KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
23-Feb-2026
Police on February 23 arrested two persons, identified as Sandeep Singh and Maninder Singh and seized 753 grams of heroin from their possession on the Jalandhar–Kapurthala Road in Kapurthala district.
23-Feb-2026
Police on February 23 arrested one person, identified as Gurnek Singh and seized 700 grams of heroin from his possession at the Majari toll plaza on the Balachaur–Garhshankar road in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district.
23-Feb-2026
On February 23, at least three schools in New Delhi, including Army Public School, Delhi Cantonment, and Air Force Bal Bharti School, Lodhi Colony, received bomb threat emails written in Punjabi that reportedly mentioned Khalistan and contained objectionable remarks against the Indian Prime Minister. The threat, sent from a Gmail account, also referred to the Vidhan Sabha, the Red Fort, and certain Delhi Metro stations, though the specific names were unclear, along with those of the three schools.
23-Feb-2026
Lawrence Bishnoi gang members Hari Boxer and Tyson Bishnoi, in a Facebook post on February 23, expressed anger over the killing of two police personnel in Gurdaspur, Punjab. The post condemned the deaths of “honest and capable officers of our country” — Gurnam Singh and Ashok Kumar — and began by addressing supporters while expressing outrage over the incident. The message described the slain policemen as sons of Mother India, claimed they had been martyred, and warned that their deaths would be avenged. The post employed strong language and openly threatened retaliation.
22-Feb-2026
Two policemen, identified as Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Gurnam Singh and Home Guard Ashok Kumar were shot dead under mysterious circumstances at Adhian village, under Dorangla Police Station in Gurdaspur district, on February 22. Preliminary findings suggest they were shot while asleep, indicating a targeted attack rather than a coordinated strike. Gurdaspur Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Aditya Sharma confirmed that both died of gunshot wounds but declined to provide further details. Their service weapons have been seized, and investigators are examining multiple angles, including personal enmity and possible cross-border links. Meanwhile, posters allegedly issued by a little-known outfit calling itself ‘Tehreek-e-Taliban Hindustan’ surfaced on social media by the evening of February 22, claiming responsibility for the killings. However, senior police officials stated that the group has no known presence in Punjab or elsewhere in India. “It is too early to say anything,” they said, adding that such claims could be diversionary tactics.
22-Feb-2026
On February 22, the 33rd day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangsters Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahaar—the police conducted 647 raids, arrested 245 persons and recovered four weapons from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 100 individuals, while 142 persons were verified and released after questioning. Nine proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
22-Feb-2026
On February 22, Punjab Police, on day 358 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 91 drug smugglers, and seized 1.9 kg of heroin, 200 grams of opium, 1012 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 5870 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
22-Feb-2026
The Counter Intelligence (CI) wing of Punjab Police on February 22 arrested two key accused for their involvement in the January 1 blast at the Nalagarh Police Station in Himachal Pradesh, identified as Mahavir alias Kaka and Manpreet alias Mani and seized a 9-mm Glock pistol and four live cartridges from their possession, in Shaheed Bhagat Singh (SBS) Nagar district Preliminary investigations revealed that the accused were acting on the directions of foreign-based handlers — Gopi Nawashehria, Jassi Kulam, and Shushant Chopra — linked to the banned terrorist outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI). The accused, along with their associates, had procured consignments containing RDX-based improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and hand grenades on the instructions of their foreign handlers. From these consignments, the duo used one IED to carry out the January 1 blast at the police station. Six of their accomplices have already been arrested in connection with the case.
22-Feb-2026
Punjab Police on February 22 arrested two alleged drug traffickers, identified as Jagroop Singh alias Joopa and Gurlal Singh alias Pattu and recovered 260 grams of heroin from their possession, in Amritsar district.
22-Feb-2026
The Amritsar (Rural) Police have booked Pakistani gangster Shehzad Bhatti for allegedly threatening a poultry farm owner in an extortion attempt in Amritsar district. The victim, Kanwaldeep Singh, filed a complaint stating that he received threatening calls from multiple mobile numbers, including a foreign number, four days earlier. On February 20, another threatening call was made to a number belonging to his sister-in-law, and the family also reported receiving threatening messages. According to the complaint, the caller identified himself as Shehzad Bhatti and issued threats.
22-Feb-2026
Police on February 22 arrested two key accused in connection with the murder of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) sarpanch Harbrinder Singh, identified as Saranpreet Singh and Hardeep Singh and seized two pistols, following an encounter near Nushera Pannuan in Tarn Taran district. Both accused sustained bullet injuries during the exchange of fire and were admitted to Civil Hospital, Tarn Taran, where they are undergoing treatment under police custody.
21-Feb-2026
Police on February 21 arrested a drug smuggler, identified as Sonu Singh and seized 6.38 kg of heroin from his possession, in Akku Wala village in Ferozepur district.
21-Feb-2026
On February 21, the 32st day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangsters Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahaar—the police conducted 631 raids, arrested 217 persons and recovered 6 weapons from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 95 individuals, while 151 persons were verified and released after questioning. Eight proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
21-Feb-2026
On February 21, Punjab Police, on day 357 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 117 drug smugglers, and seized 3.1 kg of heroin, 3 kg of opium, 446 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 63,250 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
21-Feb-2026
Punjab Police on February 21 recovered an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and foiled a plot to blow up the Rayya police post under the Beas police station limits in Amritsar district. The IED, found behind the police post, was safely defused by a bomb disposal squad, averting what officials termed a potentially devastating attack. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Amritsar Rural Sohail Qasim Mir stated that no terror outfit or gangster group has so far claimed responsibility for planting the device.
21-Feb-2026
Police on February 21 arrested a drug smuggler, identified as Sonu Singh and seized 6.38 kg of heroin from his possession near Akku Wala village in Ferozepur district. He was reportedly in contact with cross-border smugglers.
21-Feb-2026
On February 21, Kapurthala Police arrested a person, identified as Praveen Singh and seized 6 grams of heroin from his possession, in Subhanpur, Kapurthala district.
21-Feb-2026
Police on February 21 arrested a person, identified as Sarabjit alias Sabi and seized 30 intoxicant tablets from his possession, in Phagwara, Kapurthala district.
21-Feb-2026
Police on February 21 arrested two persons, identified as Baljit Singh and Lovepreet Singh and seized 203 grams of heroin from their possession in Thammuwal village, Kapurthala district.
21-Feb-2026
Police on February 21 arrested one person, identified as Gaurav Gill alias Guri and seized 190 white-coloured intoxicant tablets from his possession in Bhulath village in Kapurthala district.