KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
21-Aug-2023
According to sources, Vikas Singh, a former gangster turned politician from Ayodhya, played a significant role in providing shelter to members of Lawrence Bishnoi's criminal syndicate, including Sachin Bishnoi, the key accused in the murder of rapper Siddhu Moose Wala. The gang stayed at Singh's farmhouse in Devgarh Village, Ayodhya district of Uttar Pradesh (UP).
21-Aug-2023
According to reports, hybrid warfare - a blend of conventional tactics, cyber warfare, irregular forces, and disinformation campaigns - has emerged as a new menace in the modern era of global connectivity. The Indian state of Punjab has become a battleground for such strategies, exemplified by the Twitter account @NationGazette. This account poses as a proxy for the Khalistan movement, spreading disinformation, impersonating individuals, and aiming to destabilize India by undermining its unity and integrity through a network of deception and influence. Vigilance against such divisive agendas is crucial in this digital age to safeguard the truth and counter hybrid warfare tactics.
20-Aug-2023
Various Sikh organizations, on August 20, held a prayer meeting urging the Indian government to waive the passport requirement for travel to Pakistan through the Kartarpur corridor. They proposed issuing special passes instead to facilitate pilgrims, particularly those without passports. The groups also called for efforts to prevent drug smuggling across the border and advocated for free trade between Indian and Pakistani Punjabis.
20-Aug-2023
A group of politicians in Punjab has advocated for the legalization of opium sales as an alternative for drug users, following a series of suspected drug overdose deaths. Senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sikander Singh Maluka and former Patiala Member of Parliament (MP), Dharamvira Gandhi, support this idea, believing that legalizing opium sales could undermine the drug mafia and provide users with a safer option. They highlight that opium has a historical presence in Punjab without causing fatalities. Their argument is that legalizing opium could generate revenue, reduce harmful drug use, and disrupt criminal networks. However, there are concerns about the potential impact and feasibility of such a move.
20-Aug-2023
Security has been heightened along the Punjab-Kathua district border in response to an alert from Punjab Police about a planned operation against drug peddlers near the border. The Kathua police have intensified naka checking and increased vigilance by deploying police teams in various locations along the border. The specific details of the operation and the reasons for the heightened security measures have not been publicly disclosed.
19-Aug-2023
The self-proclaimed head of Damdami Taksal, identified as Barjinder Singh Parwana, has been accused of targeting Hindu shop owners in Rajpura in Patiala district. He is also alleged to have been involved in the attack on a Kali Mata Temple in Patiala and to have caused the arrest of two Hindus for selling 'Gutka Sahib' alongside other books. Parwana has a history of promoting enmity and is associated with Sikh radicalism, having participated in protests and delivered provocative speeches on social media.
19-Aug-2023
The banned Khalistani terror outfit, Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), in a video released on August 19, declared that they have reached out to Chinese President Xi Jinping via a letter, advocating for the annexation of the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh and seeking support for a Khalistan Referendum for an independent Sikh nation. In the letter, SFJ draws parallels between Punjab's occupation by India as perceived by SFJ and Arunachal Pradesh's territorial dispute with China. The letter suggests that China should pursue a secessionist referendum for Arunachal Pradesh.
19-Aug-2023
The Punjab Police on August 19 carried out a special operation named 'OPS Seal-III' in collaboration with the police forces of neighboring states, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, and the Union Territory of Chandigarh. This operation resulted in the arrest of 49 individuals, the issuance of fines (challans) to 329 vehicles, the impoundment of 25 vehicles, and the seizure of INR 45 lakh in cash, 30 kilograms of poppy husk, 374 grams of heroin, 500 grams of charas, and 263 liters of illicit liquor. The operation involved 1,500 personnel and covered 10 inter-state border districts of Punjab- Pathankot, Sri Muktsar Sahib, Fazilka, Ropar, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar (SAS) Nagar, Patiala, Sangrur, Mansa, Hoshiarpur and Bathinda.
19-Aug-2023
A special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court on August 19 convicted a man, named Navdeep Singh for money laundering charges related to drug smuggling in Jalandhar, Jalandhar district. Singh has been sentenced to 3.5 years of imprisonment and fined INR 50,000. If the fine is not paid, he will face an additional three months of imprisonment. The court has allowed the confiscation of assets worth INR 9 lakh that were earlier seized by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). This case stems from a 2017 Punjab Police FIR related to drug smuggling.
18-Aug-2023
Investigating agencies on August 18 revealed that Sachin Bishnoi alias Sachin Thappan, who was extradited from Azerbaijan in connection with the Sidhu Moosewala murder case, was staying with gang members at a farmhouse, in Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh (UP), before the murder took place. He, along with other Bishnoi gang shooters, had been practicing firing at the farmhouse, which belongs to a man identified as Vikas Singh. Sachin Bishnoi is wanted in five criminal cases, including violations of the Arms Act, murder, and attempted murder, all of which are related to the Lawrence Bishnoi crime group.
18-Aug-2023
Punjab’s Special Director General of Police (Law and Order), Arpit Shukla, along with Inspector General (IG) of Frontier Headquarters, Border Security Force (BSF) Jalandhar, Dr Atul Fulzele, on August 18, held a meeting with BSF officials to strategize against the drug supply chain. This initiative follows Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's pledge to make Punjab drug-free by the next Independence Day. Proposed measures include enhancing CCTV coverage along the International Border, upgrading police facilities in border areas, and seizing properties of smugglers. The Chief Minister has sanctioned INR 20 crore for CCTV installation and the strengthening of police infrastructure.
18-Aug-2023
In a video shared on August 18, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the chief of the banned Khalistani organization Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), labelled Canada-based Punjabi singer AP Dhillon as a Khalistan supporter. AP Dhillon recently faced controversy as pro-Khalistan groups claimed he supported their agenda due to his choice of Tricolour-themed footwear, sparking a debate on social media. Intelligence agencies are investigating whether this is a smear attempt against the singer or if there is any truth to the claim made by Pannun.
18-Aug-2023
Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann, on August 18, was declared ‘Tankhaiya’ (guilty of religious misconduct) by Akal Takht's 'parallel' Jathedar, Dhian Singh Mand, at Akal Takht in Amritsar. This declaration follows Mann's alleged interference in Sikh matters and his introduction of an amendment Bill in the Sikh Gurdwaras Act of 1925. Despite being given opportunities to clarify his stance, Mann did not appear in person before Akal Takht.
18-Aug-2023
Punjab's Special Director General of Police (Law and Order), Arpit Shukla, on August 18, instructed police commissioners and district police chiefs to identify and seize properties of major narco-smugglers arrested along with significant drug quantities. This year, the Punjab Police have already seized and forfeited 30 properties valued at INR 12.99 crores. Shukla also highlighted the collaboration with the Border Security Force (BSF) to disrupt the drug supply chain and counter-drone operations used for drug smuggling across the border. The aim is to make Punjab drug-free, as stated by Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann.
18-Aug-2023
The investigation into the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala, who was shot dead on May 29, 2022, has revealed that the plot was hatched in Uttar Pradesh (UP) by the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. Some photographs show gang members, including Sachin Bishnoi, who is accused in the murder case, in various locations in Ayodhya and Lucknow in UP prior to the assassination. These images also depict the presence of internationally-sourced weapons believed to have been used in the attack. Delhi Police are planning to collaborate with UP authorities to conduct a further investigation into the case.
18-Aug-2023
Harsimrat Kaur, the Member of Parliament (MP) from Bathinda, on August 18, wrote a letter addressed to the Union Home Minister (UHM), Amit Shah, urging him to commute Balwant Singh Rajoana's death sentence to life imprisonment and to expedite his release on humanitarian grounds. She referred to Rajoana as a 'dharmi' (faith defender) prisoner. Balwant Singh Rajoana was convicted for his involvement in the 1995 assassination of former Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Beant Singh.
18-Aug-2023
On August 18, in accordance with the directions of Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) issued a circular urging gurdwara managements to discourage the practice of offering toys as offerings by devotees.
18-Aug-2023
A Tarn Taran court on August 18 sent three members of an alleged terror module identified as Ashmpreet Singh, Pardeep Singh and Sukhmanpreet, to judicial custody after the expiry of their police remand in Tarn Taran, in Tarn Taran district. They were part of a terror module run by Gurdev Singh alias Jaisel operating from the Czech Republic. Investigations revealed their involvement in delivering weapons and funds, with Jaisel being connected to gangster-turned-terrorist Lakhbir Singh alias Landa and Satbir Singh Satta.
17-Aug-2023
A Mohali court on August 17 declared sacked Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Raj Jit Singh a proclaimed offender (PO) after he failed to appear in court regarding a drug smuggling case and other charges, including extortion and forgery, for which he was dismissed by the state government. The court rejected Singh's request to postpone the proclamation proceedings, stating it was an attempt to cause delay.
17-Aug-2023
The Punjab and Haryana High Court (HC) on August 17 issued a 'last opportunity' to the Mohali administration and the Qaumi Insaaf Morcha (QIM) to resolve the issue of the encampment near the Chandigarh-Mohali border in Punjab. The court emphasized the importance of keeping roads open. The QIM had maintained the encampment since January 7, 2022, seeking the release of Sikh prisoners, despite a decline in the number of protesters.