KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
16-Jul-2024
The police on July 16 arrested one individual identified as Saif Ali and seized 1.4 kg of opium from his possession in Khanna, Ludhiana district.
16-Jul-2024
The Border Security Force (BSF) on July 16 recovered two packets of heroin weighing 1.06 kg, along with three pairs of slippers, one dah (sharp-edged machete), a water bottle, and a gamcha (thin cotton towel), from the outskirts of Mahawa village in Amritsar district.
16-Jul-2024
A local court in Chandigarh on July 16 dismissed the bail applications of two Lawrence Bishnoi gang members identified as Parwinder and Anmolpreet Singh. They were arrested for planning to kill gangster Bhuppi Rana.
16-Jul-2024
Farmer union leaders Jagjit Singh Dallewal, Abhimanyu Kohar, and Surjit Singh Phool announced on July 16 in Chandigarh that the unions protesting at the Punjab and Haryana borders will march towards Delhi once the Haryana Government removes the barricades. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) disclosed their plans to commence their "Dilli Chalo" march to press for demands, including a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) on all crops. They urged traders and businessmen to join their cause and mentioned a convention in Delhi on July 22 to seek support from Opposition leaders in Parliament.
16-Jul-2024
Punjab Police on July 16 busted an interstate weapon smuggling network with the arrest of three persons identified as Sukhdev Singh alias Mattu, Sahil Kumar alias Mast, and Prabhjot Singh alias Prabh, and recovered three .32 bore pistols along with three magazines and six live cartridges from their possession in Vallah, Amritsar district. The arrests followed information indicating their involvement in procuring weapons from illegal dealers in Madhya Pradesh (MP) for delivery to criminal elements in Vallah. Preliminary investigations suggest that two of the arrested individuals have prior criminal records, including involvement in a murder case. Further investigations are ongoing to trace the weapon dealer in Madhya Pradesh and the intended recipients of the weapon consignment.
15-Jul-2024
According to sources, radical Khalistani preacher and jailed Member of Parliament (MP) Amritpal Singh, currently held under the National Security Act (NSA) in Dibrugarh jail in Assam, has requested permission from Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to participate in the upcoming monsoon session starting July 22, 2024.
15-Jul-2024
Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh, via a written statement on July 15, summoned Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Badal to provide a written explanation within 15 days regarding allegations from rebel Akali members that he failed to represent the panth's sentiments. The Akal Takht also sought clarification from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) over INR 90 lakh spent on advertisements. Rebel leaders accused the former SAD regime of various mistakes, including the failure to punish those responsible for the 2015 sacrilege incidents.
15-Jul-2024
On July 15, a district-level meeting was held at Gurudwara Shri Patshahi Dasin Sahib in Sirsa, Haryana, where prominent members and representatives of Sikh organizations discussed efforts to unite the Sikh community and advocate for their rights. The attendees proposed fielding Sikh candidates in Assembly constituencies with significant Sikh populations and allocating reserved seats to Sikhs from specific categories. They also called for Punjabi teachers in schools, the formation of Special Investigation Teams (SITs) to address derogatory social media content, and the establishment of a minority commission and community centres.
15-Jul-2024
The Akal Takht on July 15 passed a resolution mandating that the Nishan Sahib flags at gurdwaras be either surmai (navy blue) or basanti (yellow), in accordance with Sikh Rehat Maryada. This decision follows concerns over the widespread use of kesri (saffron) colored flags, which some in the Sikh community view as a deviation from traditional colors. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) is set to oversee the transition to the prescribed colors to restore consistency with the Sikh code of conduct.
15-Jul-2024
Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Director General of Police (DGP) RR Swain, while addressing media persons at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in Jagti, Jammu, on July 15, stated that an inter-state security meeting was held to discuss new infiltration methods by terrorists entering from the Punjab border. Swain revealed that despite the low number of terrorists, there has been a rise in terror attacks in J&K. He emphasized the operational challenges posed by the use of tunnels for infiltration, underscoring the threat posed by even a few unaccounted entities.
15-Jul-2024
On July 15, amidst Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh summoning Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Badal to provide a written explanation within 15 days regarding allegations from rebel Akalis that he failed to represent the panth's sentiments, the rebel leaders launched a "SAD reform movement" under the leadership of Gurpartap Singh Wadala. This movement aims to revitalize the party and commemorate forgotten leaders like Gurcharan Singh Tohra and Master Tara Singh.
15-Jul-2024
The Counter Intelligence (CI) wing of Bathinda Police on July 15 arrested drug smuggler Sandeep Singh alias Kaka and seized 4,100 kg of poppy husk in 210 bags from a container truck originating from Madhya Pradesh (MP), in Bathinda in Bathinda district. The Police revealed that the seized consignment was destined for Jalandhar, Moga, and Ferozepur districts in Punjab.
14-Jul-2024
A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Mohali, Sahibzada Ajit Singh (SAS) Nagar district, dismissed the bail plea of Dharminder Singh alias Dhanna, arrested in a drug-terror case linked to the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) and a Pakistan-based drug syndicate. The court rejected the plea citing serious allegations under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and connections to a narcotic-terror network involved in heroin trafficking to Dubai and Pakistan.
14-Jul-2024
Police on July 14 arrested a drug peddler identified as Manpreet Kumar alias Manna on charges of selling intoxicant tablets and seized 45 such tablets from his possession near Joshian Mohalla near Phagwara in Kapurthala district.
14-Jul-2024
Police on July 14 arrested three drug peddlers identified as Balwinder Singh alias Bohra, Baljit Singh alias Kala, and Ashok Singh alias Goshi and seized one kg of heroin, a bike, and three mobile phones from their possession near the T-point on Bahmniwala road in Jalalabad, Fazilka district.
14-Jul-2024
Punjab Police on July 14 arrested two gangsters identified as Deepak and Ramandeep Singh, and seized one revolver and one pistol from their possession in Banur, Sahibzada Ajit Singh (SAS) Nagar district. The gangsters were involved in two firing incidents near Rajpura in Patiala district on July 13, following a brief encounter with the police.
14-Jul-2024
The police on July 14 arrested five associates of Canada-based terrorist Lakhbir Singh, alias Landa, identified as Simranjit Singh, alias Simma, Paramjit Singh, alias Pamma, Dilbagh Singh, alias Baga, Dilpreet Singh, and Sajandeep Singh, and seized three .30 bore pistols from their possession in Jalandhar district. The police revealed that Simranjit Singh and Dilpreet Singh were in direct contact with Landa and had threatened traders and shopkeepers in Tarn Taran and Amritsar for money.
14-Jul-2024
A meeting of the five Sikh high priests, led by the Akal Takht Jathedar, is scheduled to take place on July 15 at the Akal Takht Secretariat in Amritsar, Punjab, to address the actions of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) rebel leaders. The rebel leaders had apologized for past mistakes during their leadership from 2007-2017. The meeting will also discuss broader issues affecting the Panth, such as the controversial depiction of an 'Anand Karaj' scene in a TV serial.
13-Jul-2024
Border Security Force (BSF) troops on July 13 recovered a packet containing 2.3 kg of heroin from a field near Rattar Chattar village in Gurdaspur district.
13-Jul-2024
Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh on July 13 asked the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to display portraits of Khalistani extremists Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Paramjit Singh Panjwar, and Gajinder Singh at the Central Sikh Museum in the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar, Punjab. This request was made during a function organized by the SGPC and Dal Khalsa to pay tribute to terrorist Gajinder Singh, who led the 1981 hijacking of an Indian Airlines aircraft. The Jathedar cited the trio's 'sacrifices' as the reason for this honour.
13-Jul-2024
According to sources, the elder brother of radical Khalistani preacher and jailed Member of Parliament (MP) Amritpal Singh, Harpreet Singh alias Happy, who was arrested on July 11 near Phillaur, admitted to a three-year drug habit. The drugs were delivered via GT Road in Ludhiana, and at the time of their arrest, Harpreet and his associate Lovepreet Singh had consumed one gram each. Harpreet described using INR 20 notes to consume the drug, and records indicate his longstanding acquaintance with Arora. This arrest comes as a surprise to many, as Amritpal's campaign emphasized his efforts against drug abuse, including opening a de-addiction centre in his village, Jallupur Kheda, in Amritsar district, Punjab.
13-Jul-2024
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Mohinder Bhagat won the Jalandhar West assembly seat, defeating Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) nominee Sheetal Angural by over 37,000 votes in Jalandhar district, Punjab. Bhagat received 55,246 votes, while Angural garnered 17,921. Indian National Congress (INC) nominee Surinder Kaur came third with 16,757 votes, followed by Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) candidate Surjit Kaur with 1,242 votes and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate Binder Kumar with 734. The bypoll was held after Angural resigned as an AAP legislator and joined the BJP in March.
13-Jul-2024
Sardar Parvinder Singh, a member of the State Minorities Commission, in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, on July 13, strongly condemned the Indira Gandhi government's actions during June 1 to 6, 1984, accusing them of desecrating the sanctity of the Sikh pilgrimage site Amritsar Sahib and the Akal Takht with deadly attacks. He urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to introduce a resolution in the forthcoming budget session, declaring June 6 as National Regret Day to acknowledge and apologize for the tragic incidents.
13-Jul-2024
Border Security Force (BSF) troops on July 13 intercepted and neutralized a drone and recovered a packet containing one Beretta pistol, two Star-mark pistols, seven magazines, and a plastic torch near Maharsona village in Fazilka district.
13-Jul-2024
According to sources, Punjab Police witnessed a significant rise in Ice drug (methamphetamine) smuggling across the border, with 15.4 kg seized in the first half of 2024 compared to just 1.04 kg recovered in 2023. This surge is attributed to a decrease in heroin supply due to Taliban control over opium in Afghanistan, prompting Pakistani smugglers to include Ice with heroin shipments to establish a market in Punjab. Concerns over the drug's potency and addictiveness have heightened, with authorities stressing the need for vigilant community awareness and stringent law enforcement measures.
13-Jul-2024
The police on July 13 arrested an unidentified person and seized 1.5 kg of opium from his possession near Moonak grain market in Sangrur district.
13-Jul-2024
The Police on July 13 arrested one unidentified woman and seized 10 grams of heroin from her possession in Sunam in Sangrur district.
13-Jul-2024
The Police on July 13 arrested one unidentified woman and seized 100 intoxicant pills from her possession, in Dhuri in Sangrur district.
12-Jul-2024
Punjab Police submitted to the high court that 10 government employees, including nine jail officials and a doctor, have been implicated in a drug racket operating from the Ferozepur Central Jail in Ferozepur district, Punjab. The case, set for further hearing on July 25, revealed that inmates had access to mobile phones, with one device logging 38,850 calls over a year.
12-Jul-2024
A local court on July 12 sentenced a drug peddler, Gaurav, to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of INR 1 lakh for possessing 1 kg of heroin in Ludhiana, Ludhiana district, Punjab. Despite his defence claiming false implication and lack of independent witnesses, the court upheld the conviction, noting the general public’s hesitance to participate as witnesses.
12-Jul-2024
According to sources, the Punjab Taxation Department is investigating a suspicious transaction involving 190 kg of gold in Amritsar, valued at approximately INR 140 crore, which was purchased without paying the required GST. The investigation is exploring potential links to a massive gold heist at Pearson Airport in Toronto, Canada, where 6,600 gold bars worth $20 million were stolen. The ongoing probe is looking into whether this gold was part of the stolen consignment suspected to have been smuggled into India and Dubai.
12-Jul-2024
The Punjab and Haryana High Court on July 12 granted bail to Gursant Singh, Manpreet Singh, Hilal Ahmed Shergoji, and Bikramjit Singh, who were booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS Act) in a 2020 narco-terror case. The court, citing the nearly four-year judicial custody period, deemed it sufficient to sever ties with alleged associates. It found that prima facie offences under UAPA were not substantiated against all except Shergoji, primarily considering the accused under the NDPS Act.
11-Jul-2024
Police on July 11 arrested the brother of radical Khalistani preacher and chief of Waris Punjab De (WPD), currently jailed Member of Parliament Amritpal Singh, identified as Harpreet Singh alias Happy, along with Harpreet’s aide Lovepreet Singh and drug supplier Sandeep Arora and seized 4 grams of ice (methamphetamine), two lighters, a digital weighing scale, three mobile phones, a half-burnt Rs 20 note, and a silver paper from their possession near Phillaur in Jalandhar district. A First Information Report (FIR) under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act has been registered against them. Police reported that Harpreet admitted to consuming drugs for three years, and a medical examination confirmed the presence of multiple drugs in their systems. They have been sent to judicial custody for 14 days.
11-Jul-2024
Punjab Police disclosed that gangster Gopi Nawanshahria, implicated in the murder of Khalistani terror outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) militant Rattandeep Singh, fled to the United States (US) using a fake passport and is now believed to be in California. This revelation followed the arrest of BKI member Simranjeet Bablu, linked to a module directed by Pakistan-based terrorist Harwinder Rinda and Nawanshahria. The duo had orchestrated the April 3 murder in Shaheed Bhagat Singh (SBS) Nagar, Punjab, aiming to instill societal panic.
11-Jul-2024
Sikh leader and national president of the National Akali Dal, Paramjeet Singh Pamma, called for decisive governmental action following a terror attack in Kathua district, Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), which resulted in the deaths of five soldiers and injuries to five others. Pamma highlighted the need for a strong response, including potential air strikes, to counteract Pakistan's continued attempts to destabilize Kashmir and Punjab through acts of terrorism. The Sikh community, deeply concerned by the escalating violence, seeks effective measures to ensure peace and security in the region.
11-Jul-2024
Border Security Force (BSF) troops on July 11 recovered one pistol body (without upper slide and barrel), one empty pistol magazine, and less than 1 gram of heroin in farming fields near Mastgarh village in Tarn Taran district.
11-Jul-2024
Border Security Force (BSF) troops on July 11 recovered a packet of heroin weighing 570 grams from farming fields near Kilche village in Ferozepur district.
11-Jul-2024
Balkaur Singh, the father of the slain rapper Sidhu Moose Wala, criticized the Punjab government and Punjab Police in a video message, alleging misinformation regarding interviews conducted by gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. Balkaur asserted that the interviews, broadcast on March 14 and 17, 2023, took place in Punjab, not elsewhere. He accused Punjab’s leadership of concealing the truth, reflecting his ongoing frustration with the investigation into his son's murder.
10-Jul-2024
According to a senior police official of the Special Task Force (STF) against drugs, Punjab Police arrested 974 habitual offenders or suspected peddlers from June 6 to July 6 as part of an ongoing drive against drugs, particularly in Tarn Taran, Amritsar Rural, and Gurdaspur districts in Punjab. These arrests were made under Section 110 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and Section 129 of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNNS), which allow for preventive custody of up to 10-15 days. This initiative aims to disrupt the drug supply chain and closely monitor the offenders, even post-release, to deter drug-related activities.
10-Jul-2024
On July 10, the Border Security Force (BSF) stated that its troops have recovered 126 drones and 150 kg of heroin in the first six months of 2024, significantly outperforming 2023 figures along the 553-km long India-Pakistan border in Punjab. In 2023, the BSF had captured 107 drones from Pakistan. Additionally, the force neutralized one Pakistani national and arrested 21 others attempting to cross the International Border (IB), demonstrating their enhanced capability and dedication to safeguarding national security.
10-Jul-2024
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Punjab Police on July 10 told the Punjab and Haryana High Court that one of the two controversial TV interviews of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi was conducted inside Bathinda jail in Punjab using the Signal app. The SIT, investigating these interviews, requested more time to complete its probe and clarify the circumstances of the second interview. The next hearing date was set for August 7.
10-Jul-2024
The Rouse Avenue court in New Delhi on July 10 deferred the final arguments in an anti-Sikh riots case involving former Congress Member of Parliament (MP) Sajjan Kumar due to his hospitalization. This case is related to the deaths of Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in the Saraswati Vihar area. The next hearing has been scheduled for July 18.
10-Jul-2024
The police on July 10 busted a fake arms license racket operating from the Tarn Taran Sewa Kendra and arrested eight persons, including one of its employees and seized six fake arms licenses, Aadhaar cards, seven pistols, revolvers, a double-barrel rifle, and a laptop with details of forged documents, a printer, and a scanner from their possession in Amritsar district. District manager of the Sewa Kendra, Suraj Bhandari, who is the prime suspect, is absconding.
10-Jul-2024
Jathedar of Akal Takht, Giani Raghbir Singh, strongly condemned the registration of a sedition case against Tejinder Pal Singh Timma, Mukh Sevadar of Baba Deep Singh Gurdwara in Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan. He criticized the case as a misuse of new legal measures, highlighting it as the first sedition case against a Sikh since India's independence. Giani Raghbir Singh argued that if advocating for a separate state constitutes treason, similar charges should apply to those promoting a Hindu Rashtra. He urged the Indian government to stop treating Sikhs as second-class citizens and to dismiss the case against Timma.
10-Jul-2024
Border Security Force (BSF) troops intercepted and neutralized a drone on July 10, recovering both the drone and a packet containing 566 grams of heroin in Kalash village in Tarn Taran district. The recovered drone was a China-made DJI Mavic 3 Classic.
10-Jul-2024
Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC) president Bhupinder Singh Assandh announced on July 10, while addressing the media in Kurukshetra, that the committee will ensure the reconstruction of demolished homes for four Sikh families in Amupur village, Karnal district, either through government efforts or by the committee itself. Additionally, the HSGMC plans to repurchase the land taken from these families. Assandh also revealed plans to discuss further Sikh community issues in Haryana with Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and to support local farmer union activities with provisions for langar and tea.
09-Jul-2024
The Border Security Force (BSF), in a joint operation with Punjab Police on July 9, recovered one drone and a packet of heroin weighing 550 grams from farming fields near Kalia village in Tarn Taran district.
09-Jul-2024
The Border Security Force (BSF), in a joint operation with Punjab Police, recovered a drone on the outskirts of Kalia village in Tarn Taran district on July 9.
09-Jul-2024
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) issued a notification on July 9 extending the ban on Khalistani outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), declaring it an unlawful association for another five years, effective from July 10, 2024, under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The SFJ stands accused of engaging in anti-national and subversive activities that threaten India's sovereignty and internal security, including support for violent extremism and militancy aimed at establishing a sovereign Khalistan. The UMHA underscored the necessity of halting SFJ's operations to prevent the escalation of subversive actions and violence within the country.
09-Jul-2024
The Rajasthan Police recently filed charges against prominent Sikh leader Tejinder Pal Singh Timma for allegedly posting a video on July 5 on social media that glorified radical Khalistani preacher and Waris Punjab De (WPD) chief Amritpal Singh, in Sri Ganganagar district, Rajasthan.