KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
31-May-2024
On May 31, the Punjab and Haryana High Court, emphasizing the severe impact of the drug menace in Punjab, called for stringent measures to combat it. Justice Mahabir Singh Sindhu, while hearing a bail petition, highlighted that the state has been significantly affected by drugs and stressed caution in granting bail under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The petitioner was accused based on a co-accused's disclosure, with the recovery involving a commercial quantity of heroin.
31-May-2024
The Crime Branch of the UT police on May 31 arrested a moneylender associated with Javed Jhinjha, a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, identified as Jagtar Singh alias Tony and seized INR 12.31 lakh, a country-made pistol, a laptop, and a diary containing records of loans from his possession in Chandigarh.
30-May-2024
The Crime Branch of the Delhi Police on May 30 arrested Vishal alias Ghaisal, a sharpshooter of the Tillu-Tajpuria gang, near the Bhalswa Jheel area in North West Delhi district. Vishal had been instructed by jailed gang leaders to eliminate rivals and had previously been involved in a failed murder plot. He had also received arms and money to continue gang activities before his arrest.
30-May-2024
Balkaur Singh, the father of the late singer-politician Sidhu Moose Wala, while campaigning for Congress Candidate Sher Singh Ghubaya in Malout, Sri Muktsar Sahib district on May 30, expressed outrage over gangsters mocking his son's second death anniversary. He accused the state government of facilitating such acts and highlighted the presence of smartphones in jails. Balkaur also alleged government support for gangsters like Lawrence Bishnoi, who reportedly earns millions monthly from jail. He urged voters to establish the rule of law.
30-May-2024
Border Security Force (BSF) troops on May 30 intercepted a drone and recovered a packet of methamphetamine weighing 540 grams from farming fields near CB Chand village in Tarn Taran district. The recovered drone was a China-made DJI Mavic 3 Classic model.
30-May-2024
The Border Security Force (BSF) troops on May 30 intercepted a drone and recovered a packet of methamphetamine weighing 520 grams along with the drone near farming fields in Kalsian village in Tarn Taran district. The drone recovered was identified as a China-made DJI Mavic 3 Classic model.
30-May-2024
On May 30, campaigning for the seventh and final phase of the Lok Sabha elections ended. Punjab is scheduled to vote on June 1, with a four-way contest between the Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Prominent hardliner Khalistan supporters, including Simranjit Singh Mann and Amritpal Singh, have avoided directly raising the Khalistan issue. The election discourse in Punjab is also influenced by the 40th anniversary of Operation Blue Star, with many posters and appeals to voters focusing on the 1984 military action.
30-May-2024
Meta's inaugural ‘Adversaries Threat Report’ revealed the removal of 37 Facebook accounts, 13 Pages, 5 Groups, and 9 Instagram accounts linked to a China-originated network targeting the global Sikh community. This network, using fake accounts and AI-generated content, aimed to incite pro-Khalistan sentiment and had previously targeted India and Tibet. Additionally, this network aimed to criticize the Indian government and spread coordinated inauthentic information across multiple countries.
30-May-2024
The President of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami, recently condemned the desecration of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, which took place in Samrala, Ludhiana district, Punjab, and called for severe punishment for the culprits. He criticized the government's lack of serious action against repeated blasphemy incidents in Punjab. Dhami urged Gurdwaras to enhance security measures, including CCTV monitoring and regular checks on electrical appliances, to prevent accidents.
30-May-2024
Spokesperson for the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Randhir Jaiswal, confirmed on May 30 in New Delhi that the Czech Republic's top court has dismissed Nikhil Gupta's petition to stop his extradition to the United States (US). Gupta was arrested for an alleged plot to assassinate US-based Khalistani terrorist and the chief of the Khalistani outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
30-May-2024
Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, while addressing an election rally at the Ramlila ground in Hoshiarpur district, Punjab, on May 30, announced that Adampur airport would be named after Guru Ravidas. He also emphasized the government's future plans, including a roadmap for the first 125 days focused on youth and a long-term vision.
29-May-2024
According to reports, Khalistani preacher and Waris Punjab De (WPD) chief Amritpal Singh has created a significant stir in the Khadoor Sahib constituency of Tarn Taran district, Punjab, by contesting the Lok Sabha elections from prison in Dibrugarh, Assam, 2,300 km away. Despite concerns voiced by Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal about potential destabilization, Amritpal is garnering support. Villagers show solidarity, perceiving his imprisonment as unjust. Support for Amritpal is seen as a reaction to perceived state overreach rather than an endorsement of Khalistan, reflecting Punjab's historical tendency to oppose perceived injustice.
29-May-2024
According to reports, Khalistani preacher and Waris Punjab De (WPD) chief Amritpal Singh is facing new legal trouble due to his supporters' objectionable remarks against the Dalit community in a WhatsApp group titled 'Mission Khadoor Sahib.' Dalit community leaders have recently lodged a complaint in Phagwara, Kapurthala district, Punjab, providing screenshots of the offensive comments. The complaint identifies individuals named Paramjit Akali, Akal Sahay, and Chacha Bagela USA as participants in the derogatory chats. Amritpal Singh, currently in Dibrugarh jail in Assam under the National Security Act (NSA), is contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha election from the Khadoor Sahib constituency in Tarn Taran district, Punjab, as an independent candidate.
29-May-2024
On May 29, representatives from various panthic organizations joined Sarbajit Singh Khalsa, whose father, Beant Singh, was one of the killers of then-Prime Minister (PM) Indira Gandhi, in a march from Gurdwara Dina Sahib in Dina, Moga district to Faridkot, Faridkot district, Punjab, covering nearly 70 kilometres. The march, led by numerous youths on motorcycles, saw slogans raised in support of Sarabjit Singh and his father. Panthic organizations are urging people to vote for Sarabjit Singh as a gesture of repayment for the debt owed to Beant Singh, echoing slogans glorifying the Akal Takht.
29-May-2024
Border Security Forces (BSF) on May 29 intercepted two China-made drones and recovered 550 grams of heroin in the Amritsar sector in Amritsar district.
29-May-2024
According to data from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA), drug seizures by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) increased by 160% from 2014 to December 2023 compared to 2006-2013, with a 210% rise in drug-related cases. Punjab, especially districts bordering Pakistan, reported high drug and drone seizures. The government has implemented a three-point strategy, enhanced the Narcotics Coordination (NCORD) mechanism, and initiated financial investigations and prevention measures, including the use of drones, to combat illegal drug cultivation. The total value of drugs seized during this period was INR 22,000 crore, marking a significant increase from the previous period.
29-May-2024
The Punjab Government recently announced the establishment of 28 new cybercrime police stations across the state, with one in each district and Police Commissionerate. This move aims to enhance cybersecurity and combat digital crimes such as hacking, online fraud, identity theft, and cyberbullying. The initiative reflects the government's commitment to strengthening law enforcement capabilities and ensuring the safety and security of citizens in the digital realm.
29-May-2024
In Khadoor Sahib, posters supporting Khalistani preacher and Waris Punjab De (WPD) chief Amritpal Singh, who is currently held in Dibrugarh Jail in Assam, were recently put up for the upcoming Lok Sabha election. Singh's campaign, led by his mother Balwinder Kaur and supporters, focuses on releasing former Sikh militants, ending Punjab's drug menace, and protecting Sikh identity. Despite his imprisonment, Singh's ideology and campaign updates are widely shared on social media, mobilizing significant local support.
29-May-2024
The decision by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to display the bullet-hit Guru Granth Sahib 'saroop' at the Golden Temple from May 26 to June 6 has sparked allegations of political manoeuvring ahead of the Punjab Lok Sabha elections on June 1. Critics from various parties accuse the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) of leveraging Sikh sentiment for votes, while SGPC leaders insist that the move responds to public demand and is not politically motivated.
28-May-2024
Jaipur Police launched a probe on May 28 after slogans hailing Pakistan and Khalistan were found on the walls of a State Bank of India (SBI) branch in Chaura Rasta, Jaipur, Rajasthan.