KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
30-May-2026
On May 30, Punjab Police, on day 455 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 38 drug smugglers, and seized 112 grams of heroin, 61 kg of poppy husk, 60 intoxicant pills and INR 3060 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
30-May-2026
Radical Sikh organization Dal Khalsa on May 30 announced a two-day event to mark the 42nd anniversary of the “Operation Blue Star”. The group's Political Affairs Secretary, Kanwar Pal Singh, said the organization had called for an Amritsar bandh (general strike) on June 6. He clarified that the shutdown would be limited to business, commercial, and educational establishments, and would not affect transportation services. He also announced that a "holocaust remembrance parade" would be held in the city on the evening of June 5, beginning from Burj Akali Phoola Singh.
30-May-2026
Delhi Police on May 30 announced the busting of an alleged Pakistan Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) -underworld terror module and the arrest of eight persons, including a Nepali national, who were reportedly planning attacks on critical infrastructure, security establishments, and police personnel in Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh, and cities across Punjab. The arrests were made during a coordinated multi-state operation spanning Maharashtra, Punjab, and Delhi. According to police, the suspects were in contact with handlers based in Pakistan and Bangladesh. Investigators further alleged that some of the accused had links to fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and that the conspiracy was orchestrated by Pakistan's ISI, underworld operatives, and the network of gangster Shahzad Bhatti operating from Pakistan and Dubai.
30-May-2026
Gurugram Police on May 30 arrested two alleged sharpshooters of the notorious Himanshu Bhau gang, identified as Karan alias Romie and Pravesh, and recovered a foreign-made pistol, a revolver, and live cartridges from their possession, following a brief encounter on the Delhi–Jaipur Highway in Gurugram, Haryana.
29-May-2026
Amritsar Rural Police on May 29 arrested a youth, identified as Punjab Singh, on charges of allegedly spying for Pakistan and seized a spy camera, two mobile phones, and several documents from his possession during a raid in the Attari sector of Amritsar district. Officials said the accused was being interrogated to ascertain his links and motives, while the seized mobile phones had been sent for forensic examination.
29-May-2026
On May 29, the 129th day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangstran Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahar— the police conducted 438 raids, arrested 156 persons and recovered one weapon from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 96 individuals, while nine persons were verified and released after questioning. One proclaimed offender (PO) was also arrested during the operation.
29-May-2026
On May 29, Punjab Police, on day 454 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 58 drug smugglers, and seized 366 grams of heroin, 105 kg of poppy husk, 1855 intoxicant pills and INR 29,200 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
29-May-2026
The Jalandhar Commissionerate Police on May 29 arrested three alleged arms smugglers, identified as Manjot Singh, Sandeep Singh, and Amandeep Singh alias Aman and seized five .32-bore pistols, nine magazines, and 22 live cartridges, in Punjab. Manjot was arrested near the Jalandhar bus stand in Jalandhar district, while Sandeep and Amandeep were apprehended from Bhaini Paswal village in Gurdaspur district. Preliminary investigations indicate that the module was involved in illegal arms smuggling across Punjab.
29-May-2026
The Jalandhar Commissionerate Police on May 29 arrested three alleged arms smugglers, identified as Manjot Singh, Sandeep Singh, and Amandeep Singh alias Aman and seized five .32-bore pistols, nine magazines, and 22 live cartridges, in Punjab. Manjot was arrested near the Jalandhar bus stand in Jalandhar district, while Sandeep and Amandeep were apprehended from Bhaini Paswal village in Gurdaspur district. Preliminary investigations indicate that the module was involved in illegal arms smuggling across Punjab.
29-May-2026
Mohali Police on May 29 arrested two youths, identified as Jashanpreet Singh and Sukhwinder Singh, and recovered 188 grams of heroin from their possession, near the Mohali railway station in Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar district.
29-May-2026
On May 29, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Amritsar Zonal Unit, announced a reward of INR 100,000 for information leading to the whereabouts of Harmanjit Singh Sandhu, a key accused in an 18 kg drug seizure case. Sandhu, a resident of Naushra Dhalla village in Tarn Taran district, was named among the main accused after the NCB recovered 18 kg of narcotics on February 15.
29-May-2026
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on May 29 conducted coordinated searches at 12 locations across Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, and Rajasthan in connection with a Pakistan-linked terror conspiracy involving drone-delivered arms and planned attacks in multiple Indian cities. The investigation centres on Pakistan-based operative Jasvir Chaudhary, who, along with his Indian associates, allegedly procured a large consignment of arms, ammunition, and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) through drone drops across the India-Pakistan border. According to investigators, the weapons were intended for attacks in Punjab, Delhi, and other parts of the country. The case was initially registered by Punjab Police after the State Special Operations Cell (SSOC) received intelligence inputs on February 10 regarding the alleged terror plot.
29-May-2026
On May 29, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) secured a decisive victory in Punjab’s urban local body elections, winning more than 48 per cent of the total wards across the 102 civic bodies that went to the polls on May 26.
28-May-2026
On May 28, the 128th day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangstran Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahar— the police conducted 364 raids, arrested 92 persons and recovered one weapon from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 62 individuals, while 16 persons were verified and released after questioning. One proclaimed offender (PO) was also arrested during the operation.
28-May-2026
On May 28, Punjab Police, on day 453 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 50 drug smugglers, and seized 935 grams of heroin, 500 grams of opium, and INR 6000 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
28-May-2026
Slain Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala’s father, Balkaur Singh, on May 28 alleged in Mansa that he continued to face systemic harassment by the Punjab Police even as the masterminds behind his son’s murder remained beyond the reach of the law. He said that despite the passage of time since the singer’s daylight killing on May 29, 2022, justice remained elusive for the family. Balkaur Singh further alleged that while police had arrested local shooters and named known gangsters, the larger political and financial conspiracy behind the murder was deliberately being shielded.
27-May-2026
Four terrorists linked to a terror module allegedly backed by Pakistan-based gangsters Shahzad Bhatti and Abid Jatt, identified as Mehkab, Gagandeep Singh alias Guri, Shahrukh, and Musharraf were arrested by the Uttar Pradesh ATS and Special Task Force in Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh on May 27. The accused had allegedly planned major attacks across Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Punjab. According to investigators, the module had conducted reconnaissance of crowded hospitals, a political party office, and a school operator as potential targets. Mehkab and Gagandeep Singh had allegedly surveyed the locations, while Shahrukh and Musharraf were reportedly searching social media platforms for methods to carry out hospital blasts. Investigators further revealed that videos, photographs, and latitude-longitude coordinates of targets in Delhi and Punjab were allegedly shared with Pakistan-based gangster Shahzad Bhatti. The UP ATS stated that the attacks were to be executed after weapons and explosives were procured through Bhatti’s network. The agency also alleged that Bhatti was attempting to orchestrate targeted killings across Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Punjab.
27-May-2026
On May 27, the 127th day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangstran Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahar— the police conducted 369 raids, arrested 118 persons and recovered nine weapons from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 88 individuals, while 12 persons were verified and released after questioning.
27-May-2026
On May 27, Punjab Police, on day 452 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 16 drug smugglers, and seized 3.5 kg of heroin and INR 64,500 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
27-May-2026
The Amritsar Police on May 27 busted an illegal arms smuggling module with cross-border links, arresting five accused and recovering eight sophisticated pistols and live cartridges, in Chheharta, Amritsar district. Preliminary investigations revealed that the accused were in contact with a foreign-based smuggler through virtual numbers and encrypted communication platforms. Police suspect the module was receiving weapons and narcotics consignments dropped by drones from across the border for distribution among criminal networks in Punjab.
27-May-2026
On May 27, three days after the killing of Punjab Police Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Joga Singh by unidentified armed assailants in Amritsar district on May 24, a video purportedly released by the little-known outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Hindustan (TTH) surfaced on social media, showing motorcycle-borne assailants shooting the police officer. The footage closely matched images circulated earlier in a poster claiming responsibility for the attack. Issued hours after the killing, the poster, attributed to the TTH, also carried fresh threats against security personnel and government officials.
27-May-2026
According to reports, following the recovery of 5.1 kg of heroin from Punjabi singer Harbir Singh Sohal on May 25, the Khanna Police in Ludhiana district are preparing to dismantle an international drug syndicate allegedly operating from Australia and Canada. Investigators believe Sohal’s arrest could help identify other associates involved in drug trafficking across Khanna and surrounding areas of Ludhiana district.
26-May-2026
All five accused involved in installing a spy camera near the Sujanpur bus stand in Hamirpur district, Himachal Pradesh, to monitor the movement of Army and paramilitary convoys along the strategic Jammu-Pathankot National Highway have been booked under the Official Secrets Act and Section 113 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which pertains to terrorist acts and carries the death penalty. Police sources said a mobile phone destroyed by the accused allegedly contained sensitive information and contact numbers of international smugglers reportedly backed by Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
26-May-2026
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a chargesheet before the Special NIA Court in Panchkula against nine accused, including two Pakistani nationals, in connection with the November 25, 2025 grenade attack on the women police station in Sirsa, Haryana. The chargesheet named Pakistan-based handlers Shahzad Bhatti and Sohail Ahmad alias Sohail Baloch, along with arrested Indian nationals Dheeraj alias Dhiru, Vikas alias Vikky, Sandeep alias Daimar, Vikas, Sushil alias Sillu, Md. Sijaan alias Ghazi, and Gurjant Singh. According to the NIA, the attack was part of a conspiracy orchestrated by Pakistani gangster-turned-terrorist Shahzad Bhatti to spread terror by targeting police establishments and personnel in India. Investigations further revealed that Shahzad and Sohail had allegedly recruited and radicalised the arrested accused through social media platforms and encrypted communication channels.
26-May-2026
On May 26, the 126th day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangstran Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahar— the police conducted 509 raids, arrested 229 persons and recovered 10 weapons from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 104 individuals, while 10 persons were verified and released after questioning. Three proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
26-May-2026
On May 26, Punjab Police, on day 451 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 25 drug smugglers, and seized 513 grams of heroin and INR 20,200 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
26-May-2026
The Counter Intelligence (CI) unit in Ferozepur on May 26 busted a cross-border illegal arms trafficking module with the arrest of alleged weapon supplier, Lakhwinder Singh along with five .30 bore Glock pistols and four live cartridges in Ferozepur district. Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said the accused had a criminal background and was released from jail a month ago. Preliminary investigations revealed that the weapons were allegedly smuggled into India through cross-border channels for further distribution through the network. The DGP added that investigations were under way to trace the module’s forward and backward linkages and identify all those associated with it.
25-May-2026
Punjab Police on May 25 arrested two workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), identified as Gurpreet Singh and Harbhajan Singh Dargan and recovered 32.5 grams of opium and INR 40,600 in cash allegedly being distributed during the civic body elections, in Arniwala area of Fazilka district.
25-May-2026
On May 25, the 125th day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangstran Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahar— the police conducted 519 raids, arrested 258 persons and recovered nine weapons from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 92 individuals, while 22 persons were verified and released after questioning.
25-May-2026
On May 25, Punjab Police, on day 450 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 50 drug smugglers, and seized 1.5 kg of heroin, 580 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 1050 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
25-May-2026
Punjab Police on May 25 arrested Punjabi singer Harbir Singh Sohal and recovered 5.1 kg of heroin, INR 150,000 in alleged drug money, and a Mahindra Thar from his possession, in Ludhiana district. Sohal was reportedly a close associate of slain gangster Jaipal Bhullar. In 2022, he was arrested by Mohali police in connection with illegal weapons possession and an extortion racket allegedly operated at the behest of foreign-based handlers. Khanna Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Darpan Ahluwalia said the breakthrough came during investigations into backward and forward linkages in a drug trafficking case registered by Doraha police on March 7.
25-May-2026
Punjab Police on May 25 arrested an accused, identified as Lovepreet Singh alias Akashpreet Singh and recovered two hand grenades, detonators and a pistol from his possession, in the Chatiwind police station area of Amritsar district. During preliminary interrogation, the accused allegedly disclosed that the consignment had been dropped inside Indian territory in the Attari sector by Pakistan-based smugglers using a drone a few days earlier. Police officials said the grenades were allegedly intended to be used in attacks on police establishments.
25-May-2026
Border Security Force (BSF) and Punjab Police on May 25 recovered 20 packets containing 10.950 kg of heroin from the Jalalabad area of Fazilka district. According to official sources, farmer Teja Ram, accompanied by a BSF jawan, had gone beyond the border fencing near Prabhat Singh Wala village in the Jalalabad subdivision for crop management work when they spotted a white bag lying in the field of another farmer, Mahavir Prasad, near the Indo-Pak international border.
25-May-2026
An email threatening to blow up the residence of Punjabi singer Diljit Dosanjh in Ludhiana was received on May 25, allegedly from a group calling itself the “Khalistan National Party.” The threat email was sent to the official email address of the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation and also contained threats targeting the Ludhiana Mayor’s residence and office. According to the email, the Mayor’s house would be attacked by 1:11 pm, while Dosanjh’s residence was allegedly threatened to be blown up by 9:11 pm. However, it is learnt that Diljit Dosanjh does not currently reside at the property.
25-May-2026
Rumours of a firing incident outside the residence of Bollywood actor-comedian Kapil Sharma in Amritsar district spread rapidly on May 25, prompting the Commissionerate Police to issue a clarification denying the reports. The rumours gained traction on social media amid references to multiple shooting incidents over the past year targeting Kap Sharma’s Canada-based Kap’s Café.
24-May-2026
On May 24, the Kapurthala Police registered an FIR against 31 inmates for rioting and vandalism at the Central Jail in Kapurthala district on May 23. Two mobile phones, along with several iron rods and sticks, were seized from the prisoners. The accused were booked on charges including attempt to murder, arson, rioting, obstructing public servants from performing their duties, live transmission of objectionable content, and criminal conspiracy. The inmates allegedly damaged jail property, set items on fire, and livestreamed the unrest, which continued until the morning of May 24. Police used tear gas shells to bring the situation under control and force the rioters back into their barracks.
24-May-2026
On May 24, the 124th day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangstran Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahar— the police conducted 529 raids, arrested 269 persons and recovered two weapons from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 100 individuals, while 16 persons were verified and released after questioning. 11 proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
24-May-2026
On May 24, Punjab Police, on day 449 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 72 drug smugglers, and seized 30.6 kg of heroin, 271 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 4200 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
24-May-2026
Unidentified armed assailants shot dead a Punjab Police Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI), identified as Joga Singh, while he was on his way to duty on the Fatehgarh Churian–Majitha road in Amritsar district on May 24. Singh, who was posted in the Traffic Wing of the Amritsar Police Commissionerate, was travelling to Amritsar on his scooter around 6 am when two unidentified motorcycle-borne assailants intercepted him about a kilometer before Majitha and opened fire at close range. He sustained bullet injuries to the chest and waist and died on the spot, while the attackers fled after the shooting.
24-May-2026
Hours after the murder of Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Joga Singh in the Majitha area, a poster attributed to the obscure outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Hindustan surfaced on social media, claiming responsibility for the killing and issuing fresh threats against security personnel and government officials, on May 24 evening. The group also claimed that a video related to the attack would soon be released online. Notably, the same organisation had earlier claimed responsibility for the killing of two policemen in the Dorangla area of Gurdaspur earlier this year, raising concerns among security agencies. However, the authenticity of the poster has not yet been verified.
24-May-2026
Unidentified motorcycle-borne assailants opened fire at the house of deceased ex-serviceman Subedar Sadhu Singh in Manolian village, Hoshiarpur district, in the early hours of May 24. No casualties were reported, though the attackers allegedly fired at least three rounds at the house.
24-May-2026
The Counter Intelligence (CI) wing of the Punjab Police on May 24 arrested four drug peddlers and seized 28.12 kg of heroin along with INR 950,000 in drug money during an operation in the Guruharsahai area of Ferozepur district. Preliminary investigations revealed that the module had links with foreign-based smugglers and handlers, who had allegedly tasked the accused with retrieving and distributing the narcotics consignment within Indian territory. Further investigations are under way.
24-May-2026
Police on May 24 arrested three drug smugglers, identified as Ranjeet Singh alias Rana, Arshdeep Singh alias Arshi, and Akashdeep Singh alias Akash, and seized 4.254 kg of heroin from their possession in Ferozepur district.
24-May-2026
The Delhi Police Special Cell on May 24 arrested three alleged sharpshooters of the Kapil Sangwan alias Nandu gang along with two alleged weapon suppliers, identified as Abhishek, Sahil, Harshdeep alias Polu, Karan alias Ankush, and Aman, foiling a planned firing incident linked to an extortion racket in New Delhi. According to police, the accused had allegedly been tasked by gangster Kapil Sangwan to open fire at a clinic in Delhi’s Chhawla area to intimidate the target for extortion purposes.
23-May-2026
On May 23, the 123rd day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangstran Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahar— the police conducted 512 raids, arrested 222 persons and recovered six weapons from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 101 individuals, while 12 persons were verified and released after questioning. Four proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
23-May-2026
On May 23, Punjab Police, on day 448 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 113 drug smugglers, and seized 12.4 kg of heroin, 279 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 2700 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
23-May-2026
The Border Security Force (BSF) on May 23 recovered a packet containing 3.245 kg of heroin along with packing material near Border Outpost (BOP) Chhanmullah in Amritsar district.
23-May-2026
The Border Security Force (BSF) on May 23 recovered a packet containing 3.206 kg of heroin near the border fence at Border Outpost (BOP) Fatehpur in Amritsar district.
23-May-2026
Police on May 23 arrested a man, identified as Pragat Singh, and seized 500 grams of heroin from his possession in Ajnala, Amritsar district.
23-May-2026
Amritsar Police on May 23 foiled a planned target killing operation with the arrest of two alleged gang-linked suspects, identified as Kulbir Singh and Jashandeep Singh alias Maya, and recovered a China-made .30-bore pistol, four live cartridges, and two empty shells from their possession, following a brief exchange of fire in the Fatahpur area of Amritsar district. During preliminary investigations, police alleged that the duo was planning to execute a target killing and that timely intervention prevented a possible gang war-related murder. Investigators further disclosed that the accused were allegedly in contact with foreign-based gangster Ankush Bahman and had been assigned the task of eliminating two rival gang members.