KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
India 27-Aug-2025
According to sources, the silence of Punjab Police over the improvised explosive device (IED) blast in Amritsar on August 10, which left bomb disposal squad constable Gurpreet Singh grievously injured, has raised concerns and prompted calls for a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe. Medical records confirm that Singh lost vision in both eyes, hearing in one ear, and sustained severe hand and leg injuries. Activists allege the incident occurred near the Galiara area close to the Golden Temple, but the police have refused to disclose details, fuelling suspicions of a cover-up.
India 27-Aug-2025
Patiala House Court in New Delhi on August 27 cancelled the non-bailable warrant issued two days earlier against former Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) officer Vikash Yadav in a kidnapping and extortion case. The court accepted the submission that his lawyers had been unable to appear due to the ongoing strike and restored his bail surety. Yadav, earlier arrested for alleged links with gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and also named by United States (US) authorities in the Gurpatwant Singh Pannun plot, has been directed to appear on October 17.
Pakistan 27-Aug-2025
Saifullah Khokar, head of the Kartarpur Corridor Project Management Unit, on August 27 told PTI that the entire Kartarpur Corridor complex, including Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, had been submerged by floodwaters from the Ravi River in Pakistan’s Narowal district. More than 100 people, mostly staff members, were stranded and were being rescued by boats and a helicopter. Akal Takht officiating Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj expressed deep concern and urged both India and Pakistan to take joint measures to protect the shrine from future floods. He emphasized the religious significance of Kartarpur Sahib as the final resting place of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism.
India 27-Aug-2025
Goa Police on August 27 traced a close aide of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, identified as Vishnu Bishnoi, along with six of his associates from a hotel in Anjuna in Goa. Vishnu was wanted in several cases, including the murder of Punjab businessman Sanjay Verma in Fazilka on July 7, 2025. Officials confirmed that while Vishnu was handed over to Punjab Police, his six companions were released as no involvement in the crime was found.
India 27-Aug-2025
Police on August 27 arrested two gang members of the Rohit Godara gang, identified as Kartik Jakhar and Kavish, from New Ashok Nagar area in East Delhi district in Delhi. The two were working for Harry Boxer, a Bishnoi gang member based in the United States (US), who has been issuing threats and extortion demands.
Canada 27-Aug-2025
The Canadian Federal Court in Vancouver on August 27 dismissed an appeal by Indian national Kanwaljit Kaur, ruling that her claims of facing persecution in India due to her support for the Khalistani terror outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) and the Khalistan movement were speculative and unsubstantiated. Justice Guy Regimbald held that merely possessing a Khalistan Referendum voter card did not make her a person of interest for Indian authorities, thereby rejecting her Pre-Removal Risk Assessment appeal and dismissing her motion for a stay of removal.
India 27-Aug-2025
The State Special Operation Cell (SSOC) of Punjab Police, on August 27, released a statement regarding the bomb blast that reportedly occurred at its Amritsar office on August 10. According to the statement, senior constable Gurpreet Singh, deputed to the Bomb Disposal Squad of Punjab Armed Police (PAP), was severely injured when an IED seized by the SSOC exploded. In addition to the IED, the cell had also confiscated two hand grenades. The statement added that the low-intensity explosion took place while the explosives were being defused as part of standard procedure on August 10.
United States 28-Aug-2025
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the chief of the banned Khalistani terrorist outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), on August 28 sympathised with the accused driver in the deadly U-turn crash, and described the driver as being “filled with remorse”, outside the St. Lucie County Jail in St. Lucie in Florida in the United States (US).
United States 28-Aug-2025
On August 28, the Khalistani outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) held a gathering outside the St. Lucie County Jail in Florida, United States (US), to show support for Harjinder Singh, the truck driver accused of causing a crash on August 12 that killed three people. SFJ claimed that Singh had fled India fearing persecution under Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s government for his pro-Khalistan views. Singh is facing charges of vehicular homicide and manslaughter.
India 28-Aug-2025
A report released by Khalsa Vox highlighted the nexus between the banned Khalistani terror outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) and illicit activities such as illegal migration and drug trafficking. Citing multiple investigations, it alleged that proceeds from narcotics including fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine are being used to finance anti-India militancy, protests, and Khalistan referendums. The report emphasized that while the vast majority of Sikhs lead constructive lives, supporting groups tied to crime damages the community’s reputation. It urged Sikhs worldwide to uphold lawful, transparent, and principled advocacy rather than aligning with extremist factions.
India 28-Aug-2025
Border Security Force (BSF) troops on August 28 arrested one unidentified smuggler and seized 490 grams of heroin from his possession, near Attari village in Amritsar district.
India 28-Aug-2025
Border Security Force (BSF) on August 28 recovered 536 grams of heroin, near Chak Wazida village in Ferozepur district.
India 28-Aug-2025
Border Security Force (BSF) troops in a joint operation with Punjab Police on August 28 recovered 6.086 kg of heroin and a drone from fields near JK Singh Wala village in Ferozepur district.
India 28-Aug-2025
Bathinda Police on August 28 arrested one individual, identified as Rahul Kumar and seized recovered 505 grams of heroin from the possession in Bathinda in Bathinda district. During interrogation, Rahul revealed that he had sourced the contraband from Ishant Kumar, a repeat offender with five drug peddling cases who is currently lodged in Kapurthala prison. Police have also booked Ishant in connection with the case and are investigating the supply chain further.
India 29-Aug-2025
A report by Khalsa Vox highlighted the plight of Gurdwara Shaheed Ganj Bhai Taru Singh in Lahore, a historic 250-year-old shrine now encroached upon and largely erased due to neglect in Pakistan. Once a revered site of Sikh devotion, it now stands hidden behind shops and walls, with only a small portion accessible to devotees. The desecration reflects the broader erosion of Sikh heritage in Pakistan, while Khalistani groups abroad remain silent, allegedly because of their dependence on Pakistani funding.
India 29-Aug-2025
A recent report by Khalsa Vox revealed that the demand for Khalistan, which originated in the 1970s, is now largely sustained by fringe elements in India and sections of the diaspora, while the majority of Sikhs have rejected separatism and embraced their place within India. The report traced the movement’s trajectory from Jagjit Singh Chauhan to Amritpal Singh, noting its repeated failures and decline after the violent decades of the 1980s–90s. It argued that diaspora-led protests in countries such as the United Kingdom (UK), United States (US), Canada, and Australia may ultimately harm the cause, as governments prioritize stability and their ties with India.
India 29-Aug-2025
Border Security Force (BSF) in a joint operation with the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF), Amritsar, on August 29, arrested one unidentified person and seized 1 kg of heroin and a motorcycle from his possession in Amritsar district.
India 29-Aug-2025
Border Security Force (BSF) troops on August 29 recovered a drone carrying 2 kg of heroin alongside a pistol with its magazine, in Amritsar district.
India 29-Aug-2025
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Chandigarh on August 29 issued an open-dated non-bailable warrant against Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terrorist Shamsher Singh alias Shera in connection with the Sector 10 grenade attack case. The court acted after the National Investigation Agency presented evidence linking him to the conspiracy, including financing and facilitating reconnaissance. Singh, absconding for the past two to three years, is accused of working with United States (US) based Harpreet Singh alias Happy Passia and Pakistan-based Harwinder Singh Rinda, named as the masterminds behind the attack.
India 30-Aug-2025
On August 30, Punjab Police, on day 182 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, registered 53 first information reports (FIRs), arrested 65 drug smugglers and seized 1.2 kg of heroin, 650 grams of opium, 150 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 600 drug money from the possession of arrested drug smugglers across Punjab. With this, the number of total drug smugglers arrested has reached to 27,663 in 182 days.