KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
20-Mar-2026
On March 20, Punjab Police, on day 384 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 182 drug smugglers, and seized 5.1 kg of heroin, 1717 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 88,603 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
20-Mar-2026
Sadar Police on March 20 arrested a man, identified as Neeraj and seized 15 grams of intoxicating powder in Hoshiarpur district.
20-Mar-2026
Police on March 20 arrested a man, identified as Rajat and seized a large cache of intoxicating tablets from him, in Shankar Nagar, Hoshiarpur district.
20-Mar-2026
Police on March 20 arrested a person, identified as Mandeep Singh alias Aadu and recovered 79 grams of intoxicating powder along with a large number of prohibited capsules from his possession in Hoshiarpur district.
19-Mar-2026
On March 19, the 58th day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangsters Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahaar—the police conducted 426 raids, arrested 207 persons and recovered three sharp edged weapons from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 80 individuals, while 101 persons were verified and released after questioning. Six proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
19-Mar-2026
On March 19, Punjab Police, on day 383 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, registered 200 first information reports (FIRs), arrested 248 drug smugglers, and seized 710 grams of heroin, 20 kg of poppy husk, 2655 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 14,150 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
19-Mar-2026
The Amritsar Commissionerate on March 19 arrested six members of a cross-border illegal arms smuggling module, including one juvenile, identified as Gurpreet Singh alias Gopi, Munish Kumar alias Jerry, Saroop Singh alias Roop, Chamkaur Singh, Vansh Sharma, and a minor, and seized five Glock 9mm pistols and two .30 bore pistols from their possession in Amritsar district. Police. Preliminary investigations revealed that the accused were in direct contact with a foreign-based handler operating from Portugal.
19-Mar-2026
The Punjab Police’s Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), in a joint operation with the Haryana Police Special Task Force on March 19, arrested two shooters, Rajan alias Piyush Pehalwan and Pritam Shah and recovered a .30 bore PX-5 pistol, a .30 calibre Chinese pistol, a .32 calibre pistol, and ammunition from their possession in Kaithal district of Haryana after a brief exchange of fire. The accused were wanted in connection with the murder of a property dealer in Sector 9, Chandigarh.
19-Mar-2026
The Amritsar Rural Police on March 19 arrested three persons, Lovepreet Singh, Simarpreet Singh, and Balwant Singh and seized 4.3 kg of heroin along with a .30 bore pistol and four live cartridges from their possession in Mehta, Amritsar district. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) alleged that one of the accused was an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) youth leader. However, AAP denied the claim, stating that Lovepreet Singh of Kot Hriday Ram village had been “suspended” from the party in January over alleged anti-party activities.
19-Mar-2026
An accused shooter, identified as Jaswinder Singh alias Jassi, wanted in connection with a firing incident in Jagatpuri last year in an alleged extortion bid at the behest of a Punjab-based gangster, was arrested following a raid in Punjab on March 19. He had been absconding for nearly a year, allegedly hiding at a religious site in Amritsar, after being named in a case registered in April 2025 under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Arms Act.
19-Mar-2026
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on March 19 filed a chargesheet in a special court in Panchkula, Haryana, against another accused, Ramdutt, for his alleged involvement in the 2024 bomb attacks at two clubs in Gurugram by members of the proscribed Babbar Khalsa International (BKI). He is the ninth accused to be chargesheeted in the case linked to Canada-based designated terrorist Goldy Brar, the NIA said. Investigations found that he was associated with Brar’s close aide Rohit Godara and foreign-based gangster Randeep Malik.
19-Mar-2026
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, chief of the banned outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), has condemned the arrest of an American national and six Ukrainians by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on charges of plotting terror activities against India. Referring to the accused as “Trumpanists”—a reference to Donald Trump—Pannun claimed in a video message that they were “not terrorists” but were “fighting for freedom.” The arrests of six Ukrainians and one American have reportedly exposed an alleged terror conspiracy involving Western actors supplying military training and advanced drone technology to ethnic rebels fighting the Myanmar junta.
19-Mar-2026
Punjabi singer Mankirat Aulakh reportedly received a death threat on March 19 from gangster Lucky Patial of the Bambiha gang. An audio recording attributed to Patial has surfaced, in which he refers to the recent Sector 9 murder in Chandigarh and warns that Aulakh is next. In the clip, he allegedly states that regardless of the number of gunmen the singer hires, his turn will come, while also mocking him for staying in Mohali and portraying himself as being abroad on social media.
18-Mar-2026
The Counter Intelligence wing of Punjab Police on March 18 arrested two persons, identified as Buta Singh alias Gurpreet Singh alias Gopu and Harmander Singh alias Neeka and seized two hand grenades near Khall Khurd twin canals in Ferozepur district. Police said the accused were on their way to deliver the explosives on the directions of their handler, identified as Jodha alias Joban, who remains at large. Preliminary investigations indicate that the grenades were part of an illegal supply chain linked to cross-border elements and were intended to disturb peace in the border state.
18-Mar-2026
Two unidentified assailants on a motorcycle shot dead a property dealer, identified as Chamanpreet Singh alias Chini, in a brazen daylight attack near a gym in Sector 9, Chandigarh on March 18. According to initial reports, the victim was stepping out of the Body Zone gym and had just entered his car when the assailants opened fire, pumping 8–10 rounds before fleeing the scene. Later, gangster Lucky Patial claimed responsibility on social media, alleging that the victim had been sharing information with rival groups despite prior warnings.
17-Mar-2026
On March 17, the 56th day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangsters Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahaar—the police conducted 587 raids, arrested 178 persons and recovered three sharp edged weapons from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 99 individuals, while 59 persons were verified and released after questioning. Five proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
17-Mar-2026
On March 17, Punjab Police, on day 381 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 69 drug smugglers, and seized 547 grams of heroin, 550 grams of opium, 918 kg of poppy husk, 544 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 1300 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
17-Mar-2026
A firing incident, suspected to be linked to gang rivalry, was reported near the Department of Botany at Panjab University in Chandigarh on March 17. According to sources, two unidentified individuals entered the campus on a two-wheeler and fired two gunshots in the air near the department’s parking area in the evening before fleeing via Ankur School Road towards the temple inside the campus. The accused abandoned the two-wheeler, crossed the temple area on foot, and exited the campus. CCTV footage reportedly showed the suspects snatching a motorcycle at gunpoint before escaping towards the Punjab border area.
17-Mar-2026
According to sources, the Lawrence Bishnoi gang has reportedly marked its presence in Madhya Pradesh following a shooting incident in Bheelgaon, Khargone. The group claimed responsibility on social media, alleging that the target was a middleman exploiting local farmers through fraudulent documentation. The development has triggered an alert among law enforcement agencies in Delhi. Sources indicate that the move may be part of a broader strategy to gain control over the “source” of illegal arms supply networks in Delhi and other parts of north India, while projecting a “Robinhood” image to justify its actions.
16-Mar-2026
Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann on March 16 criticized the Union Government, alleging that gangster Lawrence Bishnoi was being given “VIP treatment” in Sabarmati Jail in Gujarat. Mann claimed that the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) had directed that Bishnoi cannot be questioned by state investigating agencies outside the Gujarat jail, indicating that the Centre was prioritising his safety. He also referred to remarks by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on gangsters during his recent visit to Punjab, questioning the alleged preferential treatment being extended to Bishnoi.