crimes.
07-Mar-2023
The Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Gurdaspur, Himanshu Aggarwal urged the media not to reveal the worth of the drugs that the Punjab Police and Border Security Force (BSF) have seized, to the general public. According to DC, "Once the value is made public, young people become motivated to sell narcotics so that they can enjoy a life of luxury." He also said, "I am also asking my public relations men to fan out in villages to inform youngsters about the punishment they might get if they are found to be carrying or selling drugs".
07-Mar-2023
According to police sources, gangster Lawrence Bishnoi was handed over to the Punjab police on March 7 after a short time period in the custody of the Jaipur police. In order to investigate the involvement of his group in the January 29 G-Club shooting incident, the Jaipur police had brought him on a production warrant from Punjab.
07-Mar-2023
Police arrested seven gang members and seized eight motorcycles and six mobile phones in Barnala in Barnala district.
07-Mar-2023
Balkaur Singh, the late Punjabi rapper Sidhu Moosewala's father, on March 7, protested outside the Punjab Assembly and called for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate the case of his son's death. Singh also complained that no investigation is happening in his favor.
07-Mar-2023
According to reports, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has been preparing a draft representation pertaining to the release of the ‘Bandi Singhs’ (Sikh prisoners) that is to be submitted to President Droupadi Murmu, when she visits Amritsar on March 9. According to SGPC general secretary Gurcharan Singh Grewal, the visit will be an opportunity to talk with the President about "the issue of release of 'Bandi Singhs,'". In addition, the ad hoc Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee will inform her of the "illegal occupancy" of Sikh shrines and institutions, he added.
06-Mar-2023
The executive committee of Dal Khalsa held a meeting at its office in Amritsar on March 6, and decided to submit a letter to G20 members through their embassy prior to their visit to Amritsar scheduled on March 15-17 to draw attention to Bandi Singhs’ (Sikh prisoners) human rights issue. In the letter written to the G-20 countries, the Dal Khalsa stated that India must answer human rights issues.
06-Mar-2023
Australian ambassador Barry O'Farrell on March 6 made it clear that the Khalistan referendum has no legal legitimacy either in Australia or in India. He also stated, "Australia's respect for India's sovereignty is unwavering". He further said that Australia was a successful multicultural, multifaith country and respected freedom of speech. "But freedom of speech does not give you the right to engage in violent protests in hate speech or vandalism. And those matters are taken seriously in Australia," he added.
06-Mar-2023
Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) Chief Gurupatwant Singh Pannun, on March 6 released a video addressing the G20 representatives where he claimed that Punjab is not a part of India and threatened that the railway services will be blocked in multiple locations in front of G20 representatives. In the video, the SFJ leader gave a call for “Rail Roko on March 15-16”. "The Singhs fighting for the freedom of Punjab have installed flags at the Makhu Railway Station which state "G20 nations welcome to Khalistan". Punjab is not a part of India. The red flags put up at the Makhu station said that from March 15 to 16, all the rail services in Amritsar, Ferozepur, Bathinda, and Ludhiana will remain shut," Pannun said in the video. He further asked the people of Punjab to ensure that the railway services are blocked in front of G20 representatives.
05-Mar-2023
Delhi Police on March 5 arrested a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang after an exchange of fire near Qutub Minar metro station, in New Delhi. Police said the accused gang member was identified as Neeraj alias Katiya (30), and they also recovered a semi-automatic pistol and two live cartridges, and four empty cartridges from him. According to police sources, Neeraj was involved in over 25 criminal cases, including murder, attempted murder, extortion, robbery, kidnapping, injury, assault, threatening, and theft in Delhi, Haryana, and Rajasthan.
05-Mar-2023
The Anti-Terrorist Front of India (ATFI) on March 5 held a protest and burned pro-Khalistani leader Amritpal Singh's effigy at the Devi Nagar toll plaza on the Shambhu Border of Punjab and Haryana in Ambala. Viresh Shandilya, the national president of the ATFI raised a slogan against Amritpal Singh as a "terrorist" and an "anti-national" who is destroying Punjab's environment.
05-Mar-2023
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on March 5 said that it has attached five assets as part of its ongoing investigation against north India-based gangsters involved in organised crimes like extortion and murder, including that of a Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala. These attachments and seizures come in the wake of the searches conducted by the NIA at 76 locations in February linked to gangsters and their associates in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Delhi-NCR. The recent development is in connection with the cases filed by the NIA under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) in August 2022 against three significant organized criminal syndicates.
05-Mar-2023
The Punjab government on March 5 suspended seven jail officials in connection with the Goindwal Sahib Central jail gang clash that took place on February 26 in Tarn Taran district. Five of the suspended officials, including the Central Prison Superintendent, were arrested for dereliction of duty and connivance with gangsters. The related video of the jail clash went viral on social media. Inspector General (IG) (Headquarters) Sukhchain Singh Gill said that the state police had been ordered to thoroughly investigate each case and tighten the noose around those responsible for the irregularities.
04-Mar-2023
On March 4, the Phagwara Police arrested a drug peddler, identified as Sunil Kumar along with 10 gm of heroin at a checkpoint near Dana Mandi, Phagwar in Kapurthala district.
04-Mar-2023
Police arrested one person, identified as Sikander Singh and seized 15-gm heroin from him in Abohar in Fazilka district on March 4.
04-Mar-2023
A Khalistan flag was found atop a bridge and some pro-Khalistan slogans were inscribed under the bridge, at the Shambhu toll plaza in Ambala district of Haryana on March 4. Later, Police removed the flag and washed away the Khalistan slogans. A case has been filed in this regard against an unidentified person.
04-Mar-2023
Punjab police on March 1 arrested one person, identified as Tejvir Singh who was another shooter in the murder of electrician Paramjit Singh who was shot dead on January 4, from Bardeke village in Jagraon in Ludhiana district. Tejvir Singh was presented in the court on March 4 and sent to four days police remand. Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) terrorist Arshdeep Singh Gill alias Arsh Dalla took responsibility for the killing of the electrician in a purported Facebook post.
04-Mar-2023
Police on March 4 arrested two persons, identified as Vijay Kumar and Suraj Singh, and recovered two country-made pistols from them in Patiala in Patiala district. They were part of a gang that supplies illegal weapons to criminals or gangsters in Punjab from other states.
03-Mar-2023
In order to combat the drug problem in the state, an NGO (Non-governmental organization) led by a retired Indian Police Service (IPS) officer has recommended the Punjab government prescribe opium or poppy husk to drug addicts in a controlled manner. The recommendation stated that if poppy husks are sold legally, the state government will spend less on drugs for drug addicts and will earn revenue.
03-Mar-2023
‘Waris Punjab De’ chief Amritpal Singh visited Akal Takht officiating Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh on March 3 at the Takht secretariat in Amritsar. The meeting comes against the backdrop of Amritpal was criticized for carrying a "saroop" of the Guru Granth Sahib during the protest at the Ajnala police station on February 23. He said that this was not a prearranged meeting with the Jathedar and that he had come to do obeisance at the Golden Temple. He, however, disproved the speculations that the meeting was about carrying the Guru Granth Sahib to the protest sites.
03-Mar-2023
The Fatehgarh Sahib District Police conducted a cordon and search operation on March 3 to nab Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) supporters in the Jassran village of the Fatehgarh Sahib District. The homes of two former SFJ sympathizers were raided by the police, but nothing incriminating was found. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Jangeet Singh, said that the Punjab Police initiated a cordon and search operation campaign, to nab anti-nationals, drug dealers, gangsters, and criminals from the district.
03-Mar-2023
The police on March 3 arrested a man with an illegal pistol and six live cartridges from Barkandi Road in Muktsar district. The suspect was identified as Sukhpal Singh alias Sukha and a case has been registered against him under the Indian Arms Act.
03-Mar-2023
Police on March 3 arrested one person, identified as Sonu Singh and recovered 110-gm heroin from him on the mega highway in Abohar in Fazilka district.
03-Mar-2023
According to police sources, the investigation into the alleged kidnapping and assault complaint filed on February 16 against Waris Punjab De head Amritpal Singh and six other people is almost completed. A senior police officer said that the higher authorities would soon get a report on this case.
02-Mar-2023
Notorious gangster Lawrence Bishnoi was sent to judicial custody by a local court after the completion of his remand period on March 2. Bishnoi's attorney Deepak Chouhan said that the gangster was produced before the court through a video conference.