KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
21-Feb-2023
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on February 21 conducted raids on gangsters, working in tandem with terrorist groups and drug smugglers based in foreign countries such as Pakistan and Canada, at 76 locations in Punjab, Haryana, and six other states and seized a large cache of arms and ammunition and cash amounting to Rs 2.3 crores. It was the fifth raid by the NIA against the nexus. In Punjab, the raids were conducted in Bathinda, Muktsar, Moga, Fazilka, Ludhiana, Mohali, Ferozepur, Tarn Taran, Faridkot, Sangrur and Jalandhar districts. In Haryana, the raids covered Gurugram, Yamunanagar, Rohtak, Mahendragarh, Sirsa and Jhajjar districts. According to reports, the NIA also raided places linked to Canada-based Arshdeep Singh Dalla alias Arsh Dalla who was declared a terrorist by the Union Ministry of Homa Affairs (UMHA) on January 9. Dalla’s native house, which situated in Dalla village in Moga district, has been closed for a long time as his family had already migrated from India. Earlier, the NIA had raided the dens of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi at Duttaranwali village in Fazilka district and gangster Goldy Brar at Muktsar. A senior Punjab Police officer said the NIA had not shared the details of its raids.
21-Feb-2023
Police February 21 conducted a cordon and search operation across Jalandhar district and recovered 50 intoxicating capsules, five injections, 18 gm heroin in two different cases, a total of 4-kg poppy husk and 12 bottles of liquor. Police team raided the houses of drug peddlers and also questioned suspicious persons.
21-Feb-2023
The National Investigation Agency's (NIA) continued crackdown on the gangster-terror funding case and on February 21 conducted a raid at the house of Akali leader Lakhvir Singh from Punjab and seized several weapons from him. However, Singh said that he and his kin have licensed weapons that the central agency took for verification. "The arms licences are renewed up to 2025. The NIA is the country's big agency. Whether they call us in day or night for the investigation, we will cooperate," he said.
21-Feb-2023
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on February 21 conducted simultaneous searches at 76 locations in eight states to dismantle the nexus between terrorists, gangsters and drug smugglers and traffickers based in India and abroad. About INR 1.5 crore cash, 11 pistols and rifles with ammunition and incriminating material, including documents, hard drives and mobile phones, were recovered by NIA during search. As per the sources, preliminary investigations have revealed that the gangs were carrying out targeted killings and were also raising funds to carry out such criminal activities through hawala network and smuggling of drugs and weapons.
21-Feb-2023
Punjab police on February 21 conducted a cordon and search operation (CASO) across the state aimed to identified safe haven of criminals and anti-social elements in the state. The Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) said that police teams cordoned off over 324 hotspots and 5,781 persons were frisked of which 205 persons have been arrested. The police have also registered 187 first information reports (FIRs) and arrested nine proclaimed offenders. Police teams also recovered 2.8 kg heroin and 2.20 lakh drug money.
20-Feb-2023
On February 20, the Counter Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Border Security Force (BSF) troops conducted a search and recovered a drone identified as DJI Matrice 300 RTK (made in China) from the outskirts of New Hasta Kalan village in Fazilka district.
20-Feb-2023
The Punjab Police's state special operations cell (SSOC) has booked nine people, including Pakistan-based International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) chief Lakhbir Singh Rode, allegedly for smuggling arms, ammunition, drugs, and explosives across the Punjab border. According to sources, the Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI and the ISYF has been working together through his associates imprisoned in Punjab.
20-Feb-2023
On February 20, Balwant Singh Rajoana, a convict in the assassination of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh, distanced himself from the Qaumi Insaaf Morcha, which is leading the protests for the release of Sikh prisoners. Rajoana, asserting to be an Akali, stated that he has nothing to do with the morcha that has been protesting at the Chandigarh-Mohali border for more than a month.
20-Feb-2023
Amritpal Singh, who is the head of ‘Waris Punjab De’ has given a life threatening warning to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on February 20. In his recent address in Budhsingh Wala village of Moga District, Singh said, "We will do the same to Amit Shah as happened to Indira Gandhi." He came to the village to attend the death anniversary program of Punjabi singer Deep Sidhu. He is also facing arrest along with five of his aides on the charges of several crimes, including kidnapping, theft, rioting, causing injury, and unlawful assembly.
19-Feb-2023
On February 19, Waris Punjab De leader Amritpal Singh attended Deep Sidhu's first death anniversary at Budh Singh Wala village in Moga district and talked about his dream of creating Khalistan and stated that neither Indira Gandhi nor Narendra Modi will be able to stop them from doing so. He stated that each and every child in Punjab is raising its voice for Khalistan. He also added that many ancestors have sacrificed their lives to turn Punjab into Khalistan.
19-Feb-2023
Barnala Police on February 19 arrested 10 gang members along with six rifles, two pistols, one revolver, 35 live cartridges from Barnala district. According to police, the gang is involved in murder, burglary and snatching incidents, a First Information Report (FIR) has been registered in this case. Further investigations are being conducted by police to check into the linkages of the gang with other gangs operating in the state, police said.
19-Feb-2023
On February 19, Border Security Force (BSF) personnel recovered a crash drone with 3 kg of heroin at Zero Line near Ghania-Ke-Bet border outpost in Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district.
19-Feb-2023
The Waris Punjab De president Amritpal Singh gave a call to the 'sangat' to meet at his native village of Jallupur Khera to discuss the future course of action, adding that they would pass a 'gurmata' (resolution in the name of the Guru) against the police action. Also, he has threatened "state-wide action" if the police do not release his two associates and continue to pick up his followers.
19-Feb-2023
The Border Security Force (BSF) personnel recovered a drone with around 2.7 heroin from a field near the border fence in Ghaniake village in Gurdaspur district on February 19.
19-Feb-2023
Punjab Police on February 19 carried out a special operation, ‘Ops Seal’ aimed at checking of all vehicles entering the border state of Punjab at 10 inter-state borders. Police arrested three proclaimed offenders and recovered 70 kg poppy husk, 1 kg charas, 110 grams heroin and INR 1 lakh drug money during the operation. Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Law and Order Arpit Shukla said that the objective of this operation was to keep check on illegal drug trafficking and illicit liquor smuggling, besides, movement of gangsters and anti-social elements.
19-Feb-2023
As per sources, the probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) revealed that Pakistan-based Rinda had taught the shooter who has been identified as Deepak Ranga, to use a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) over two video-call sessions before the RPG attack on the Punjab Police intelligence headquarters in Mohali in 2022. The NIA has also found that Rinda managed to radicalise Deepak with stories of how the police had allegedly tortured the family members of one of Rinda's associates, the sources said. According to sources, Deepak was also allegedly involved in the murder of builder Sanjay Biyani in Maharashtra's Nanded in April 2022 on Rinda's orders.
18-Feb-2023
Police on February 18 arrested gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria’s accomplice, identified as Vishal Verma alias Shalu along with nine pistols and 20 cartridges in Rupnagar district of Punjab. Ropar Superintendent of Police (SSP) Vivek Sheel Soni said, Verma was planning something big. Bhagwanpuria’s gang was also involved in smuggling of weapons and drugs in the state on a large scale, as per sources.
18-Feb-2023
The Faridkot police arrested two persons, identified as Jasbir Singh and Jashandeep Singh and recovered three illegal weapons from them in Faridkot district. In the primary investigation, it is revealed that accused had snatched a .12 bore gun from a person in Baghapurana area of Moga district.
18-Feb-2023
The Border Security Forces (BSF) on February 18 foiled a major narco-terror bid from Pakistan's side and recovered 20 packets of suspected drug heroin (approximately 22 kg) wrapped in yellow tapes on international border (IB) in Gurdaspur district. They also recovered two pistols, of which one is Made in Turkey while the other one is Made in China. Six magazines and 242 rounds were also recovered along with one 12-feet long plastic pipe. According to BSF officers, the gunfight began when suspicious movement of smugglers ahead of fencing in the area near Khasawali village in the Gurdaspur district.
18-Feb-2023
Police on February 18, arrested a gangster identified as Rohit Kumar alias Simtu, along with a .32 bore pistol and five live cartridges from an undisclosed place in Punjab. As per sources, he was involved in the Baltana shootout case and also wanted in six criminal cases registered in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.