KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
India 19-Apr-2025
The Border Security Force (BSF) has seized 11 pistols and over 100 rounds of ammunition along the International Border (IB) in Punjab over the past five days (April 13–18). This follows a series of seizures in March 2025, during which eight pistols and nearly 100 rounds of ammunition were recovered. Additionally, the BSF discovered improvised explosive devices (IEDs) last week in the Gurdaspur sector, one of which caused serious injury to a BSF trooper during defusal. The rise in smuggling attempts has raised law and order concerns, with the BSF also neutralising 10 drones and seizing over 5 kg of narcotics so far in April 2025.
Canada 19-Apr-2025
On April 19, graffiti reading "Khalistan Zindabad" was discovered at the Ross Street Sikh Temple in Vancouver, British Columbia, prompting an investigation by the Vancouver Police. The Khalsa Diwan Society, which manages the temple, attributed the vandalism to a small group of Khalistani extremists. Condemning the act as an attempt to spread fear and division within the Canadian Sikh community, the society urged unity against extremism.
India 19-Apr-2025
Union Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing Ravneet Singh Bittu, in Chandigarh on April 19, hailed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for securing the arrest of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) operative Harpreet Singh alias Happy Passia in the United States (US) with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Bittu also expressed hope for Passia’s swift extradition to India.
Canada 19-Apr-2025
On April 19, over 550,000 people participated in the annual Khalsa Day Vaisakhi Parade in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, which was marked by the display of Khalistan flags, anti-India visuals, and provocative posters targeting Indian political leaders, including Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister (UHM) Amit Shah, and External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar. The event prominently featured separatist slogans, calls for a 'Khalistan Referendum,' and acts of desecration against the Indian national flag.
India 19-Apr-2025
Uttar Pradesh (UP) Police’s Additional Director General (ADG) of Law and Order, Amitabh Yash, on April 19 confirmed in Lucknow that Harpreet Singh alias Happy Passia, an alleged operative of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), is wanted in connection with a foiled terror plot targeting the Mahakumbh Mela in Prayagraj earlier this year.
India 19-Apr-2025
The police on April 19 arrested an individual, identified as Lovejeet Singh, for attempting to extort INR 1 crore from an automobile showroom owner by posing as the brother of foreign-based gangster Goldy Brar, in Mohali in Sahibzada Ajit Singh (SAS) Nagar district. The police revealed that he had also issued death threats to the complainant and his family if the demanded amount was not paid.
India 19-Apr-2025
The police on April 19 arrested two individuals, identified as Sukhwinder Singh and Mangaljit Singh, in connection with a cross-border weapons smuggling case that took place on the intervening night of December 1 and 2, 2024, near the India-Pakistan border in Chak 9-FA village in Sriganganagar district, Rajasthan. During interrogation, it was revealed that the duo had procured foreign-made pistols and ammunition from Pakistani smugglers for "self-protection" while engaged in drug trafficking in Punjab. Both were previously linked to a 6 kg heroin smuggling case busted on June 15, 2024.
India 19-Apr-2025
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on April 19 filed a second supplementary charge sheet in the high-profile Neemrana hotel firing case linked to Canada-based Khalistani terrorist Arshdeep Singh Gill alias Arsh Dalla, naming three additional accused—Dharmendra Singh, Gaurav, and Deepak—in Jaipur, Rajasthan. With this filing, the total number of individuals charge-sheeted in the case has increased to six.
India 20-Apr-2025
The Border Security Force (BSF), in a joint operation with Punjab Police on April 20, arrested a local smuggler whose identity was not disclosed and recovered a packet of heroin weighing 1.029 kg from his possession in Habibwala Village in Ferozepur district.
India 20-Apr-2025
Police on April 20 arrested two drug smugglers, identified as Rohit and Lovepreet, and seized 100 grams of heroin, a .30 bore pistol, three live rounds, and a motorcycle from their possession in Kutbewal village, Phillaur, in Jalandhar district. A third smuggler, Gurpreet alias Gopi, was injured during an encounter in the operation and later succumbed to his injuries at a civil hospital. Police confirmed that the trio were involved in multiple criminal cases, including drug smuggling and snatching.
Canada 20-Apr-2025
Canadian Member of Parliament (MP) from Ottawa Nepean, Chandra Arya, in a post on social media platform X on April 20, urged the Hindu and Sikh communities in Canada to 'rise with urgency' and demand decisive government action against Khalistani extremists, following a series of defacements of religious sites. Arya condemned the recent graffiti at the Lakshmi Narayan Mandir in Surrey, calling it a 'chilling reminder' of the growing influence of Khalistani extremism. He also referenced similar acts of vandalism at the Khalsa Diwan Society in Vancouver and called for immediate measures to curb extremist activities.
United States 20-Apr-2025
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a designated Khalistani terrorist and chief of the banned outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), has recently alleged that a close aide of Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi orchestrated a USD 250,000 plot to assassinate him, calling it a state-sponsored act of terrorism. In a letter to United States (US) Vice President JD Vance, Pannun urged the US government to confront Indian authorities over the issue and demanded that any legal proceedings related to the alleged assassination attempt be conducted under US jurisdiction.
Canada 20-Apr-2025
Canada’s Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister (PM) candidate Pierre Poilievre, on April 20, attended the Khalsa Day Parade in Surrey, British Columbia, where he shared the stage with designated Khalistani terrorist Santokh Singh Khela — the Jathedar of the banned terror outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and a convict in the Air India Flight 112 bombing plot. During the event, Khela, seen wielding an axe, pledged to continue the fight for Khalistan and to fulfil the separatist agenda of slain Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
India 20-Apr-2025
According to sources, the Uttar Pradesh (UP) Special Task Force (STF) is preparing to approach the central government to coordinate with international agencies for access to Harpreet Singh alias Happy Passia, a wanted terrorist affiliated with the banned Khalistani outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), who was recently arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the United States (US). Passia’s name emerged during the interrogation of Lazar Masih, another BKI operative arrested in Kaushambi, UP, who disclosed his involvement in cross-border terror conspiracies.
India 20-Apr-2025
Punjab Police, on April 20, on Day 51 of its 'Yudh Nashian Virudh' campaign, arrested 79 drug smugglers and recovered 11.5 lakh intoxicant tablets/capsules, 690 grams of heroin, and INR 4.40 lakh in drug money from various locations across the state.
India 20-Apr-2025
Moga Police on April 20 arrested a narcotics smuggler, identified as Vicky Arora alias Vijay Arora, and seized 2,80,800 Tramadol tablets, 8,75,900 Pregabalin capsules, 4,500 bottles of codeine syrup, INR 52,500 in drug money, and a car from his possession in Moga district.
India 20-Apr-2025
The Border Security Force (BSF) on April 20 recovered a broken DJI Mavic-3 Classic drone from fields near Rajatal village in Amritsar district.
India 20-Apr-2025
In a joint operation with Punjab Police, the Border Security Force (BSF) on April 20 recovered a packet of heroin weighing 545 grams from fields near Dal village in Patti, Tarn Taran district.
India 20-Apr-2025
The Border Security Force (BSF) on April 20 recovered a DJI Mavic-3 Classic drone from fields near Gatti Rajoke village in Ferozepur district.
India 20-Apr-2025
Television actor Abhinav Shukla revealed via a post on social media platform X on April 20 that he had received a death threat from a user claiming affiliation with gangster Lawrence Bishnoi’s gang. The threat, reportedly sent through Instagram, surfaced following a verbal spat involving his wife, actress Rubina Dilaik, and rapper Asim Riaz on the show Battleground.