KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
25-May-2026
Punjab Police on May 25 arrested an accused, identified as Lovepreet Singh alias Akashpreet Singh and recovered two hand grenades, detonators and a pistol from his possession, in the Chatiwind police station area of Amritsar district. During preliminary interrogation, the accused allegedly disclosed that the consignment had been dropped inside Indian territory in the Attari sector by Pakistan-based smugglers using a drone a few days earlier. Police officials said the grenades were allegedly intended to be used in attacks on police establishments.
25-May-2026
Border Security Force (BSF) and Punjab Police on May 25 recovered 20 packets containing 10.950 kg of heroin from the Jalalabad area of Fazilka district. According to official sources, farmer Teja Ram, accompanied by a BSF jawan, had gone beyond the border fencing near Prabhat Singh Wala village in the Jalalabad subdivision for crop management work when they spotted a white bag lying in the field of another farmer, Mahavir Prasad, near the Indo-Pak international border.
25-May-2026
An email threatening to blow up the residence of Punjabi singer Diljit Dosanjh in Ludhiana was received on May 25, allegedly from a group calling itself the “Khalistan National Party.” The threat email was sent to the official email address of the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation and also contained threats targeting the Ludhiana Mayor’s residence and office. According to the email, the Mayor’s house would be attacked by 1:11 pm, while Dosanjh’s residence was allegedly threatened to be blown up by 9:11 pm. However, it is learnt that Diljit Dosanjh does not currently reside at the property.
25-May-2026
Rumours of a firing incident outside the residence of Bollywood actor-comedian Kapil Sharma in Amritsar district spread rapidly on May 25, prompting the Commissionerate Police to issue a clarification denying the reports. The rumours gained traction on social media amid references to multiple shooting incidents over the past year targeting Kap Sharma’s Canada-based Kap’s Café.
24-May-2026
On May 24, the 124th day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangstran Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahar— the police conducted 529 raids, arrested 269 persons and recovered two weapons from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 100 individuals, while 16 persons were verified and released after questioning. 11 proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
24-May-2026
On May 24, Punjab Police, on day 449 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 72 drug smugglers, and seized 30.6 kg of heroin, 271 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 4200 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
24-May-2026
Unidentified armed assailants shot dead a Punjab Police Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI), identified as Joga Singh, while he was on his way to duty on the Fatehgarh Churian–Majitha road in Amritsar district on May 24. Singh, who was posted in the Traffic Wing of the Amritsar Police Commissionerate, was travelling to Amritsar on his scooter around 6 am when two unidentified motorcycle-borne assailants intercepted him about a kilometer before Majitha and opened fire at close range. He sustained bullet injuries to the chest and waist and died on the spot, while the attackers fled after the shooting.
24-May-2026
Hours after the murder of Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Joga Singh in the Majitha area, a poster attributed to the obscure outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Hindustan surfaced on social media, claiming responsibility for the killing and issuing fresh threats against security personnel and government officials, on May 24 evening. The group also claimed that a video related to the attack would soon be released online. Notably, the same organisation had earlier claimed responsibility for the killing of two policemen in the Dorangla area of Gurdaspur earlier this year, raising concerns among security agencies. However, the authenticity of the poster has not yet been verified.
24-May-2026
Unidentified motorcycle-borne assailants opened fire at the house of deceased ex-serviceman Subedar Sadhu Singh in Manolian village, Hoshiarpur district, in the early hours of May 24. No casualties were reported, though the attackers allegedly fired at least three rounds at the house.
24-May-2026
The Counter Intelligence (CI) wing of the Punjab Police on May 24 arrested four drug peddlers and seized 28.12 kg of heroin along with INR 950,000 in drug money during an operation in the Guruharsahai area of Ferozepur district. Preliminary investigations revealed that the module had links with foreign-based smugglers and handlers, who had allegedly tasked the accused with retrieving and distributing the narcotics consignment within Indian territory. Further investigations are under way.
24-May-2026
Police on May 24 arrested three drug smugglers, identified as Ranjeet Singh alias Rana, Arshdeep Singh alias Arshi, and Akashdeep Singh alias Akash, and seized 4.254 kg of heroin from their possession in Ferozepur district.
24-May-2026
The Delhi Police Special Cell on May 24 arrested three alleged sharpshooters of the Kapil Sangwan alias Nandu gang along with two alleged weapon suppliers, identified as Abhishek, Sahil, Harshdeep alias Polu, Karan alias Ankush, and Aman, foiling a planned firing incident linked to an extortion racket in New Delhi. According to police, the accused had allegedly been tasked by gangster Kapil Sangwan to open fire at a clinic in Delhi’s Chhawla area to intimidate the target for extortion purposes.
24-May-2026
On May 24, the Kapurthala Police registered an FIR against 31 inmates for rioting and vandalism at the Central Jail in Kapurthala district on May 23. Two mobile phones, along with several iron rods and sticks, were seized from the prisoners. The accused were booked on charges including attempt to murder, arson, rioting, obstructing public servants from performing their duties, live transmission of objectionable content, and criminal conspiracy. The inmates allegedly damaged jail property, set items on fire, and livestreamed the unrest, which continued until the morning of May 24. Police used tear gas shells to bring the situation under control and force the rioters back into their barracks.
23-May-2026
On May 23, the 123rd day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangstran Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahar— the police conducted 512 raids, arrested 222 persons and recovered six weapons from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 101 individuals, while 12 persons were verified and released after questioning. Four proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
23-May-2026
On May 23, Punjab Police, on day 448 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 113 drug smugglers, and seized 12.4 kg of heroin, 279 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 2700 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
23-May-2026
The Border Security Force (BSF) on May 23 recovered a packet containing 3.245 kg of heroin along with packing material near Border Outpost (BOP) Chhanmullah in Amritsar district.
23-May-2026
The Border Security Force (BSF) on May 23 recovered a packet containing 3.206 kg of heroin near the border fence at Border Outpost (BOP) Fatehpur in Amritsar district.
23-May-2026
Police on May 23 arrested a man, identified as Pragat Singh, and seized 500 grams of heroin from his possession in Ajnala, Amritsar district.
23-May-2026
Amritsar Police on May 23 foiled a planned target killing operation with the arrest of two alleged gang-linked suspects, identified as Kulbir Singh and Jashandeep Singh alias Maya, and recovered a China-made .30-bore pistol, four live cartridges, and two empty shells from their possession, following a brief exchange of fire in the Fatahpur area of Amritsar district. During preliminary investigations, police alleged that the duo was planning to execute a target killing and that timely intervention prevented a possible gang war-related murder. Investigators further disclosed that the accused were allegedly in contact with foreign-based gangster Ankush Bahman and had been assigned the task of eliminating two rival gang members.
22-May-2026
On May 22, the 122nd day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangstran Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahar— the police conducted 512 raids, arrested 244 persons and recovered six weapons from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 116 individuals, while 20 persons were verified and released after questioning. Five proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.