KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
24-Jan-2026
The terrorist outfit Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) on January 24 claimed responsibility for the January 23 railway track blast in a social media post, though the claim could not be independently verified. In a statement issued by Ranjit Singh Jammu, the outfit said the explosion marked the 40th anniversary of the declaration of Khalistan and was meant to signal that the separatist movement remained active.
24-Jan-2026
Punjab Police records show that of the 61 gangsters wanted by the state and operating from abroad, 18 are hiding in the United States (US), followed by nine in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Six are based in Canada, while 15 are operating from the United Kingdom (UK), Germany, and other European countries. Three gangsters are operating from Australia, two from Thailand or Malaysia, and one each from Greece and Indonesia. Many of these fugitives are linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi and Arju Bishnoi gangs, the Lucky Patial-led Bambiha gang, the Gopy Ghanshampuria gang, and the networks of Pakistan-based terrorists Harwinder Singh alias Rinda and Lakhbir Singh alias Landa.
24-Jan-2026
The State Special Operations Cell (SSOC), Mohali, on January 24 arrested a key financial conduit of an inter-state and cross-border narco-terror module, identified as Satnam Singh, a taxi driver from Punnewal village in Sangrur district. Investigations revealed that Satnam, who travelled to Azerbaijan on a tourist visa in June 2025, came into contact with a Pakistan-based drug smuggler and facilitated terror financing by routing proceeds of heroin trafficking through his bank account and UPI credentials. The arrest followed investigations linked to the earlier arrest of key narco-terror operative Rajbir Singh alias Fauji near the India–Nepal border in Raxaul, Bihar, while he was attempting to flee the country.
24-Jan-2026
Punjab Police on January 24 arrested four drug peddlers, identified as Taranpreet Singh, Kuldeep Singh alias Deep, Sukhdev Singh alias Sunn, and Sukhpreet Singh and recovered 305 grams of heroin, a country-made pistol, and four bullets from their possession, after an exchange of fire near Lohara Bridge in Ludhiana district.
23-Jan-2026
Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, in a video message on January 23, threatened to create unrest in the national capital ahead of Republic Day and announced a reward of USD 111,000 for disrupting the Prime Minister’s flag-hoisting on January 26. He also called for placing Khalistan flags on railway tracks in Punjab and other acts of disruption.
23-Jan-2026
The Punjab and Haryana High Court (HC) on January 23 directed the Punjab government to decide within seven working days on the representation of Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh, who is under preventive detention under the National Security Act (NSA), seeking temporary release to attend the upcoming Budget Session of Parliament.
23-Jan-2026
Classes were disrupted at several schools in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, on January 23 after anonymous emails warning of bomb blasts prompted emergency searches by police and bomb disposal teams; the threats were later confirmed to be hoaxes. The messages reportedly warned against hoisting the national flag on Republic Day, referenced “Khalistan,” and named Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah as “enemies of Khalistan.”
23-Jan-2026
A railway staffer, Anil Sharma, was injured and a freight engine and railway track were damaged in an explosion on a freight corridor near Khanpur village, Sirhind, in Fatehgarh Sahib district on January 23. The blast derailed a goods train, caused minor injuries to the driver, and damaged about 60 feet of track near pole number 1208 between Sirhind and Mandi Gobindgarh, days ahead of Republic Day. Rupnagar Range DIG Nanak Singh ruled out the use of RDX. The damaged track was later repaired and train services restored.
23-Jan-2026
Delhi Police on January 23 registered an FIR against Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun for allegedly threatening to create unrest in the national capital ahead of Republic Day on January 26. The action followed a video circulated on social media in which Pannun allegedly issued threats targeting Delhi and claimed that pro-Khalistan posters had been pasted in areas such as Rohini and Dabri through sleeper cells. However, after verification and searches, the Special Cell said no such posters were found. Investigations are ongoing to determine the source of the video and the intent behind the claims.
23-Jan-2026
On January 23, Punjab Police, on day 328 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, registered 96 first information reports (FIRs), arrested 170 drug smugglers and seized 485 grams of heroin, 120 kg of poppy husk, 1184 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 7400 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
23-Jan-2026
The State Special Operations Cell (SSOC), Amritsar, on January 23 arrested a Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) operative, Sharanpreet Singh and seized a P-86 type hand grenade, one 9 mm Glock pistol, five live cartridges, and 65 grams of ICE (methamphetamine) from his possession, in Bundala Morh area in Amritsar district. Preliminary investigations suggest he was acting on the directions of foreign-based BKI operatives Nishan Singh alias Nishan Jaurrian, Adeshbir Singh alias Adesh Jamarai, and Simranjit Singh alias Simma Deol.
23-Jan-2026
Hoshiarpur police, in a joint operation with Counter Intelligence, Jalandhar, on January 23 foiled an imminent attack on a security establishment ahead of Republic Day by arresting four Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) operatives, Diljot Singh Saini, Harman alias Harry, Ajay alias Mehra, and Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh Kandola and seizing a 2.5-kg RDX-based improvised explosive device (IED) and two pistols with cartridges, in Hoshiarpur district. Preliminary investigations revealed that the module was being operated by United States (US)-based BKI handlers and that the recovered IED was intended for a targeted terror attack ahead of Republic Day celebrations.
23-Jan-2026
Police on January 23 arrested a man, identified as Rahul Gill and seized 15 grams of heroin from him Guru Nanakpura Mohalla of Nakodar in Jalandhar district.
23-Jan-2026
The Amritsar rural police on January 23 arrested a drug smuggler, identified as Dilbagh Singh alias Baga and seized 1.523 kg of heroin from his possession, in Galluwal village in Amritsar district.
23-Jan-2026
Police on January 23 arrested one person, identified as Karan Ram alias Alla and seized 15 grams of heroin and five strips of intoxicant tablets from his possession in Kajla, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district.
23-Jan-2026
Police on January 23 arrested two persons, Baljeet Kumar alias Sabi and Prince Kumar and seized 35 intoxicant tablets from them on the Banga–Mahilpur road in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district.
23-Jan-2026
Police on January 23 arrested a man, identified as Sukhmander Singh alias Mikki and seized 30 intoxicant tablets from his possession in Rahon, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district.
23-Jan-2026
Two members of the Himanshu Bhau gang—Vicky alias Mogli, who carried a INR 5,000 reward announced by Haryana Police, and Chander Bhan, wanted in multiple cases including murder, attempt to murder, and extortion—were arrested after an encounter with police in southwest Delhi, New Delhi.
22-Jan-2026
Patna Police on January 23 arrested Lawrence Bishnoi gang operative Parmanand Yadav alias Nepali after an encounter in Patna, Bihar. A day earlier, on January 22, police arrested three other operatives—Neeraj Kumar alias Vicky, Chandan Kumar, and Shivam Anand—in Beur, Bihar, and recovered a country-made revolver, six live cartridges, INR 40,000 in cash, and 5,110 Nepalese rupees. Police said Neeraj Kumar managed the gang’s accounts and financial transactions.
22-Jan-2026
Punjab Police arrested 3,256 individuals linked to drug cartels run by foreign-based gangsters during its three-day campaign against gangsters ‘Operation Prahar,’ which concluded on January 22. Police detained 4,281 people, with 3,256 arrests made after interrogation, including over 80 proclaimed offenders, while more than 25 were placed under preventive custody. The operation led to the seizure of 69 weapons, 6.5 kg of heroin, 10.5 kg of opium, 5,092 intoxicating pills, 72 kg of poppy husk, and INR 2.69 lakh in drug money.
22-Jan-2026
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on January 22 condemned the “trespassing and vandalism” at the Indian embassy in Croatia by “anti-India elements,” asserting that diplomatic premises are inviolable under the Vienna Convention and must be protected. It said the matter was strongly taken up with Croatian authorities in New Delhi and Zagreb, urging them to hold the perpetrators accountable for their illegal actions.
22-Jan-2026
Police on January 22 arrested eight drug peddlers in separate cases and seized 295 intoxicant tablets from them in Hoshiarpur district.
22-Jan-2026
Moga police on January 22 arrested three members of the Bambiha gang, identified as Gurvinder Singh alias Gagna, Jaspreet Singh, and Ekjot Singh and seized four .32-bore country-made pistols with magazines, 15 live .32-bore cartridges, one .30-bore country-made pistol with a magazine, and additional live cartridges in the Ajitwal area of Moga district.
22-Jan-2026
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on January 22 conducted searches at 10 locations in Amritsar, Tarn Taran, and Gurdaspur districts of Punjab in connection with the 2025 Amritsar temple grenade attack case. Mobile phones, digital devices, and documents were seized during the searches. The blast occurred outside the Thakur Dwara Sanatan Temple at Khandwala on Sher Shah Road in Amritsar on March 14, 2025. The NIA probe revealed that the attack was carried out on the directions of foreign-based handlers who were recruiting and funding individuals in India to execute grenade attacks.
22-Jan-2026
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on January 22 arrested three accomplices of a woman held at the airport with narcotics, including the kingpin Shammi and associates Parminder Singh and Rana Pratap, in Amritsar. The arrests followed the seizure of 1.5 kg of heroin from 19-year-old Aarti Kaur, who was intercepted at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar after arriving from Thailand.
22-Jan-2026
Khanna police on January 22 arrested a youth, identified as Gurmeet Singh and recovered 1 kg of heroin from his possession in the Samrala area in Ludhiana district.
22-Jan-2026
Khanna Police busted an inter-district drug trafficking racket operated from inside a jail in Ludhiana district. Investigations revealed that Sunil Kumar alias Bachhi, a Samrala resident lodged in jail, was running a heroin supply network using an illegal mobile phone, while his family managed the proceeds outside. His mother allegedly handled the drug money, facilitating the racket’s financial operations.
22-Jan-2026
Sources said on January 22 that Pakistan-backed terrorists are planning attacks in India, particularly in Delhi, around Republic Day (January 26), prompting intelligence agencies to issue an alert. The terrorists are reportedly attempting to infiltrate India via Bangladesh to carry out strikes in the national capital. Intelligence inputs also indicated that Gurpatwant Singh Pannun’s Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) is allegedly planning multiple attacks and has used social media to activate sleeper cells in Delhi, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Punjab.
21-Jan-2026
Punjab Police on January 21 arrested a gangster, Jeevan Singh, shortly after his arrival from Dubai, at Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Acting on a lookout circular, police apprehended him upon disembarkation; he was wanted in several heinous offences, including extortion cases in Punjab.
21-Jan-2026
Security forces in Delhi were placed on high alert on January 21 following intelligence inputs warning of a coordinated terrorist attack allegedly planned by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), through Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) with support from Punjab-based gangsters, on or before Republic Day (January 26), code-named “26-26.” Potential targets reportedly included the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, the Raghunath Temple in Jammu, and other temples and cities.
21-Jan-2026
An email received at the Shimla Deputy Commissioner’s office threatened a “suicide bombing” if Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister (CM) Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu arrives to hoist the national flag on Republic Day. Police have registered a case against an unknown person at Sadar police station, Shimla, under relevant sections. Earlier, in August 2025, a similar threat was allegedly sent by the Khalistani outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), warning the CM against unfurling the Tricolour on August 15.
21-Jan-2026
The State Special Operations Cell (SSOC), Mohali, on January 21 arrested Raman Kumar, a resident of Gangyal in Jammu, for alleged links with Pakistan-based terrorist Shahzad Bhatti, in Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar district. A .30-bore pistol was recovered from his possession on January 23 following his disclosure. Police said Kumar had been in long-standing contact with Bhatti and was acting on his directions. He was arrested in connection with an Arms Act case registered on December 10, 2025, at the SSOC Mohali police station and was brought from Ambala jail to Punjab on a production warrant and produced before a district court.
21-Jan-2026
On January 21, Punjab Police, on day 326 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, registered 78 first information reports (FIRs), arrested 152 drug smugglers and seized 377 grams of heroin, 1529 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 5200 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
21-Jan-2026
On January 21, the second day of Punjab Police’s “Operation Prahar” against gangsters, 1,186 associates of foreign-based gangsters were arrested across Punjab, taking the total arrests to 2,500. Earlier, on January 20, 1,314 individuals were arrested statewide on Day 1 of the operation. Major arrests included Amritpal Singh alias Gaggu, an A-category criminal linked to the Bambiha gang with five criminal cases, and Harpreet Singh alias Preetu, a B-category criminal associated with the Jaipal Bhullar gang. Additionally, around 40 suspects were questioned and 12 proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested.
21-Jan-2026
Punjab Police on January 21 arrested two members of a cross-border illegal arms module linked to Pakistan-based smugglers and seized six sophisticated pistols (two Glock and four .30 bore) along with two cartridges, in Amritsar district. The accused were involved in trafficking arms and supplying weapons to gangsters on the directions of foreign handlers.
21-Jan-2026
Police on January 21 arrested three persons, identified as Sartaj Singh, Safalpreet Singh and Sukhchain Singh, and seized 200 grams of heroin and INR 3,150 drug money from them near the railway underpass in Tarn Taran in Tarn Taran district.
21-Jan-2026
Police on January 21 arrested one person and seized 45 grams of heroin, an electronic weighing scale and INR 13,700 drug money from him, in Tarn Taran district.
21-Jan-2026
The Border Security Force (BSF) and the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) on January 21 recovered arms and ammunition—including three pistols, six magazines, and 150 live cartridges—from Bhindi Aulakh village near the India–Pakistan border in Amritsar district.
20-Jan-2026
Police on January 20 arrested a key shooter of the Jaipal Bhullar gang, identified as Harjinder Singh alias Laddi and seized one .32-bore Beretta pistol, three empty cartridges, and two live rounds, during an encounter on the southern bypass of Patiala city in Patiala district. The gangster was injured in the encounter.
20-Jan-2026
The Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) and Fazilka police on January 20 arrested a gangster, identified as Pritpal Singh after he was injured in an encounter at a naka near Arniwala village in Fazilka district. He was wanted in a murder case linked to a fatal shootout near the District Judicial Court Complex on April 22, 2025.
20-Jan-2026
On January 20, Punjab Police, on day 325 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, registered 49 first information reports (FIRs), arrested 76 drug smugglers and seized 1.3 kg of heroin, 1 kg of opium, 18 kg of poppy husk, 130 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 2250 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
20-Jan-2026
Amritsar police on January 20 killed a notorious criminal, Mani Prince alias Mani Soorma, in a brief encounter and recovered a sophisticated PX5 pistol, near the Defence drain in the Gharinda area of Amritsar district. A native of Tarn Taran, Mani Soorma had around 50 FIRs against him for offences including murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, extortion, and repeated firing incidents across Amritsar and Tarn Taran districts. He had earlier been arrested on January 12 after an encounter in the Kamboh police station area in Amritsar but escaped from Guru Nanak Dev Hospital two days later after dodging the police escort.
20-Jan-2026
Jalandhar Rural police on January 20 arrested two youths, identified as Angrej Singh and Karanvir, in connection with a firing incident and seized a .30-bore pistol, one live cartridge, a cartridge shell, and a motorcycle after a brief encounter in Sohal Jagir village, Jalandhar district. The firing had occurred outside a house in Sohal Jagir village of Shahkot nine days earlier.
20-Jan-2026
The Ludhiana Commissionerate Police on January 20 said they arrested 118 criminals and recovered 13 pistols, 144 grams of heroin, 96 bottles of illicit liquor, and 430 habit-forming tablets during a major crackdown by over 100 teams of police officials in the city and localities situated on its outskirts in Ludhiana district. Several proclaimed offenders were apprehended during the raids.
20-Jan-2026
In a joint operation, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) on January 20 arrested a woman arriving from Thailand and seized 1.5 kg of suspected narcotics from her at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport, Amritsar district.
20-Jan-2026
Punjab Police on January 20 launched a statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangsters Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahar—targeting 60 gangsters based abroad and their network of 1,200 associates in Punjab, all of whom have been arrested. Announcing the operation, Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said over 12,000 police personnel are conducting raids across the state, targeting around 600 houses of gangsters’ family members and numerous hideouts, with the operation extending beyond Punjab as well. He said the drive, launched under the directions of Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann, aims to dismantle gangster networks and make Punjab free of organized crime.
20-Jan-2026
Punjab Police on January 20 announced the formation of the Overseas Fugitive Tracking & Extradition Cell (OFTEC) to track foreign-based gangsters and terrorists involved in criminal activities in the state. The cell will focus on extradition and deportation of fugitives. Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said the initiative aims to strengthen international police cooperation and address gaps in handling terrorism, organised crime, cyber, economic, and trafficking cases. Police said around 60 Punjabi gangsters are hiding abroad, mainly in Canada and the US, with red-corner notices pending against 21 of them and the rest under process.
20-Jan-2026
A Faridkot court has framed charges against 12 of the 17 accused in the murder of Gurpreet Singh, a former associate of jailed Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh, invoking stringent provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Amritpal Singh is also an accused, but proceedings against him are pending as he is lodged in Dibrugarh Central Jail, Assam, under the National Security Act (NSA). Four other accused are reportedly abroad. According to the prosecution, Gurpreet Singh knew about Amritpal Singh’s alleged links with gangster Jaipal Bhullar and designated terrorist Arsh Dala, also an accused in the case. Police claim Amritpal Singh conspired to have Gurpreet Singh eliminated in October 2024 to prevent exposure of these links.
20-Jan-2026
The Punjab government has told the Punjab and Haryana High Court that there is no merit, either factually or legally, in Lok Sabha MP Amritpal Singh’s petition challenging his third detention order dated April 17, 2025. The submission came as a Bench headed by Chief Justice Sheel Nagu imposed costs of INR 10,000 on the state for filing its reply on the date of hearing, despite a January 17 deadline.
20-Jan-2026
According to a report, a jailed Rajasthan criminal linked to the 2022 murder of Punjabi rapper Shubhdeep Singh alias Sidhu Moose Wala has been identified as a key operative in an interstate extortion racket run from prison. Arshad Khan, a native of Churu district, was brought to Ludhiana on a production warrant from Ferozepur Jail this week. Police allege he acted as a middleman for the Goldy Brar gang, coordinating a hit squad to intimidate a local businessman who refused to pay a ₹50 lakh extortion demand. Investigators say the case is a major breakthrough in exposing links between incarcerated gang leaders and street-level shooters.