KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
29-Jul-2025
Border Security Force (BSF) on July 29 launched counter-drone operations during which troops neutralized six drones and recovered 1.73 kg of heroin along with pistol parts and the drones from fields across Roranwala Khurd, Dhanoe Kalan, Bhaini Rajputana, and Daoke villages in Amritsar district. The recovered drones were five DJI Mavic 3 Classic and one DJI Air 3 S models.
29-Jul-2025
The Border Security Force (BSF), in a joint operation with the Punjab Police, on July 29, recovered a drone from fields near Dal village in Tarn Taran district. The recovered drone was a DJI AIR 3 model.
29-Jul-2025
Faridkot police on July 29 announced the arrest of seven individuals associated with the Bambiha gang identified as Chinki, Gumbar Rajput, Manpreet Singh, Suraj Kumar, Jaswant Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, and Bunty, and the seizure of a total of four pistols (one Glock, one .32 bore, and two .30 bore), 19 live cartridges, and one motorcycle from their possession, Rajpura in Patiala district. The arrests were made in connection with the July 22 murder in Bahmanwala village, which was orchestrated by gangster Gaurav alias Lucky Patial from abroad. The Police arrested Chinki and Sooraj Kumar on July 27 in Sirsa in Haryana, Jaswant Singh alias Mangal, Harmanpreet Singh alias Harman, and Bunty on July 28 in Ferozepur and Gurmeet Singh alias Gumbar Rajput and Manpreet Singh alias Gattari on July 29 in Rajpura in Patiala.
29-Jul-2025
The Border Security Force (BSF) troops on July 29 arrested two unidentified smugglers and seized pistol parts and live ammo from their possession, near Tarn Taran and Amritsar district border in Punjab.
29-Jul-2025
Punjab Police on July 29 arrested an individual, identified as Bharatpreet Singh, and seized two 9 mm pistols, two .30 bore pistols, one .32 bore pistol, and a motorcycle from his possession near the Ibban-Mulechak road in Ibban Kalan village in Amritsar district. According to police, Singh was acting on the directions of a Pakistan-based arms smuggler who used drones to drop weapon consignments across the border.
29-Jul-2025
Punjab Police on July 29 arrested two gangsters of the Fateh gang, identified as Karanpreet Singh alias Giani alias Fateh and Aman alias Amna, and seized four .32 pistols, one .45 pistol and 10 live cartridges from their possession, in Jalandhar in Jalandhar district.
29-Jul-2025
Punjab Police on July 29 busted an inter-state racket of drug suppliers, arrested two smugglers identified as Ravi and Harpreet Singh, and seized 1 kg of heroin from their possession, in Sangrur in Sangrur district.
29-Jul-2025
On July 29, Punjab Police, on day 150 of its “Yudh Nashian De Virudh” campaign, registered 53 First Information Reports (FIRs), arrested 72 drug smugglers and seized 3.4 kg of heroin from the possession across Punjab.
29-Jul-2025
Punjab government on July 29 declared a public holiday on July 31, to observe the martyrdom day of Shaheed Udham Singh in Punjab.
29-Jul-2025
The parallel officiating Jathedar of the Akal Takht Dhian Singh Mand, appointed by the 2015 Sarbat Khalsa, on July 29 rejected the authority of Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, who was appointed by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) in March 2025. Mand questioned Gargaj’s legitimacy and denounced his summons to Sikh individuals, including Minister Harjot Bains. Various Sikh groups, including Damdami Taksal and Sant Samaj, have also opposed Gargaj’s appointment as violating Sikh traditions.
29-Jul-2025
Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains, while addressing the media at Anandpur Sahib in Rupnagar district on July 29, announced that the Punjab government will commemorate the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur with a week-long event in Anandpur Sahib from November 19 to 25. The programme will include yatras from Srinagar and across Punjab, the Akhand Path Sahib, and a digital exhibition at Virasat-e-Khalsa. A special session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha and various cultural events, including heritage walks and drone shows, are also planned.
27-Jul-2025
On July 27, a video surfaced showing Sikh candidate Gurpreet Kaur being barred from entering the Rajasthan High Court Civil Judge recruitment exam centre in Jodhpur for wearing a kirpan. Akal Takht officiating Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj condemned the incident as a grave violation of constitutional rights and an act of religious discrimination. He called for immediate intervention by Sikh bodies and senior political leaders to address the repeated targeting of Sikh identity.
27-Jul-2025
Special Director General of Police (DGP) (Law and Order) Arpit Shukla, on July 27, revealed that since the launch of the anti-drug campaign ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ on March 1, Punjab Police have registered 14,906 First Information Reports (FIRs), arrested 23,647 drug smugglers, and seized 1,002 kg of heroin, 344 kg of opium, 182 quintals of poppy husk, 14 kg of charas, 365 kg of ganja, 6 kg of ICE, 30.9 lakh intoxicant tablets/pills, and INR 12.03 crore in drug money across the state.
27-Jul-2025
Amritsar police on July 27 busted a Pakistan’s Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) backed cross-border arms and drug smuggling module, arrested five operatives identified as Jobanjit Singh alias Joban, Gora Singh, Shenshan alias Shalu, Sunny Singh alias Ganna and Jaspreet Singh alias Motu, and seized one assault rifle AK Saiga 308 with two magazines, two Glock pistols 9mm with four magazines, 90 live cartridges of an AK rifle, 10 live cartridges (9mm) along with INR 7.50 lakh of drug money, and an I-20 car and three mobile phones from their possession, near Kaler village in Ajnala in Amritsar district. The Police revealed that the group was in contact with Pakistan-based ISI handler Rana and had previously facilitated multiple arms and drug consignments via drones.
27-Jul-2025
On the intervening night of July 27-28, Border Security Force (BSF) troops neutralised drones and recovered 1.150 kg heroin, one pistol along with six drones, from fields near Pulmoran village in Amritsar district. The recovered drones were three DJI Mavic and three DJI Classic models.
26-Jul-2025
The Special Cell of the Delhi Police on July 26 arrested a Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) operative, identified as Karanbir Singh alias Karan, from Gurdaspur district in Punjab. He is a key accused in the April 7 grenade attack on the Quila Lal Singh police station in Batala and is currently under investigation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). According to the police, Karanbir was in contact with a BKI handler based abroad and had received funds and instructions to execute the attack. His brother, Gursewak, who is also linked to the conspiracy, has already been arrested.
26-Jul-2025
In a letter dated July 26, the party of jailed Khadoor Sahib Member of Parliament (MP) and Khalistani radical Amritpal Singh, Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De), issued a formal clarification denying any association with the Canada-based pro-Khalistani outfit Anandpur Khalsa Fauj International Association (AKFIA). The group, established in Surrey, Canada, in February 2025, has been accused by Punjab Police of recruiting and training Sikh youth for guerrilla warfare. Referring to a March 23 letter by the Punjab Additional Director General of Police (Intelligence), which cited AKFIA’s resolutions as grounds for extending Amritpal’s detention under the National Security Act (NSA), the party stated it had "no type of relation" with the organisation. The statement was also shared on the official X account of Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De) on July 27.
26-Jul-2025
Punjab Police on July 26 arrested one unidentified smuggler and seized 1 kg of heroin from his possession, near Lopoke village in Ajnala in Amritsar district.
26-Jul-2025
Punjab education minister Harjot Singh Bains on July 26 issued an apology after a viral song-and-dance performance at a state event commemorating Guru Tegh Bahadur’s martyrdom sparked outrage over alleged violation of Sikh maryada (religious code). The Akal Takht had summoned Bains and state language department director Jaswant Singh Zafar to appear before the Takht on August 1. Bains, calling himself a humble Sikh, said he would present himself barefoot at the Takht and obey its command. Singer Bir Singh, who performed at the event, had already apologised, citing miscommunication by his team via social media sites Facebook and Instagram.
25-Jul-2025
Chheharta police on July 25 arrested one smuggler, identified as Sarbjit alias Joban, along with a juvenile and seized 1 kg heroin from their possession, from Chheharta Sahib in Amritsar district. Police revealed that Sarbjit was in direct contact with notorious Pakistani smuggler Rana.