KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
30-Apr-2026
Punjab Police on April 30 busted two Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)-backed espionage modules using high-tech equipment to transmit sensitive information, arresting three individuals in two separate cases in Punjab. In the first case, Counter Intelligence, Jalandhar, arrested Sukhwinder Singh alias Sukha and recovered a Chinese-made CCTV camera and a USB-connected solar panel with 4G connectivity from Sahanke village in Ferozepur district. In a separate operation, Kapurthala police arrested Sona and Sandeep Singh alias Sonu, seizing four mobile phones linked to foreign handlers, along with a SIM-based CCTV camera and a WiFi set, in Ferozepur district. Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said the modules were using Chinese-made, SIM-enabled and solar-powered CCTV cameras to relay live feeds of sensitive military and defence installations to Pakistan-based handlers via mobile applications, enabling off-grid surveillance without conventional wiring.
30-Apr-2026
According to reports, investigations into the April 27 IED blast on railway tracks at Shambhu in Patiala district have led Punjab Police to United States (US)-based fugitive Surinder Singh Thikriwal alias Baba, now identified as a key link in a transnational network involving Malaysia-based handlers and Pakistan-backed operatives. He has been classified as a “Category-A” criminal, with efforts underway to secure a Red Corner Notice for his extradition. Following the blast, the State Special Operation Cell (SSOC) and Patiala Police busted a pro-Khalistan module. Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav stated that the main handler, Malaysia-based Jujhar Singh, was in direct contact with Thikriwal, who is believed to have provided strategic direction and financial support for recent attacks, including the April 27 railway incident in which Jagroop Singh was killed while planting the IED. Thikriwal is also suspected to be linked to the Sirhind railway blast in January 2026 and a grenade attack on CIA staff premises in Moga in November 2025, both targeting critical infrastructure and security establishments. Thikriwal has a decade-long record with Punjab Police—flagged in 2013 for reviving militancy, arrested in 2015 under UAPA (later bailed), and absconding by 2022 with over 15 cases. He reportedly fled via the “donkey route” to the US and is now suspected of remotely coordinating modules and lone-wolf attacks in Punjab. Investigators link him with Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and Pakistan-based Ranjeet Singh Neeta in a layered network.
30-Apr-2026
Punjab Police on April 30 filed a chargesheet against Khadoor Sahib Member of Parliament (MP) Amritpal Singh in connection with the February 2023 Ajnala police station attack case. He was formally arrested after his detention under the National Security Act (NSA) ended on April 23. Amritpal was produced before the Ajnala sub-divisional court via video conferencing, following which the case was transferred to the Amritsar Sessions Court, in Amritsar district. Trial proceedings are set to begin on May 2, and he remains in judicial custody till then.
30-Apr-2026
Amid rising gang violence in Punjab, Multani Amandeep—once associated with gangsters Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar—has approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking security, citing a serious threat to his life. In his petition, he claimed danger from rival groups led by Lucky Patial and Donny Bal, alleging that he has been receiving continuous death threats over phone calls. Multani told the court his links with Bishnoi and Brar began in his student years, leading to multiple cases, though he claims he has since been acquitted in all and faces no pending charges. He added that after spending years in the United States (US) rebuilding his life, he returned to India this year and is now active in social and political work with the National Students' Union of India, where he holds a leadership role.
29-Apr-2026
On April 29, the 99th day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangsters Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahaar— the police conducted 569 raids, arrested 247 persons. Preventive action was taken against 92 individuals, while 35 persons were verified and released after questioning. 11 proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
29-Apr-2026
On April 29, Punjab Police, on day 424 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 144 drug smugglers, and seized 4.1 kg of heroin, 55 kg of poppy husk, 647 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 1.13 lakh drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
29-Apr-2026
Police on April 29 recovered a cache of sophisticated arms including an rocket-propelled grenade (RPG), a 2.296-kg metallic IED, three detonators with wiring and battery, 1.456 kg of RDX, a P-86 hand grenade, and three pistols, along with magazines, 84 live cartridges, wireless sets, a headphone, and timer switches, from Panjwarh Khurd village in Tarn Taran district. The recovery followed the interrogation of Satnam Singh alias Satta—brother of Jagroop Singh, who was killed while planting an IED near Shambhu on April 27—which helped foil another terror plot. Arrested on April 28 with three others, Satta revealed that much of the consignment had been concealed in a stable and car at the village. Investigations indicate the module was backed by a Malaysia-based handler using the name Jujhar Singh, with financial channels routed through Malaysia, and links to United States (US)-based Surinder Singh Thikriwal and Pakistan-based Ranjeet Singh alias Neeta, a designated terrorist.
29-Apr-2026
On the morning of April 29, several schools in Gurugram, Haryana, received hoax bomb threat emails allegedly sent by a group calling itself the “Khalistan National Army,” prompting police searches across campuses. The email also threatened Haryana Chief Minister (CM) Nayab Singh Saini, demanding April 29 be declared the “40th Khalistan Declaration Day,” and warned of an attack on Red Fort in New Delhi. Police later confirmed the threat was a hoax, as no suspicious items were found after extensive checks.
29-Apr-2026
A local court in Bathinda on April 29 extended the judicial custody of Amritpal Singh Mehron—a Nihang from Mehron village in Moga district and the prime accused in the murder of social media influencer Kanchan Kumari alias Kamal Kaur Bhabhi—by 14 days, till May 13. He was produced via video conference. Amritpal had fled to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after the alleged killing in June 2025 and was deported to India on April 10, 2026.
29-Apr-2026
Punjab Police have installed over 2,291 CCTV cameras at 585 locations along the border belt, creating a high-tech second line of defence against organised crime. While the BSF continues to guard the international boundary, police aim to ensure that any contraband that slips through is intercepted before reaching the interior. According to Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav, this layer is reinforced by bringing 41 police stations in border districts under comprehensive CCTV coverage, forming a wider real-time monitoring and response network. He added that anti-drone vigilance has also been intensified, particularly in districts prone to repeated arms and narcotics smuggling.
29-Apr-2026
Marking the 40th anniversary of the 1986 declaration, hundreds of activists from various Sikh organisations, led by Simranjit Singh Mann, Daljit Singh, Kanwar Pal Singh, and Narien Singh, marched on April 29 from Burj Akali Baba Phoola Singh to the Golden Temple in Amritsar district. Participants included members of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), Dal Khalsa, Panch Pardani Jatha, Akal Federation, and the Jathedar Hawara Committee. A policy document was released outside the Akal Takht Secretariat, stating that their struggle was rooted in the Gurmat ideal of “Sarbat da Bhala.” It emphasised that the Khalsa Panth seeks to achieve its objectives through love, compassion, and the Guru’s grace. Young leaders also underlined their opposition to disorder and called for similar restraint from others.
29-Apr-2026
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on April 29 strongly criticised a march by five Sikh organisations marking the 40th anniversary of the so-called “Khalistan Declaration,” asserting that any attempt to mislead Sikhs and disturb Punjab’s peace would fail. The procession was taken out from Burj Akali Baba Phoola Singh to the Golden Temple. BJP Punjab spokesperson Sarchand Singh said some Sikh leaders were invoking the Sarbat Khalsa congregation of January 26, 1986, at the Akal Takht to serve their political interests.
28-Apr-2026
Khanna police on April 28 arrested 10 suspects in eight separate cases, seizing 80 intoxicating pills, 12 grams of ICE (crystal meth), 19.2 grams of heroin, and 16 grams of narcotic powder, in Ludhiana district.
28-Apr-2026
Patiala Police on April 28 said the low-intensity blast on a railway track near Bothonia village, between Shambu and Rajpura in Patiala district, on April 27 was a “detonation attempt by the accused,” who died in the explosion. Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Varun Sharma said that, “We are working on the case along with the Government Railway Police and the Railway Protection Force.”
28-Apr-2026
Patiala Police on April 28 arrested four “highly radicalised” pro-Khalistan accused, allegedly part of an ISI-backed terror module linked to the April 27 rail track blast in Patiala, identified as Pardeep Singh Khalsa, Kulwinder Singh, Satnam Singh alias Satta, and Gurpreet Singh alias Gopi and recovered military-grade material including a hand grenade, two .30 bore pistols with ammunition, sophisticated communication devices suspected to be intended for further detonations, and laptops used to stay in contact with handlers, from the accused in Tarn Taran district. Another module member was killed while attempting to detonate the explosive and his mutilated body was later found at the blast site near Bothonia village between Shambu and Rajpura in Patiala district on April 27. According to investigators, the arrested individuals are habitual offenders facing multiple FIRs. Police identified Pardeep Singh Khalsa as the kingpin of the module, alleging he maintained links with Malaysia-based pro-Khalistani elements as well as Pakistan-based arms suppliers. Initial investigations suggest Khalsa facilitated the movement of radicalised youth to Malaysia for training before assigning them roles in terror-related activities. The accused are also believed to have formed a radical outfit named “Chalda Vaheer Chakarwarti, Attariye.”
28-Apr-2026
Khalistani terrorist organisation, Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) on April 28, through a social media post, claimed responsibility for the April 27 rail track blast in Patiala, in which a suspect was killed while attempting to detonate the explosive meant to damage the track. A suspected KTF operative, Jaswinder Singh Multani, currently based in Germany, reportedly made the claim. Meanwhile, noting that this was the second blast targeting a freight corridor in the past three months, a senior police officer indicated that a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is likely. While initially treated as a low-intensity explosion, investigators have since concluded that it was an attempted detonation, police said.
28-Apr-2026
According to sources, investigators now believe recent railway track explosions in Punjab were not just meant to create fear, but to disrupt the economy by targeting key freight infrastructure, especially the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC) linking Ludhiana to West Bengal. This corridor is vital for moving industrial and agricultural goods, and disruptions could impact supply chains across northern and eastern India. Special Director General of Police (DGP) (Railways) Shashi Prabha Dwivedi said similarities in recent incidents suggest a common network. Both the January 23 blast near Sirhind and the April 27 attempt near Rajpura were timed with passing goods trains, indicating a clear focus on disrupting freight movement rather than harming passengers. DGP indicated that such attacks reflect a shift in strategy, with critical infrastructure like freight corridors—vital to economic activity—being increasingly viewed as high-impact vulnerabilities.
28-Apr-2026
The mother of Jagroop Singh, who died in the April 27 railway track blast near Patiala, on April 28 claimed that her younger son, Satnam Singh—detained by Patiala Police for questioning—is innocent and not involved in any unlawful activity. Jagroop Singh was killed when an explosive device detonated during an alleged attempt to sabotage the track. “He has nothing to do with this. He was living on his own,” she said, referring to Satnam Singh.
28-Apr-2026
On April 28, the 98th day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangsters Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahaar—the police arrested 251 persons and recovered five weapons from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 80 individuals, while 57 persons were verified and released after questioning. Three proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
28-Apr-2026
On April 28, Punjab Police, on day 423 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, registered 94 first information reports (FIRs), arrested 125 drug smugglers, and seized 474 grams of heroin, 1.5 kg of opium, 55 kg of poppy husk, 3042 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 6,060 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.