KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
21-Feb-2025
Patiala Police busted a target-killing module linked to foreign-based gangster Goldy Dhillon, arresting two operatives, Malkit Singh alias Max and Sandeep Singh alias Deep, and seizing five pistols—three .32 calibre, one .30 calibre, and one .315 calibre country-made pistol—along with 15 cartridges, 1,300 intoxicating tablets, and an Activa scooter (PB 23 AA 0795) from their possession in Rajpura, Patiala district. The accused were allegedly tasked with carrying out target killings in Mohali and Rajpura under Dhillon’s orders.
21-Feb-2025
From February 24, forty-one Sikh devotees from Sarojininagar in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh (UP), will embark on a special pilgrimage to Kartarpur Sahib, organized by Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) Rajeshwar Singh. They will fly from Amausi Airport to Amritsar, offer prayers at the Golden Temple, and then cross the Wagah border to visit Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara. The devotees will return to Lucknow by air on February 26.
21-Feb-2025
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on February 21 in Amritsar decided not to accept the resignation of its president, Harjinder Singh Dhami, and urged him to reconsider. Dhami had resigned on February 17, citing moral grounds, amid internal conflicts within the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) over the removal of Giani Harpreet Singh as Jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib. SGPC Senior Vice-President Raghujit Singh Virk stated that a delegation would meet Dhami to persuade him to withdraw his resignation.
21-Feb-2025
On February 21, in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, the complainant’s counsel argued for the death penalty for former Congress Member of Parliament (MP) Sajjan Kumar, calling the mass killings a “state-assisted massacre,” during a hearing at the Rose Avenue court in New Delhi. Senior Advocate HS Phoolka highlighted the systematic nature of the violence, citing the murder of 2,733 Sikhs in Delhi and 3,350 across India. Comparing the killings to other mass crimes, he stressed the need to strengthen legal provisions against genocide and argued that Kumar instigated armed mobs to target Sikh men for elimination.
20-Feb-2025
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on February 20 in Chandigarh obtained production warrants for accused Rohan Masih and Vishal Masih in the Chandigarh Sector 10 grenade blast case. The Special NIA court granted the agency's request to interrogate them to identify an associate involved in reconnaissance before the attack. The NIA stated that the accused, linked to foreign-based Khalistani terrorists Harwinder Singh alias Rinda and Harpreet Singh alias Happy Passia, were provided with weapons and funds for terror acts in Punjab and Chandigarh. The court ordered their production on February 25.
20-Feb-2025
According to sources, the Batala Police have approached the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) to issue a Red Corner Notice against U.S.-based gangster Happy Passia, allegedly responsible for multiple bomb blasts in Punjab. The move follows a grenade attack on the home of Punjab Police Constable Jatinder Singh, for which Passia claimed responsibility. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Suhail Qasim Mir confirmed that the request was made through the Bureau of Investigation and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Meanwhile, Gurdaspur Member of Parliament (MP) Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa criticised the delay in initiating the process.
20-Feb-2025
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on February 20 filed a chargesheet against two aides of Canada-based Khalistani terrorist and gangster Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh Dala, identified as Anil Singh and Neeraj Pandit alias Neeraj, in Patiala House Court, New Delhi. The two were part of a terror-gangster syndicate funded by Dala and linked to the Bambiha gang. They were allegedly involved in the murder conspiracy of Jasveer Deeghot in Palwal, Haryana. Anil Singh was arrested on September 5, 2024, while Neeraj remains at large.
20-Feb-2025
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on February 20 in New Delhi charge-sheeted two aides of Canada-based Khalistani terrorist Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh Dala in the terror-gangster syndicate case, identified as Neeraj Pandit alias Neeraj Faridpuria and Anil Singh. NIA's probe revealed their links with the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) and the Bambiha gang, as well as their role in the murder conspiracy of Jasveer Deeghot in Palwal, Haryana. While Anil was arrested in September 2024, Neeraj remains at large.
20-Feb-2025
Khalistani radical preacher and jailed Khadoor Sahib Member of Parliament (MP) Amritpal Singh recently moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court, fearing disqualification due to his prolonged absence from Parliament. Detained under the National Security Act (NSA) since April 2023, he has missed 46 sittings. As per Article 101(4) of the Constitution, an MP’s seat may be declared vacant if they are absent for 60 consecutive sittings without permission. MPs can seek leave through the Committee on Members’ Absence, which has previously granted leave to jailed MPs.
20-Feb-2025
On February 20, newly elected Rajouri Garden Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) Manjinder Singh Sirsa was sworn in as a Cabinet Minister in the ninth Legislative Assembly of Delhi. He is the first Sikh to hold a ministerial position in the Delhi Government after a decade of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) rule. A former president of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), Sirsa has won the Rajouri Garden Assembly seat three times. Having joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2021, he is expected to play a key role in the party’s strategy for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.
20-Feb-2025
The Delhi High Court on February 20 disposed of a plea challenging the bail granted to former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, as he was convicted in the matter. The trial court found him guilty on February 12 for the murders of two individuals in Delhi’s Saraswati Vihar. Kumar, already serving a life sentence in another riots-related case, was formally taken into custody. His appeal against a previous conviction in the killings of five Sikhs is pending before the Supreme Court.
20-Feb-2025
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Chandigarh on February 20 informed the court that the accused in the Sector 10 grenade blast case, Rohan Masih and Vishal Masih, received funds, weapons, and explosives from foreign-based entities to carry out terror acts in Punjab and Chandigarh. The agency revealed their links to foreign-based terrorists Harwinder Singh alias Rinda and Harpreet Singh alias Happy Passia, who conspired to assassinate a retired Punjab Police officer. The NIA is probing cross-border smuggling of weapons and explosives, along with the accused’s involvement in other criminal activities.
19-Feb-2025
The police on February 19 arrested a smuggler, identified as Lovepreet Singh, and seized 3 kg of heroin from his possession near the bus stand in Khasa village, Amritsar district. The arrest followed the interrogation of Harmandeep Singh, from whom 10 kg of heroin had been recovered earlier.
19-Feb-2025
The police on February 19 arrested a Bambiha gang shooter, identified as Aman Kumar alias Golden, and seized two 30-bore pistols along with 10 cartridges from his possession in Liddaran village, Jalandhar district. Authorities revealed that Aman was linked to Bambiha gang leader Harmandar Singh, who is currently lodged in Rohini Jail, Delhi.
19-Feb-2025
All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) Chairman Jagmohan Singh Raina, on February 19, alleged that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah continues to ignore the issues faced by the Sikh community in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). He expressed disappointment over the community not being recognized as a minority despite meeting the necessary criteria. Raina also urged both majority and minority communities to maintain peace and expose extremist elements. A joint APSCC meeting of members from Kashmir and Jammu divisions was held to discuss these concerns.
19-Feb-2025
Delhi-based Sikh leader Manjit Singh GK, on February 19, urged Sikh leaders and influencers in Canada, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (US) to break their silence over the humiliation of Sikh deportees in the US, who were forcibly stripped of their turbans before deportation. He criticized Sikh political figures in the diaspora, including Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, for their silence, particularly as the incident occurred under the Trump administration, which Pannun has previously supported. GK also condemned the Indian government for not arranging its own aircraft to bring back the deportees and called on the global Sikh community to stand united in defending Sikh identity.
19-Feb-2025
Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav, on February 19 in Chandigarh, ridiculed Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, stating that he falsely claims responsibility for attacks in Punjab, sometimes even when no incident has occurred. Yadav emphasized that intelligence agencies from a neighboring country aim to destabilize Punjab but asserted that the police have successfully traced all 12 blast incidents using scientific methods. He dismissed Pannun’s claims as baseless and reaffirmed that Punjab remains safe, with law enforcement determined to counter any threats.
19-Feb-2025
Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on February 19 in Chandigarh announced that 52 police officials, ranging from constables to inspectors, had been dismissed from service on corruption charges. The dismissals were part of a statewide crackdown following directions from Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann to curb corruption and misuse of power within the police department. The action was taken after complaints emerged regarding police officials allegedly registering fake First Information Reports (FIRs) to extort money.
18-Feb-2025
The Counter Intelligence team of Amritsar Police, on February 18, arrested Harmandeep Singh and seized 10 kg of heroin from his possession in Mahal village in Amritsar district. Police stated that Singh was in contact with Pakistan-based smuggler Chacha Bawa, who sent heroin via drones in the Attari sector for distribution. Authorities are investigating whether Singh retrieved the contraband himself or received it from another source. A case has been registered with the State Special Operation Cell (SSOC), and further investigations are ongoing.
18-Feb-2025
Additional Public Prosecutor Manish Rawat, in written sentencing arguments for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, urged the court to award the death penalty to former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar, citing his prior conviction, the targeted killings, and the brutality of the crime. Kumar was convicted on February 12 for inciting the riots, leading to the murder of Jaswant Singh and his son in Delhi’s Saraswati Vihar. The prosecution argued that his actions amounted to genocide and referenced Supreme Court precedents to justify capital punishment. Sentencing arguments will be heard on February 21.
18-Feb-2025
The controversy over Giani Harpreet Singh’s excommunication underscores the growing political misuse of the Akal Takht. Once a unifying institution for Sikhs, it has increasingly been drawn into political struggles, especially post-Operation Bluestar. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) faces accusations of manipulating religious authority for political gains, with Singh’s removal seen as an attempt to tighten control. The resignation of SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami further highlights the ongoing clash between religious leadership and political influence.
18-Feb-2025
SGPC Chief Secretary Kulwant Singh announced a special executive committee meeting on February 21, following SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami’s resignation. While the agenda remains undisclosed, the meeting will be held at the SGPC office within the Golden Temple premises. Dhami also stepped down from the Akal Takht-constituted panel overseeing the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) membership drive, which the party had rejected. Meanwhile, former Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh and other Sikh leaders have urged SGPC to reject Dhami’s resignation.
18-Feb-2025
The Jalandhar Commissionerate Police, led by Commissioner Swapan Sharma, recently seized assets worth INR 34.36 lakh from drug smugglers Vijay Kumar and Anant Ram in Basti Sheikh, Jalandhar. The confiscated assets include Vijay Kumar’s house, valued at INR 33.83 lakh, and Anant Ram’s Honda Activa 5G (2018 model), worth INR 53,511. The police confirmed that both had accumulated wealth through drug smuggling.
18-Feb-2025
Radical Khalistani preacher and Khadoor Sahib Member of Parliament (MP) Amritpal Singh has moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court, seeking permission to attend parliamentary proceedings. Currently detained in Assam’s Dibrugarh Central Jail under the National Security Act (NSA), he claims his absence leaves his constituency unrepresented and risks his seat being declared vacant. He has also requested approval to meet officials regarding MPLADS funds. The court is expected to hear the case soon.
18-Feb-2025
Viresh Bansal, a Liberal Party candidate in the Ontario provincial election, apologized on February 18 for offensive social media posts from 2023, where he made controversial remarks about Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s killing and used a homophobic slur against PM Justin Trudeau. Bansal expressed regret, particularly to the Sikh and LGBTQ2S+ communities, acknowledging his remarks were hurtful. Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie condemned his comments, stating they do not reflect the party’s values. Despite calls for his candidature to be revoked, no decision has been announced yet.
17-Feb-2025
A blast occurred outside the house of police constable Jatinder Singh in Raimal village, Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district, on February 17. No casualties were reported. Singh, posted at Ramdass police station, was involved in anti-gangster operations against the Happy Passia group.
17-Feb-2025
The banned Khalistani terror outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), through members Happy Passia and Shera Maan, on February 17 claimed responsibility for the blast outside police constable Jatinder Singh’s house in Raimal village, Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district, citing alleged police harassment. No casualties were reported. The Punjab government has directed police stations to enhance security amid rising attacks, suspecting a nexus between terrorists and gangsters.
17-Feb-2025
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami resigned on February 17 on moral grounds following criticism over the removal of Giani Harpreet Singh as Jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib. The dismissal, based on misconduct allegations, was contested by Singh, who termed it a character assassination attempt. Dhami’s resignation has sparked further controversy, with Singh accusing Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders of undermining Panthic institutions for political gains.
17-Feb-2025
Indian national Mandeep Singh, among 116 illegal immigrants deported by the United States (US), on February 17 recounted his harrowing journey via the 'donkey' route outside Amritsar airport. Arrested on January 27 at the US-Mexico border, he described facing crocodiles, snakes, and starvation in Panama’s jungles. Singh, a Sikh, was also forced to trim his beard. He paid INR 60 lakh to agents, traveling through multiple countries before reaching Tijuana, Mexico. The US, under President Donald Trump, has intensified its crackdown on illegal immigration, deporting 332 Indians so far.
17-Feb-2025
The Delhi Police on February 17 informed the Supreme Court (SC) that it would file appeals in six cases related to acquittals in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. This decision followed the court's questioning of delays in challenging these acquittals. The petitions will be tagged with a 2016 Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by former Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) member S. Gurlad Singh Kahlon. Senior advocate H.S. Phoolka emphasized lapses in investigations and prosecutions, calling for a fresh probe and disciplinary action against officials involved.
17-Feb-2025
Border Security Force (BSF) troops on February 17 recovered two packets of heroin weighing 1 kg near the Lakha Singh Wala border outpost along the Indo-Pakistan border, in Ferozepur district.
16-Feb-2025
Sources indicate that India is likely to witness multiple high-profile extraditions of wanted criminals from the United States (US) in the coming months, based on a list shared by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) with US officials. The list includes Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, Goldy Brar—accused in Sidhu Moose Wala’s murder—and Anmol Bishnoi, currently detained in Iowa, US. Several others linked to Khalistani separatist activities, including Lakhbir Singh Sandhu alias Landa, are also under scrutiny. Many of these criminals frequently move between the US and Canada, exploiting legal loopholes to evade law enforcement. However, growing India-US cooperation is expected to accelerate their extradition.
16-Feb-2025
Ludhiana Police on February 16 arrested Gurwinder Singh, who was deported from the United States (US), over pending non-bailable warrants in a 2021 snatching case in Meharban village, Ludhiana district. He was among the second batch of deportees who landed at Amritsar International Airport on February 15 and was detained for verification at Meharban police station.
16-Feb-2025
The Border Security Force (BSF) on February 16 recovered one packet of heroin weighing 550 grams, along with a drone, from fields near Roranwala Khurd village in Amritsar district. The recovered drone was a DJI Mavic 3 Classic model.
16-Feb-2025
The Amritsar (Rural) police on February 16 arrested a man, identified as Satnam Singh and seized banned 3200 Pregabalin capsules from his possession in Jodhe village in Baba Bakala in Amritsar district.
16-Feb-2025
The Police on February 16 arrested four individuals, identified as Ahmad Pall Singh alias Palli, Satnam Singh alias Satta, Baljit Singh alias Laddi and Balwinder Singh alias Kala, and seized 80 grams of heroin, along with a stolen Maruti Zen car, from their possession, in Chandigarh.
16-Feb-2025
The Border Security Force (BSF), in a joint operation with the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) on February 16 arrested one unidentified drug smuggler and seized two packets of heroin weighing 1.56 kg, in Chak Bal village in Ajnala in Amritsar district.
16-Feb-2025
The Border Security Force (BSF), in a joint operation with the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) on February 16 arrested one unidentified drug smuggler and seized two packets heroin weighing 1.095 kg and a mobile phone, in Khalra village in Tarn Taran district.
16-Feb-2025
Wahabwala police on February 16 arrested a tea stall vendor, identified as Kundan Singh and seized 310 grams of poppy husk and INR 7,460 in drug money from his possession, in Khubban village in Fazilka district. The practice of selling poppy husk has reportedly spread from the Sadulshehar in Sri Ganganagar district in Rajasthan, to local tea stalls in Fazilka district.
16-Feb-2025
According to sources, amid two rounds of deportations of Indians living illegally in the US, Indian authorities are preparing to hand over a list of 10 gangsters, including Goldy Brar, Anmol Bishnoi, Dharam Kahlon, Gaurav Patial alias Lucky Patial, Amrit Baal, Harjot Singh Gill, Darmanjit Singh, and Randeep, to US security agencies. The move aims to target criminals hiding in the US and follows the US's decision to extradite 26/11 Mumbai terror accused Tahawur Rana. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) compiled the list under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA), including criminal dossiers and extradition efforts.
15-Feb-2025
The Border Security Force (BSF) on February 15 recovered two packets of heroin weighing 1 kg from fields near Dona Rahmat Wala village in Ferozepur district.
15-Feb-2025
According to sources, at least 24 Sikh deportees were forced to remove their turbans by US authorities before being sent back to India on a military plane that landed on February 15 at Amritsar airport. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) condemned the act as an insult to Sikh religious sentiments and provided cloth to cover the deportees’ heads upon arrival. SGPC officials and Punjab’s NRI Affairs Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal urged External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar to raise the issue with his US counterpart.
15-Feb-2025
The anti-gangster task force (AGTF) of Punjab Police on February 15 arrested four associates of the Gurpreet Sekhon gang—Gurpreet Singh alias Gopi, Lovejeet Sharma alias Lavi, Vinod Kumar alias Skill Sharma, and Gagandeep Singh—and seized a .32 bore pistol, six cartridges, and a car from their possession in Dhanaula, Barnala district. The accused were involved in the murder of history-sheeter Overseer Singh alias Satinder Singh alias Satti in Bhai Rupa village, Bathinda district, on February 5. Gurpreet Singh and Vinod Kumar were arrested in Dhanaula, while Gagandeep Singh and Lovejeet Sharma were detained in Rampura Phul, Bathinda district.
15-Feb-2025
According to sources, a United States (US) plane carrying 119 Indian nationals deported for illegally entering the country is scheduled to land on the night of February 15, with another flight expected on February 16 at Amritsar airport in Punjab. Among the deportees, 67 are from Punjab, 33 from Haryana, and the rest from Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh (UP), Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Goa, Himachal Pradesh (HP), and Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). The deportations are part of a crackdown initiated under former US President Donald Trump’s administration.
15-Feb-2025
The Fazilka Police on February 15 arrested a drug peddler, Karnail Singh, and seized 35,400 Alprazolam 0.5 mg tablets from his possession in Bhai Mati Dass Colony, Fazilka district, Punjab.
15-Feb-2025
The police on February 15 arrested three smugglers, identified as Ramikshan alias Muchhad, Sandeep, and Rajveer and seized 90 grams of heroin worth around INR 5 lakh in Chandigarh. Rajveer was first arrested with the heroin and, during interrogation, revealed that he sourced it from Amritsar and supplied it to Ramikshan and Sandeep. The police later arrested the two accomplices, who had prior drug trafficking cases against them.
14-Feb-2025
The Shahkot police on February 14 arrested two drug peddlers, identified as Pardeep Khosla and Sunil Kumar and seized 20 grams of heroin from their possession, in Shahkot in Jalandhar district.
14-Feb-2025
The Nakodar police on February 14 arrested a drug peddler, identified as Gourav and seized 8 grams of heroin and 120 intoxicant tablets from his possession, in Nakodar in Jalandhar district.
14-Feb-2025
The Punjab Police on February 14 busted a cross-border narcotics smuggling racket with the arrest of a smuggler identified as Gursimranjit Singh alias Simran and seized 30 kg of heroin from his possession near Gharinda village in Amritsar district. The heroin, packed in yellow adhesive tape with hooks, was believed to have been smuggled from Pakistan using drones. According to the police, Simran had retrieved four drug consignments of 75 kg each in the past three months. The racket was allegedly operated by US-based drug peddler Raju Dhattal.
14-Feb-2025
The Police on February 14 arrested three gangsters of the Lakhbir Singh alias Landa gang, identified as Jaskaran Singh, Harman and Harminder, and seized one 9 mm pistol, cartridges and ammunition from their possession, near Bhullar village in Tarn Taran district. The arrests followed an encounter at a police checkpoint after the accused, travelling in a white car, rammed into a police van and opened fire. In the exchange, Jaskaran Singh sustained an abdominal injury, while the other two were taken into custody. The police are investigating their involvement in the attack on Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Satnam Singh Harike Sidhupur Ekta and are examining CCTV footage from the incident.