KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
12-May-2025
On May 12, drone sightings were reported near the Suranussi ammunition dump in Jalandhar district, Punjab, prompting the district administration to order a partial blackout. Power was cut by Punjab State Power Corporation Limited in areas around Suranussi, Jalandhar Cantonment, and nearby localities. Deputy Commissioners of Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur assured the public there was no cause for panic, as Army officials maintained regular vigilance. The sound of explosions in nearby villages was later attributed to miscreants bursting crackers.
12-May-2025
On May 12, a half-burnt missile was found in the generator room of Markfed Canneries at Chuharwali village, Jalandhar district. It had pierced the shed but caused minimal damage, having been intercepted earlier. Markfed employees alerted authorities, and police, along with Army and Air Force teams, safely defused it.
12-May-2025
The Crime Branch of the UT Police on May 12 arrested Harwant Singh alias Harry, a key operative of the banned Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), and seized a pistol along with three cartridges from the Daria village area in Chandigarh. Harwant is linked to the gangster-terrorist nexus involving Happy Passia, Manu Agwan, and Pakistan-based Harwinder Rinda. He had recruited two gangsters who were arrested on May 8 with an improvised explosive device (IED). Acting as a logistics conduit in the terror-crime network, Harwant is now in police custody, with authorities seeking his remand for further investigation into his associates and arms supply links.
12-May-2025
A tussle for control of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC) has erupted following the nomination of nine co-opted members, bringing the total strength to 49. Two main factions—one led by Baldev Singh Kaimpuri and the other by Jagdish Jhinda—are vying for dominance. The Jhinda-Daduwal group claims majority support and the backing of the state government, while Kaimpuri’s faction is supported by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). The oath-taking ceremony and the appointment of an officiating president are scheduled for May 13, after which the power struggle is expected to escalate.
12-May-2025
Former Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) S.S. Virk on May 12 praised the Centre’s decision to launch Operation Sindoor in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, calling it “absolutely appropriate.” Emphasising the need for a firm stance, he stated, “A bullet for a bullet — this is the real response,” underscoring that only strong retaliation can deter terrorist outfits. Virk also criticised Pakistan for sheltering and glorifying terrorists and drew parallels with the 2008 Mumbai attacks, asserting that India’s tough response is essential to safeguard Kashmir’s peace and development.
12-May-2025
Fazilka Police on May 12 arrested three unidentified drug smugglers and seized 60,000 tramadol (100mg) tablets along with a vehicle in Jalalabad, Fazilka district. According to the police, further investigation is underway to trace the backward and forward linkages of the drug syndicate.
12-May-2025
Punjab Police on May 12 busted a drug cartel linked to Turkey-based smuggler Navpreet Singh alias Nav Bhullar and arrested three of its operatives, Gurdeep Singh alias Saab, Pardeep Sharma, and Mani Sharma, and seized 1.01 kg of heroin, INR 1.06 crore in hawala money (including INR 84.02 lakh in cash and INR 22 lakh in frozen bank accounts), a cash counting machine, and a car from their possession in Amritsar district. Gurdeep was reportedly operating the cartel under Bhullar’s directions. Further investigation is underway to uncover the broader network.
12-May-2025
In a joint operation with the Counter Intelligence (CI) unit of Punjab Police, Patiala Police on May 12 arrested three members of an international drug syndicate—Amarjit Singh, Harmanjit Singh, and Harpreet Singh—and seized 15.680 kg of opium along with INR 2.30 lakh in cash from their possession in Sangrur district. The accused had reportedly sourced the contraband from Imphal in Manipur and Assam, indicating an active drug supply route from the Northeast to Punjab. Further investigation is underway to trace the full extent of the network.
12-May-2025
On May 12, marking day 72 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” (War against Drugs) campaign, Punjab Police arrested 133 drug smugglers, registered 89 First Information Reports (FIRs) and seized 2.2 kg of heroin, 54 kg of poppy husk, 73,000 intoxicant pills, and INR 13.22 lakh in drug money across Punjab.
12-May-2025
As of May 12, the Punjab Police had completed 72 days of its ongoing anti-narcotics drive 'Yudh Nashian Virudh' (War Against Drugs), during which it registered 6,280 First Information Reports (FIRs), arrested 10,444 drug smugglers, and seized 398 kg of heroin, 186 kg of opium, 117 quintals of poppy husk, 8 kg of charas, 135 kg of ganja, 2.5 kg of ICE, 1.2 kg of cocaine, 23.57 lakh intoxicant pills and tablets, and INR 8.58 crore in drug money across Punjab since March 1.
11-May-2025
Sadar Police on May 11 arrested two individuals, identified as Stalinjit Singh and Varinder Singh, and seized 46 grams of heroin from their possession in Patti, Tarn Taran district.
11-May-2025
The Goindwal Sahib Police on May 11 arrested two individuals, identified as Satnam Singh Sanmo and Sona Singh, and seized 235 intoxicating tablets in Fatehabad, Tarn Taran district.
11-May-2025
Sadar Police on May 11 arrested one individual, identified as Jagjit Singh and seized 10 grams of heroin in Manochahal Kalan in Tarn Taran district.
11-May-2025
The Verowal Police on May 11 arrested an individual, identified as Satinder Singh, and seized 255 intoxicating tablets from his possession in Verowal village, Tarn Taran district. The arrest was part of a district-wide crackdown that led to the apprehension of 17 drug peddlers. Other accused individuals were identified as Nishan Singh, Gursewak Singh, Aseem Kumar, Nirvail Singh, Harpreet Singh alias Kali, and others.
11-May-2025
According to sources, Kashmir Singh Galwaddi, the last fugitive in the 2016 Nabha jailbreak case, was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on May 11 in Bihar's Motihari district after evading capture for over eight years. He had been hiding in Nepal under various aliases, using different identities and altered appearances, and had even served as a sewadar at several religious places. Galwaddi, a radicalised former teacher and granthi, is linked to terror activities, including providing support for the 2022 Mohali RPG attack and an assassination attempt on a Shiv Sena leader. He also formed alliances with Pakistan-based terrorist Harvinder Singh Rinda and Canada-based gangster-turned-terrorist Lakhbir Singh Sandhu alias Landa.
11-May-2025
On May 11, Neeraj Kumar alias Tanu, a member of the Fateh gang, succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained during a gang-related shootout on May 10 in the Shaheed Babu Labh Singh Nagar area of Jalandhar district. A 65-year-old bystander, identified as Sheshnag, was also injured by a stray bullet and remains hospitalised.
11-May-2025
Police on May 11 dismantled a cross-border espionage network and arrested two individuals, identified as Gujala and Yameen Mohammad, and seized two mobiles from their possession in Malerkotla in Malerkotla district. A Pakistani national posted at the Pakistan embassy in New Delhi has been booked in the case.
11-May-2025
The Border Security Force (BSF), in a joint operation with Punjab Police on May 11, recovered 972 grams of RDX, two .30 bore pistols with four magazines, 30 live cartridges, two hand grenades, two lever detonators, remote control device and charger, a command mechanism, eight batteries and a black box, from fields near Chak Bala village in Ajnala in Amritsar district. Initial probe suggests that the consignment was dropped by a Pakistani drone.
11-May-2025
On May 11, Air Marshal A.K. Bharti, Director General of Air Operations, presented evidence countering China’s denial of arms supply to Pakistan, revealing that a Chinese-made PL-15 long-range missile had landed unexploded in Hoshiarpur, Punjab.
11-May-2025
The World Sikh Chamber of Commerce (WSCC) on May 11 welcomed the ceasefire between India and Pakistan, expressing relief over the de-escalation of hostilities. Emphasising the strategic and economic importance of Amritsar’s Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport, WSCC leaders urged Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi and senior ministers to resume suspended domestic and international flights. They also called for lifting blackout orders and reopening schools and universities to restore normalcy and ensure uninterrupted education.