KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
08-Aug-2023
At a meeting of prominent Sikh bodies held on August 8 in Ajnala in the Amritsar district, Amrik Singh Ajnala, the president of Damdami Taksal, criticized the Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government for neglecting Sikh religious issues and evading responsibility. The meeting chaired by Amrik Singh highlighted concerns over stolen Sri Guru Granth Sahib copies and missing saroops.
08-Aug-2023
Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on August 8 met with police officers in Patiala district to discuss law and order, focusing on combating drug smuggling, gangster-terror links, and anti-social elements. He emphasized thorough investigations and instructed officials to seize properties of drug smugglers, apprehend offenders, and address public grievances while maintaining zero tolerance for corruption. The visit occurred in preparation for Independence Day celebrations with Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann.
08-Aug-2023
Vikramjeet Singh Brar, a key aide of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, on August 8 was granted a three-day police remand in Faridkot, Punjab in relation to the attempt to murder case of a Dera Sacha Sauda follower. He was brought from New Delhi following his deportation from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Brar is facing multiple cases, including murder, attempt to murder, extortion, and his alleged involvement in the Sidhu Moosewala murder case, operating as a "control room" for the Lawrence Bishnoi terror gang from the UAE.
08-Aug-2023
Vikramjeet Singh Brar, a key aide of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, on August 8 was granted a three-day police remand in Faridkot, Punjab in relation to the attempt to murder case of a Dera Sacha Sauda follower. He was brought from New Delhi following his deportation from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Brar is facing multiple cases, including murder, attempt to murder, extortion, and his alleged involvement in the Sidhu Moosewala murder case, operating as a "control room" for the Lawrence Bishnoi terror gang from the UAE.
08-Aug-2023
The Amritsar Customs and DRI (Directorate of Revenue Intelligence) on August 8 destroyed 527 kgs of narcotics, including Heroin and Ganja, through incineration in Amritsar, Punjab. The event was virtually attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
07-Aug-2023
Police on August 7 arrested three alleged drug peddlers, identified as Gurjinder Singh alias Sabi, Sandip Singh alias Fauji and Sanyam Aneja, and recovered four kilograms of heroin from their possession, after intercepting their car near Pulli village in Bathinda District.
07-Aug-2023
Gurcharan Singh Hawara, the foster father of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) chief Jagtar Singh Hawara, on August 7, announced that the Qaumi Insaaf Morcha (QIM) plans to observe August 15 as a "Black Day" by marching from Mohali to Chandigarh. He said that the protesters will use black and saffron flags to protest the Punjab government's failure to release Sikh prisoners who have completed their sentences. The ongoing protest at Mohali's YPS Chowk, which started on January 7, has caused disruptions in traffic. A previous clash with the police on February 8 resulted in injuries to 33 officers.
07-Aug-2023
Several Delhi residents received pre-recorded threat calls from the banned Khalistani organization Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), asking people to steer clear of the Red Fort on August 15 and warning of a potential terrorist attack during Independence Day celebrations. Following the initial report from Rohini, Delhi Police lodged a First Information Report (FIR) at Budh Vihar police station in North West Delhi district. Many individuals, including government and media figures, subsequently received similar messages from overseas numbers.
07-Aug-2023
The Border Security Force (BSF) in a joint operation with Punjab police on August 7 intercepted and recovered a Pakistani drone from the outskirts of Rajoke Village in Tarn Taran district. The recovered drone is a quadcopter, model DJI Matric RTK- 300.
07-Aug-2023
The anti-drug committee of Bhagta Bhaika village on August 7 apprehended three drug smugglers and turned them over to the police after recovering 15 gm of heroin and a weighing fork from their possession in Bhagta Bhaika village in Bathinda district. A video of the smugglers confessing to selling heroin to local residents was circulated on social media.
06-Aug-2023
Border Security Force (BSF) personnel on August 6 at around 10 pm intercepted a drone entering Indian territory from Pakistan near Rattan Khurd village in Amritsar district. The following morning, on August 7, a joint search operation with Punjab Police was conducted, leading to the recovery of a damaged Hexacopter drone and a battery in a nearby farming field.
06-Aug-2023
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) President Harjinder Singh Dhami on August 6 raised objections to the appointment of a non-Sikh administrator for the Gurdwara Board of Takht Hazur Sahib in Nanded, Maharashtra.
06-Aug-2023
Counter Intelligence (CI) Wing of Punjab Police on August 6 arrested two traffickers, identified as Gagga Gill alias Gaga alias Kali and Veer Singh alias Veeru and recovered 41.8 kg of heroin, two 9 mm pistols, four magazines with 100 rounds, and a .30 Turkish semi-automatic pistol with two magazines and 15 rounds from their possession in Ferozepur in Ferozepur district.
06-Aug-2023
Counter Intelligence (CI) Wing of Punjab Police on August 6 arrested two traffickers, identified as Jasbinder Singh alias Bhinda, and Jagdip Singh alias Bhuchhar and recovered 6 packets of heroin, weighing 36 kg near Palla Megha Village in Ferozepur District.
05-Aug-2023
The Ludhiana police on August 5 recovered an illegal country-made .32 bore revolver, a magazine and two live cartridges based on information provided by a member of Davinder Bambiha gang, identified as Gurvir Singh alias Guri who was arrested in May.
05-Aug-2023
Punjab Police on August 5 arrested a member of the Shubham Mota gang, identified as Kunal Sharma alias Kembi and recovered two pistols, 32 bore and a .315 bore guns, along with five live cartridges from his possession from New Kundan Puri in Ludhiana district.
05-Aug-2023
Deceased United Kingdom (UK) based head of Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) Avtar Singh Khanda's sister, Jaspreet Kaur on August 5 presented documents, including an expired passport, driving license, and Class XII certificate, to establish his Indian citizenship before the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The central government had previously informed the court that it possessed no documents to establish Khanda's citizenship. The case is scheduled for its next hearing on August 18.
05-Aug-2023
The President of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Harjinder Singh Dhami on August 5 welcomed the Queensland High Court's ruling in Australia, which favoured Sikhs' right to wear the 'kirpan' as part of their religious faith.
05-Aug-2023
Former Congress leader Jagdish Tytler on August 5 appeared before a court as an accused in connection with the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, where a supplementary charge sheet included witnesses' statements which claimed that Tytler had urged the mob to "kill the Sikhs," leading to deaths and a gurdwara being set on fire. The charge sheet also states he violated prohibitory orders, incited the mob, and promoted enmity between religious groups.
05-Aug-2023
Gangster Vikramjeet Singh, an associate of Lawrence Bishnoi, was remanded in three days' police custody by a Faridkot court on August 5 for an INR 50 lakh extortion case. He was brought from the UAE (United Arab Emirates) to New Delhi by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and then to Faridkot on a day’s transit remand on August 4. Singh is accused of making extortion calls on Bishnoi's orders and is also linked to an attempt on the life of a Dera Sacha Sauda follower, as well as the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala.