KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
22-May-2026
On May 22, the 122nd day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangstran Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahar— the police conducted 512 raids, arrested 244 persons and recovered six weapons from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 116 individuals, while 20 persons were verified and released after questioning. Five proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
22-May-2026
On May 22, Punjab Police, on day 447 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 57 drug smugglers, and seized 7.3 kg of heroin, 60 kg of poppy husk, 255 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 3050 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
22-May-2026
Police on May 22 arrested two drug smugglers, identified as Akashdeep Singh alias Kashi and Ajaypal Singh alias Ajay, and seized 170,000 narcotic pills from their possession near the inter-state Shambhu barrier in Patiala district.
22-May-2026
According to reports, Amritsar Police have arrested a West Bengal-based graphic designer, Sourav Biswas alias Michael, for allegedly being part of a nationwide hoax bomb threat email racket targeting schools and sensitive establishments over the past several months. Police said the accused, originally from Bangladesh, had entered India illegally several years ago. Investigators said Biswas was involved in procuring and selling email accounts used to send anonymous bomb threats. Around 300 Gmail accounts were allegedly bought and resold through Facebook groups and encrypted platforms, including 219 accounts sold to a Bangladesh-based individual via USDT cryptocurrency transactions. Police suspect some accounts were later supplied to Pakistan-based persons involved in spreading bomb threats and other cyber activities aimed at creating panic and disrupting public order.
21-May-2026
Around 12 private schools on May 21 received threat emails warning of bomb blasts on their campuses in Bathinda district. Sources said four schools initially received the emails, but similar threats were later sent to other institutions as well. Following the threats, school authorities informed the police, which launched search operations.
21-May-2026
On May 21, several prominent schools in Chandigarh received bomb threat emails, prompting authorities to activate emergency safety protocols and launch an investigation. Chandigarh Police said the emails followed a pattern similar to previous threat messages received in the city and clarified that no suspicious object had been found.
21-May-2026
On May 21, the 121st day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangstran Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahar— the police conducted 552 raids, arrested 243 persons and recovered one weapon from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 87 individuals, while 14 persons were verified and released after questioning. Four proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
21-May-2026
On May 21, Punjab Police, on day 446 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 92 drug smugglers, and seized 7.5 kg of heroin, 500 grams of opium, 170000 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 700 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
21-May-2026
The Counter Intelligence (CI) wing of Punjab Police on May 21 arrested two brothers, Bobby Singh and Harjit Singh, and recovered 5.5 kg of heroin, four pistols, and 10 live cartridges from their possession, near Kale Ghanupur village in Amritsar district. Preliminary investigations revealed that the duo was allegedly in contact with a cross-border smuggler and had been receiving consignments of drugs and weapons for distribution across Punjab.
21-May-2026
Police on May 21 arrested a man, identified as Baljit Singh, on charges of allegedly spying for Pakistan by transmitting live visuals of military and paramilitary movement along the strategically important Pathankot-Jammu highway, in Pathankot district. The accused allegedly installed an internet-enabled CCTV camera near a bridge on National Highway-44, a key route frequently used by Army and security convoys travelling to Jammu and Kashmir. According to investigators, the surveillance system had reportedly been operational since January 2026, with the live footage allegedly shared with Pakistan-based handlers to monitor troop deployment and convoy movement in real time. Police sources said the accused admitted during interrogation that he acted on instructions from an unidentified contact based in Dubai and allegedly received INR 40,000 for setting up and operating the surveillance network.
20-May-2026
The Border Security Force (BSF) on May 20 arrested a man, identified as Gurpreet Singh, and recovered 447 grams of heroin, a foreign-made pistol, and two magazines from his possession in Burj 169 village in Tarn Taran district. Preliminary investigations suggest that the heroin and weapons were smuggled from across the border using drones.
20-May-2026
Punjab Police on May 20 claimed to have arrested 30,721 persons after conducting 77,895 raids across the state since the launch of its statewide anti-gangster campaign, “Gangstran Te Vaar,” on January 20. Special DGP (Law and Order) P K Sinha said police recovered 569 weapons, 1,613 live cartridges, 157 magazines, 181 sharp-edged weapons, and seven hand grenades from those arrested. Preventive action was initiated against 13,007 persons, while 17,711 were verified and released after questioning. Police also arrested 1,108 proclaimed offenders (POs) during the campaign. A police spokesperson further stated that, under the state government’s anti-drug campaign, “Yudh Nashian Virudh,” police have so far arrested 64,844 persons.
20-May-2026
On May 20, the 120th day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangstran Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahar— the police conducted 557 raids, arrested 246 persons. Preventive action was taken against 10 individuals, while 10 proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
20-May-2026
On May 20, Punjab Police, on day 445 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 68 drug smugglers, and seized 14.8 kg of heroin, 12 kg of ICE (methamphetamine), 873 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 2,900 in drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
20-May-2026
Police on May 20 arrested a person identified as Om and seized 10.125 kg of heroin from his possession near the Khai Pheme Ke–Habib Ke village road in Mallanwala, Ferozepur district.
20-May-2026
Police on May 20 arrested two persons, identified as Aniket Kumar and Sumit Kumar, and recovered two kg of ICE drug and a .30-bore Turkish pistol from their possession in Ferozepur district.
20-May-2026
The Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) on May 20 arrested three youths, identified as Shekhwinder Singh, Lakhvir Singh alias Manga, and Gurpinder Singh alias Manna, and recovered a hand grenade from their possession near the Chak Pakhi Railway Station area in Fazilka district.
20-May-2026
Amritsar Police on May 20 dismantled an international narco-smuggling module with links extending from Punjab to Dubai by arresting two accused and recovering 10 kg of ICE (methamphetamine) and 4 kg of heroin from their possession in Amritsar district. The arrests pointed to a well-organised cross-border syndicate operating through foreign handlers. Police said the accused were allegedly working under the directions of a Dubai/Abu Dhabi-based drug smuggler who used international contacts to push narcotics into Punjab and Delhi. The investigation further revealed that local operatives were being recruited, trained abroad, and then used to expand the synthetic drug network across the Majha and Doaba regions in Punjab.
20-May-2026
The Counter Intelligence (CI) wing in Amritsar has uncovered a disturbing recruitment pattern after busting a Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) module on May 19 allegedly linked to ISI-backed gangster-turned-terrorist Jeevan Fauji. Investigators found that vulnerable village youths were first drawn in through local cricket matches, then used for drug smuggling before being tasked with transporting explosives. Two arrested youths, Ajay and Jobanbir Singh, allegedly joined the network through local contacts who promised easy money. Initially used to deliver narcotics for payments of Rs 5,000–7,000, they were later asked to transport foam-wrapped packets that police identified as hand grenades. Acting on intelligence inputs, CI teams intercepted them before the consignment reached its destination. Police said the grenades were meant to target key establishments and disturb peace in Punjab.
20-May-2026
The Shimla police on May 20 arrested an alleged interstate drug supplier, identified as Akash Deep alias Akash, from Jalalabad near the India-Pakistan border in Fazilka district in Punjab. Shimla Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Gaurav Singh said his role surfaced during an investigation into a drug case in which two Punjab residents, Nishan Singh and Gurpreet Singh, were arrested in Shimla with 10.3 grams of heroin.
19-May-2026
The Counter-Intelligence Wing of Punjab Police on May 19 arrested two associates linked to foreign-based handlers of the banned terrorist outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), identified as Ajay and Jodhbir Singh and seized two hand grenades from their possession in Amritsar district. According to police officials, preliminary investigations revealed that the grenades were part of a larger conspiracy to target government institutions and key infrastructure in Punjab with the intent to disturb peace and disrupt law and order in the state.
19-May-2026
Former Director General of Police (DGP) Mohammed Mustafa on May 19 alleged that the blast near Malerkotla House, his residence along the Hathoa road link in Malerkotla in Malerkotla district on May 15, was a targeted attack on him and his family. According to Mustafa, the powerful explosion severed a buffalo’s limbs and hurled the animal several feet into the air, while a man nearby narrowly escaped unhurt. He further alleged that the police initially attempted to portray the incident as an accident and linked the blast to a recent threat email directed at him and others.
19-May-2026
A team of the Special Task Force (STF) Unit, Karnal, on May 19 arrested two alleged shooters of the Himanshu Bhau gang, identified as Harsh Singh and Kashish Luthra and seized two foreign-made pistols, live cartridges, and mobile phones were seized from them, following a brief exchange of fire in the Shahabad area of Kurukshetra in Haryana.
19-May-2026
A special court in Ludhiana acquitted Charanjit Singh alias Patialvi in a 16-year-old case registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Explosive Substances Act at Machhiwara police station in Ludhiana district. The court granted him the benefit of doubt after examining the evidence and circumstances presented during the trial in the case registered on July 23, 2010. The matter had remained in focus for years as the accused had earlier been declared a proclaimed offender. In April 2022, the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) had arrested him, alleging that he was living in a gurdwara disguised as a granthi to evade arrest.
19-May-2026
On May 19, the 119th day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangstran Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahar— the police conducted 512 raids, arrested 218 persons and recovered 13 weapons from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 133 individuals, while 17 persons were verified and released after questioning. Five proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
19-May-2026
On May 19, Punjab Police, on day 444 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 104 drug smugglers, and seized 4.2 kg of heroin, 685 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 9470 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
18-May-2026
Punjab Police and the Counter Intelligence wing, in a joint operation on May 18, busted a transnational terror-gangster nexus with the arrest of two operatives, Anuraj alias Gaurav Masih and Ankush, and recovery of three illegal pistols, including two .30 bore and one .315 bore weapons, along with 11 live cartridges from their possession, in Ludhiana distrcit. Preliminary investigations revealed that the accused were acting on the directions of foreign-based handlers operating from Germany and Dubai, and had been assigned high-profile targeted shootings.
18-May-2026
Punjab Police on May 18 busted a drugs and illegal arms smuggling module and arrested one accused with 2.1 kg of heroin and seven sophisticated pistols, in Amritsar district. Police suspect the network may have wider links to organized crime and cross-border smuggling operations. The recovery of sophisticated firearms has also raised concerns over the growing nexus between narcotics trafficking and illegal arms networks in the border state.
18-May-2026
National Investigation Agency (NIA) on May 18 filed a supplementary chargesheet against another accused in the 2022 Babbar Khalsa International (BKI)–Lawrence Bishnoi gang terror nexus case before the NIA Special Court at Patiala House Court in New Delhi. In the sixth chargesheet filed in the case, accused Arjit Kumar alias Ajit was charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Arjit is the 23rd accused to be chargesheeted in the case linked to an alleged terror conspiracy involving the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and the proscribed BKI to spread terrorism in India. He is among the 20 persons arrested in the case.
18-May-2026
On May 18, the 118th day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangstran Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahar— the police conducted 519 raids, arrested 271 persons and recovered three weapons from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 85 individuals, while 26 persons were verified and released after questioning. Five proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
18-May-2026
On May 18, Punjab Police, on day 443 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 102 drug smugglers, and seized 2.4 kg of heroin, 242 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 5900 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
17-May-2026
Punjab Police in coordination with the Counter Intelligence wing on May 17 arrested three persons in connection with the April 27 grenade incident and recovered a hand grenade from one of the accused, in Gurdaspur district. According to police, two unidentified youths had hurled a hand grenade outside a shop near Geeta Bhawan Road on April 27, but it failed to explode as the safety pin remained intact. Preliminary investigations revealed that the accused were acting on the directions of a foreign-based handler and had received two hand grenades from him.
17-May-2026
Unidentified assailants opened fire outside Dhalla Jewellers near Nath Di Khui in Amritsar district around 6:32 pm on May 17. The shop reportedly belongs to Angrej Singh, who is believed to have been the target of the attack. No injuries were reported.
17-May-2026
Two unidentified motorcycle-borne assailants allegedly fired nearly eight rounds outside a Kajaria showroom in Rayya in Amritsar district on May 17. The showroom belongs to Harpreet Singh Happy, an Shiromani Akali Dal candidate from Ward No. 4 and son of former Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) member and ex-Rayya Municipal Committee president Gurvinder Pal Singh Rayya. Sources claimed that Harpreet had earlier received extortion threats.
17-May-2026
Punjab Police on May 17 arrested four alleged members of the Goldy Brar gang, identified as Sukhwant Singh Sekhon alias Sukha, Jugraj Singh, Gupreet Singh and Neeraj and seized eight illegal pistols and 45 rounds of ammunition from their possession, in Jalandhar district.
17-May-2026
Jail authorities on May 17 recovered illegal drugs from an inmate during a surprise search operation inside the Faridkot Central Jail in Faridkot district. Following the recovery, a case was registered against the accused under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
17-May-2026
Alliance talks between Shiromani Akali Dal (Punar Surjit), a breakaway faction of the Shiromani Akali Dal led by Sukhbir Singh Badal, and Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De), headed by jailed Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh, collapsed on May 17. An eight-member Panthic Unity Coordination Committee had been formed on April 18 to facilitate unity between the two factions. Committee member Rachhpal Singh Sosan stated that despite several rounds of discussions, the two sides failed to reach consensus on key ideological and basic issues, leading to the collapse of the talks.
16-May-2026
An unidentified assailant fired five shots outside jeweller Antarpreet Singh’s residence in Choti Baradari in Jalandhar on the night of May 16. Antarpreet had reportedly been targeted for the third time in the past four years.
16-May-2026
An unidentified assailant fired five shots outside jeweller Antarpreet Singh’s residence in Choti Baradari in Jalandhar on the night of May 16. Antarpreet had reportedly been targeted for the third time in the past four years.
16-May-2026
The Amritsar Rural Police on May 16 arrested four persons, Kulwinder Singh alias Bhullar, Akashdeep Singh alias Sunny alias Kauda, Akashdeep Singh alias Baba, and Jagtar Singh, in connection with two extortion-related cases linked to Germany-based gangster Jeevan Fauji and his associate Preet, in Amritsar district. Police said the accused were allegedly acting on the instructions of the foreign-based gangsters, who were issuing extortion threats and directing criminal activities in Punjab from abroad. In the first case, Jasbir Singh of Sudhar village in Amritsar district allegedly received an extortion call demanding INR 30 lakh, followed by a firing incident at his residence on May 6. In the second case, Sudhar village sarpanch Nishan Singh allegedly received a demand for INR 50 lakh, after which unidentified persons hurled a petrol bomb at his residence on May 9, damaging property and triggering panic in the area.
16-May-2026
Police on May 16 arrested a person, identified as Amarnath and seized 110 intoxicating tablets from his possession, near the grain market in Kapurthala district.
16-May-2026
Police on May 16 arrested a youth, identified as Balwant Singh and seized 20 kg of poppy husk from his possession, in Subhanpur, Kapurthala district.
15-May-2026
The Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) on May 15 arrested a drug smuggler, identified as Abhimanyu, and seized 1.5 kg of heroin following an exchange of fire between the smugglers and the CIA team, in which former sarpanch (village head) Satpal Singh was injured, in Begowal town, Kapurthala district.
15-May-2026
On May 15, the 115th day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangstran Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahar— the police conducted 552 raids, arrested 276 persons and recovered 11 weapons from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 102 individuals, while 21 persons were verified and released after questioning. Eight proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
15-May-2026
On May 15, Punjab Police, on day 440 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 93 drug smugglers, and seized 286 grams of heroin, 7 kg of poppy husk, 318 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 10,330 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
14-May-2026
Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann on May 14 said in Batala that the Punjab government would eliminate the “blot of drugs” from the state, asserting that the anti-drug campaign ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ has dealt a major blow to narcotics networks. He said 63,707 drug smugglers were arrested in 437 days and properties built with drug money were demolished across Punjab. Mann also highlighted the ongoing 112-day ‘Gangstran Te Vaar’ crackdown, welfare initiatives for women and healthcare, and claimed the state’s anti-sacrilege law had stopped incidents of ‘beadbi’ of the Guru Granth Sahib in Punjab.
14-May-2026
A local court on May 14 framed charges against Khadoor Sahib Member of Parliament (MP) Amritpal Singh in connection with the February 2023 attack on the Ajnala police station in Amritsar district. The charges include attempt to murder, causing grievous injuries, obstructing public servants, criminal conspiracy, damaging government property, and issuing death threats while leading an unlawful mob. However, the court dropped charges under the Arms Act and destruction of evidence after the defence argued that no weapons were recovered from the accused.
14-May-2026
On May 14, the 114th day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangstran Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahar— the police arrested 292 persons and recovered six weapons from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 102 individuals., while 14 proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
14-May-2026
Punjab Police, in a joint operation with the Special Cell of Delhi Police, on May 14 arrested Umar Deen, accused of planting an IED near the main gate of the Border Security Force (BSF) Punjab Frontier headquarters in Jalandhar on May 5, in New Delhi. Deen, a taxi driver living near Zirakpur for the past few months, allegedly conducted a two-day recce before planting the bomb concealed in a scooter. Investigators are probing his links with other accused, possible handlers, and the role of Pakistan-based gangster-turned-terrorist Shahzad Bhatti. Meanwhile, security agencies also arrested another accused, Anil Sharma from Uttar Pradesh (UP), in connection with the case. More than a dozen suspects have reportedly been questioned as agencies investigate a wider conspiracy behind the blasts.
14-May-2026
Police on May 14 arrested a youth, identified as Paras, and recovered six grams of heroin from his possession in Phagwara, Kapurthala district.