KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
18-Apr-2026
Police on April 18 arrested two individuals and recovered 64.62 kg of heroin from their possession, in Mahal village, Amritsar district. Preliminary investigations revealed that the smuggling module was linked to foreign handlers, including operatives based in Pakistan.
18-Apr-2026
The Hoshiarpur police on April 18 arrested three alleged gang members, Gurkirat Singh, Babandeep Singh, and Sahilpreet Singh, for vandalising a statue of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar at Nurpur Jattan village in Hoshiarpur district on March 30. During preliminary questioning, the accused claimed they were lured with money by Gurpatwant Singh Pannun of Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) to carry out the act.
18-Apr-2026
An NRI, Takdeer Singh, who recently returned from abroad, along with his brother, alleged that Canada-based gangster Arsh Dala targeted their family by issuing threats during a Facebook live session, in Ludhiana district. He later repeated the threats through a WhatsApp call from a foreign number, during which he allegedly warned of killing the entire family. Based on Takdeer Singh’s complaint, an FIR has been registered against Arsh Dala.
17-Apr-2026
Police on April 17 arrested two alleged aides of Canada-based gangster Davinderpal Singh alias Gopi Lahoria, identified as Harsdeep Singh alias Billa and Kulwinder Singh alias Kida and recovered two .32-bore illegal pistols, four magazines, and four cartridges from their possession in Jagraon, Ludhiana district. During preliminary interrogation, the accused reportedly revealed they had been tasked with carrying out a firing attack at a prominent location in Ludhiana. Police said the duo was acting on Lahoria’s directions from Canada.
17-Apr-2026
The Customs Department on April 17 arrested a suspected passenger and seized 6.270 kg of ganja concealed in his bag at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar district. The accused had arrived from Bangkok via Singapore on flight TR-750. Officials suspect links to an international drug trafficking network, noting that the quantity and concealment method indicate organised smuggling with possible international connections.
17-Apr-2026
On April 17, the Amritsar (City) Police Commissionerate destroyed a substantial quantity of narcotics seized in 249 cases registered under the NDPS Act. The destroyed contraband included 891 grams of heroin, 7,085 capsules and 4,280 tablets, 11.523 kg of narcotic powder, 1.115 kg of poppy husk, 7 grams of smack, 180 grams of charas (hashish), 75 injections, and 325 grams of ganja (marijuana).
17-Apr-2026
According to a senior police official, Amritsar Police have been preparing to arrest Khalistani sympathiser and Khadoor Sahib Member of Parliament (MP) Amritpal Singh in connection with the February 2023 Ajnala police station clash and were awaiting approval and directions from the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The Punjab Government has approached the High Court seeking permission to arrest him after the expiry of his preventive detention under the National Security Act (NSA) on April 22.
17-Apr-2026
On April 17, the 87th day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangsters Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahaar—the police conducted 546 raids, arrested 253 persons and recovered two weapons from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 88 individuals, while 135 persons were verified and released after questioning. Three proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
17-Apr-2026
On April 17, Punjab Police, on day 412 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 93 drug smugglers, and seized 4.1 kg of heroin, 5 kg of ganja (marijuana), 2 kg of poppy husk, 3046 intoxicating tablets/capsules, and INR 11,150 in drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
16-Apr-2026
According to reports, the recovery of Pakistan-smuggled pistols engraved with specific names and coded numbers—seen as a shift in cross-border arms smuggling tactics—has put Punjab’s security agencies on high alert. Amritsar Rural Police recently seized two sophisticated weapons bearing inscriptions such as “Awan Badshah-222” and “Bhatt-007” from six accused arrested in connection with the March 30 Bhindi Saidan police station grenade attack. In a separate case, Amritsar City Police also recovered a pistol engraved with “Bhatt-007.” Officials believe these markings are deliberate, aimed at creating a distinct identity for suppliers and signalling their presence across illegal networks.
16-Apr-2026
On April 16, the 86th day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangsters Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahaar—the police conducted 566 raids, arrested 238 persons and recovered two weapons from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 68 individuals, while 171 persons were verified and released after questioning. Six proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
16-Apr-2026
On April 16, Punjab Police, on day 411 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 128 drug smugglers, and seized 998 grams of heroin, 12 kg of ganja (marijuana), 21 kg of poppy husk, 616 intoxicating tablets/capsules, and INR 1,840 in drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
16-Apr-2026
On April 16, Sriganganagar Police arrested four operatives of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, identified as Sanjeev Chadar alias Sanju, Rahul Michael, Varun Bagal, and Dev Dutt Bishnoi and recovered a 7.62 mm pistol, a .30-bore pistol, 14 live cartridges, a magazine loaded with five rounds, and two empty shells in separate incidents in Sriganganagar, Rajasthan.
16-Apr-2026
On April 16, police arrested a youth, identified as Naresh alias Bablu and recovered 8 grams of heroin from his possession near the Old Civil Hospital in Phagwara, Kapurthala district.
16-Apr-2026
Police on April 16 arrested a woman, identified as Rajni and recovered 7 grams of heroin from her possession near an old police post in the industrial area of Phagwara, Kapurthala district.
16-Apr-2026
The Counter Intelligence Wing of Punjab Police on April 16 busted an Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)-backed cross-border terror module, arresting one accused and recovering four hand grenades, two foreign-made pistols, and ammunition, in Amritsar district. Preliminary investigation indicates that he was acting on the directions of foreign-based handlers and had suspected links to the module involved in the recent grenade attack in Chandigarh.
16-Apr-2026
In a joint operation, the Police and the Border Security Force (BSF) on April 16 recovered 1.02 kg of heroin dropped from across the border by a suspect in Mari Megha village, Tarn Taran district.
16-Apr-2026
Police on April 16 seized 1.08 kg of heroin and a drone believed to have been used for cross-border smuggling in Lopoke, Amritsar district.
16-Apr-2026
On April 16, six private schools received email threats, prompting an anti-sabotage response by the police in Barnala district. Thorough checks were conducted, but nothing suspicious was found.
16-Apr-2026
The Punjab and Haryana High Court on April 16 dismissed Khadoor Sahib Member of Parliament (MP) Amritpal Singh’s challenge to his continued preventive detention under the National Security Act (NSA). In a related development, it agreed to urgently hear the Punjab Government’s fresh plea seeking permission to arrest him in Assam and keep him lodged in Dibrugarh jail beyond the expiry of his NSA detention on April 23.