KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
22-Apr-2026
Police on April 22 arrested two individuals, Vicky Ram and Vishal Pandey and seized 59 kilograms of poppy husk from their vehicle, in Moga district.
22-Apr-2026
On April 22, an absconding shooter of the Tillu Tajpuria gang, a proclaimed offender, was arrested along with an illegal pistol, live cartridges, and a motorcycle, after a brief exchange of fire with the Delhi Police’s Special Cell, in Rohini, New Delhi.
22-Apr-2026
Amritsar (Rural) Police have reached Dibrugarh, Assam, to formally arrest Khadoor Sahib Member of Parliament (MP) Amritpal Singh in connection with the February 2023 Ajnala police station attack case. He is likely to be arrested on April 23 following the expiry of his detention under the National Security Act (NSA). Amritpal has been lodged in Dibrugarh Central Jail since April 23, 2023, after being taken into custody under the NSA.
22-Apr-2026
According to reports, charges have been framed against gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and 19 others under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), along with provisions of the Arms Act and Explosives Act, paving the way for a full trial into an alleged interstate crime syndicate. Delhi Police, represented by Advocate Akhand Pratap, argued that the evidence establishes a well-organised network operating across multiple states, justifying prosecution under MCOCA. The FIR was registered by the Special Cell in March 2021 with prior approval under Section 23 of the Act against the Bishnoi–Kala Jatheri gang, which allegedly operated across Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, and other regions.
22-Apr-2026
On April 22, the Supreme Court asked the Union government to respond within two weeks to the mercy plea of Balwant Singh Rajoana, a convict in the Beant Singh assassination case, seeking commutation of his death sentence to life imprisonment on grounds of inordinate delay. Rajoana, a former Punjab Police constable, has been in jail for over 29 years awaiting execution.
22-Apr-2026
Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on April 22 filed a public interest petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking to restrain the release and online exhibition of the web series “Lawrence of Punjab,” reportedly based on gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, portrays his rise from a student leader to a criminal syndicate head. Calling himself a public-spirited citizen, Warring urged the court to direct the Union of India and other authorities to stop or ban the series.
21-Apr-2026
Police on April 21 arrested one person, identified as Deepak Singh alias Deepu, and seized 4.04 kg of heroin from his possession in Amritsar district.
21-Apr-2026
Police on April 21 arrested four persons, identified as Rajinder alias Ghuddu, Randeep alias Dil, Gurpreet alias Gopi, and Prince Singh alias Prince and seized 3.01 kg of heroin from their possession in Chheharta, Amritsar district. Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said preliminary investigations revealed that the accused were in contact with a Pakistan-based smuggler who was sending consignments via drones and coordinating drug distribution across the state through local handlers. He added that further investigations are underway to establish the forward and backward linkages of the smuggling network.
21-Apr-2026
Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on April 21 stated that the state has witnessed a significant decline in gangster-related incidents following a statewide crackdown. He claimed a 100 per cent drop in gangster-linked murders, from four cases in January to none in March. He added that gangster-linked firing incidents declined by 69 per cent, from 29 in January to nine cases reported till April 20, while extortion cases fell by 10.9 per cent, from 110 in January to 98 in March. The DGP said that the police have not only reduced crime but also strengthened public trust through the “Gangsters Te Vaar” operation. “The records speak for themselves in terms of dismantling crime syndicates. This is just the beginning, as Punjab Police is closing in on these gangsters to ensure their complete elimination,” he stated. He added that the operation targets not only high-profile gangsters but also their wider networks across Punjab. “Individuals involved in petty crimes are often recruited by gangs. By cracking down on such elements, we have disrupted their operations and reinforced a zero-tolerance policy towards crime in the state,” he said.
21-Apr-2026
Balkaur Singh, father of slain Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, has called for a ban on the upcoming OTT series “Lawrence of Punjab,” alleging it glorifies crime and risks sending a harmful message to society. The show is reportedly based on gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, an accused in Moosewala’s murder case. He expressed concern that the teaser presents a troubling portrayal of a gangster’s life and also criticised successive governments, claiming politics has increasingly relied on criminal elements.
20-Apr-2026
The Punjab and Haryana High Court (HC) has ruled that Amritpal Singh, currently lodged in Dibrugarh Jail, will appear virtually before a trial court in Amritsar in connection with the 2023 Ajnala police station attack case. The interim order was issued by a Division Bench on a plea by the Punjab Government seeking directions to keep Amritpal in the Assam jail after his detention under the National Security Act (NSA) ends on April 22.
20-Apr-2026
Punjab Police on April 20 busted a narcotics and illegal arms smuggling module with the arrest of four individuals and recovery of 9.925 kg of heroin, two foreign-made pistols, eight magazines, and 40 live cartridges, in Hoshiarpur district. Preliminary investigations revealed that the accused were acting as local handlers for foreign-based gangsters involved in drug trafficking and the supply of illegal weapons.
20-Apr-2026
The Amritsar Police Commissionerate on April 20 busted a cross-border, Madhya Pradesh-based illegal arms supply module, arresting three accused and recovering six pistols—one PX5 .30 bore, three .32 bore, and two .30 bore—along with seven live cartridges, in Amritsar district. Preliminary investigations revealed that the accused were sourcing illegal weapons from Madhya Pradesh and were in contact with Pakistan-based smugglers through social media platforms. The network is suspected of facilitating cross-border arms smuggling and supplying weapons to criminal elements across Punjab.
20-Apr-2026
On April 20, the 90th day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangsters Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahaar—the police conducted 466 raids, arrested 216 persons and recovered six weapons from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 59 individuals, while 67 persons were verified and released after questioning. Six proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
20-Apr-2026
On April 20, Punjab Police, on day 415 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 95 drug smugglers, and seized 3.9 kg of heroin, 393 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 7760 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
19-Apr-2026
On April 19, the 89th day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangsters Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahaar—the police conducted 564 raids, arrested 245 persons and recovered five weapons from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 82 individuals, while 103 persons were verified and released after questioning. Two proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
19-Apr-2026
On April 19, Punjab Police, on day 414 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 79 drug smugglers, and seized 626 grams of heroin, 287 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 1000 drug money from their possession from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
19-Apr-2026
A 65-year-old travel agent, Atma Singh, a retired employee of Punjab Roadways, was shot dead by two unidentified motorcycle-borne assailants outside his house in Gandiwind Dhattal village, Tarn Taran district, on April 19. According to a relative, the attackers called him outside his home and opened fire as soon as he stepped out. He was hit in the forehead and later died in hospital.
19-Apr-2026
The Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF), Ferozepur range, on April 19 arrested two drug smugglers, identified as Harpal Singh alias Bhala and Shamsher Singh alias Shera and recovered 2.37 kg of heroin from their possession in Ferozepur district.
19-Apr-2026
On April 19, the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF), Ferozepur range, intercepted a drone-linked heroin consignment, and arrested Supanpreet Singh alias Supan, seizing 2.487 kg of heroin, along with packing material and radium strips suspected to be used for night-time drone deliveries, in Pritam Singh Wala village, Ferozepur district.