KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
India 23-Aug-2025
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, while addressing the media in New Delhi on August 23, accused Rahul Gandhi of aligning with anti-India forces, including Khalistan-linked groups abroad and Left-leaning organisations.
India 23-Aug-2025
On August 23, the ‘parallel’ acting Jathedar of the Akal Takht, Dhian Singh Mand, announced a foot march from September 20 to demand the release of Sikh prisoners who remain incarcerated despite completing their sentences. The march will begin at the Akal Takht, proceed to Takht Damdama Sahib and Takht Kesgarh Sahib, before culminating back at the Akal Takht. Mand said repeated appeals to governments had failed, leaving the community with no option but protest, and called upon all Sikh organisations to join the cause.
India 24-Aug-2025
Arpit Shukla, Special Director General of Police (Law and Order), stated in Chandigarh on August 24 that information received through the ‘Safe Punjab’ WhatsApp chatbot helpline has led to the registration of 5,562 FIRs since March 1 under the state’s anti-drug campaign ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’. He added that Punjab Police have, so far, registered 17,373 FIRs, arrested 26,995 drug smugglers, and seized 1,096 kg heroin, 380 kg opium, 23 tonnes of poppy husk, 29 kg charas, 421 kg ganja, 6 kg ICE, 3.3 kg cocaine, 32.91 lakh intoxicant pills/tablets, and INR 12.43 crores in drug money.
United States 24-Aug-2025
On August 24, Indian-origin truck driver Harjinder Singh, accused of making an illegal U-turn in Florida that killed three people, was denied bond and will remain in custody as legal proceedings continue in the United States (US). He faces vehicular homicide charges carrying a possible 50-year sentence, with his next hearing set for August 27. Following the incident, the US Government announced a freeze on work visas for foreign commercial truck drivers, while an online petition in Singh’s support has already gained over two million signatures.
India 24-Aug-2025
Counter Intelligence (CI), Jalandhar, in a joint operation with Nawanshahr Police on August 24, arrested two shooters of the Lucky Patial-Davinder Bambiha gang identified as Karan Ganger and Jaskarandeep Singh, in Mumbai in Maharashtra. Police said the duo was involved in the July 2 murder of Hardeep Singh, alias Deepa Kulpuria, in Pojewal, Nawanshahr district in Punjab. The accused, along with United Stated (US) based Jaskaran Singh, alias Kannu, had killed the victim due to personal enmity.
India 25-Aug-2025
Punjab Police on August 25 unearthed a terror module with the arrest of one individual, identified as Ravinder Pal Singh alias Ravi, and recovered four hand grenades, an RDX-based improvised explosive device (IED), a Baofeng dual-band FM transceiver set, and a D-shaped headset commonly used with walkie-talkie communication equipment, from his possession in Balpura village, Gurdaspur district. Police stated that the consignment had been sent on the directions of United Kingdom (UK)-based Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terrorist Nishan Singh alias Nishan Jodia, who was acting under the instructions of Pakistan-based terrorist Harvinder Singh Rinda, backed by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Another accused remains absconding, and efforts are underway to apprehend him.
India 25-Aug-2025
On August 25, Punjab Police, on day 177 of its ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ campaign registered 61 first information reports (FIRs), arrested 76 drug smugglers and seized 525 grams of heroin, 2,258 intoxicating tablets/capsules and INR 2,000 drug money from the possession of arrested drug smugglers across Punjab. With this, the total number of drug smugglers arrested during the campaign reached 27,163.
India 25-Aug-2025
Police on August 25 arrested a wanted criminal, identified as Bhupinder Singh, and seized a .32 bore pistol with live cartridges, narcotics and two cars, from his possession, near Gharuan village in Sahibzada Ajit Singh (SAS) Nagar district. He, along with three accomplices from Malerkotla, had carjacked a luxury vehicle at gunpoint from two employees of CGC Jhanjeri on August 17.
Canada 25-Aug-2025
A Canadian federal court in Montreal on August 25 rejected the asylum plea of an Indian couple, Amandeep Singh and Kanwaldeep Kaur, who had claimed that their association with the Khalistan movement would expose them to ‘persecution’ if they were forced to return to India. The court described their claim as ‘disingenuous and lacking good faith’.
India 25-Aug-2025
Patiala House Court on August 25 issued a non-bailable warrant against former Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) officer Vikash Yadav, named by United States (US) authorities as a conspirator in the alleged plot to assassinate Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. The court noted Yadav’s repeated absence in a kidnapping and extortion case linked to gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and issued notice to his surety under Section 491 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).
India 25-Aug-2025
The Haryana government on August 25 announced jobs for one member of each of the 121 Sikh families who lost relatives in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Chief Minister (CM) Nayab Singh Saini recalled the large-scale violence in which gurdwaras, houses, shops, factories, vehicles, and even railway coaches were set ablaze following the assassination of Prime Minister (PM) Indira Gandhi. The Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC) welcomed the move as historic recognition, though its president, Jagdish Singh Jhinda, asserted that the actual death toll was four to five times higher than the official figure.
India 26-Aug-2025
The Acting Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj, during a meeting with Punjab Governor Shri Banwarilal Purohit in Chandigarh on August 26, criticized the Punjab Police Welfare Association for supporting convicted officers found guilty of fake encounters of Sikh youths in the 1990s. He told the Governor that victim families had struggled for decades to secure justice, and releasing the officers would undermine court verdicts and deepen their suffering. Gargajj emphasized that such cases involve grave human rights violations and urged that decisions reflect the sentiments of Punjabis, especially Sikhs.
United States 26-Aug-2025
Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, chief of the banned outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), on August 26, announced that his organization would donate USD 100,000 in 'compassion aid' for victims of the fatal U-turn crash involving Sikh truck driver Harjinder Singh. Pannun claimed the incident was a tragic misjudgement rather than an act of malice and stated that the aid, to be delivered to the office of Governor Ron DeSantis, was intended to demonstrate Sikh community solidarity with the victims.
India 26-Aug-2025
Counter Intelligence (CI) Pathankot on August 26 averted a targeted killing with the arrest of four members of an organized crime syndicate—identified as Vishal Masih alias Dana, Vishal William, and two juveniles—and recovered two .30 bore star-mark pistols along with six live cartridges from their possession in Salimpur Afghana village, Gurdaspur district. According to Punjab Police, the accused were acting on the directions of foreign-based gangsters Nishan Singh, Shamsher Singh alias Shera Mann alias Honey, and Sajan Masih alias Goru.
India 26-Aug-2025
Police on August 26 arrested one individual, identified as Harjinder Singh alias Ravinder Singh, for making repeated threat calls and WhatsApp messages to Punjabi singer Mankirat Singh Aulakh and his family, from Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi.
United States 26-Aug-2025
On August 26, Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, chief of the banned outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), met Harjinder Singh, the Indian-origin truck driver arrested after a crash that killed three people, at the St. Lucie County Jail in Florida, United States (US). Pannun defended Harjinder Singh, describing the incident as a case of ‘tragic misjudgement’ rather than intentional harm, and announced that SFJ would provide USD 100,000 as humanitarian aid to the victims’ families. Harjinder Singh, an asylum seeker from Tarn Taran in Punjab, faces three counts of vehicular homicide and immigration violations, with the possibility of a 45-year prison sentence.
India 26-Aug-2025
According to intelligence sources, Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is pushing Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) to intensify terror attacks in Punjab and neighbouring states, shifting the focus from civilians to police stations, government buildings, and courts. Security officials stated that the move is intended to revive the Khalistan movement by projecting BKI as targeting the Indian state rather than the public. Investigators further revealed that senior BKI leaders Harvinder Singh Rinda and Harper Singh alias Happy Passia, both ISI assets, are directing operations from abroad.
India 27-Aug-2025
The Punjab and Haryana High Court on August 27 recorded assurances from both state governments that innocent people would not be falsely implicated in narcotics cases involving non-commercial quantities. The Bench noted that as many as 23,647 arrests had already been made, with over 20,000 First Information Reports (FIRs) involving contraband in the form of tablets without batch numbers or expiry dates. Punjab Advocate-General Maninder Singh Bedi assured that the campaign “Yudh Nashian Virudh” would be implemented with safeguards to protect innocents, while Haryana’s counsel also pledged corrective measures. Justice Sandeep Moudgil then disposed of the petitions, observing that no further interference was required at this stage.
India 27-Aug-2025
On August 27, Punjab Police, on day 179 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign registered 68 first information reports (FIRs), arrested 99 drug smugglers and seized 985 grams of heroin, 21 kg of poppy husk, 1,625 intoxicant tablets/capsules, and INR 9,850 in drug money from the possession of the arrested smugglers, across Punjab. With these arrests, the total number of drug smugglers apprehended has risen to 27,409 in 179 days.
India 27-Aug-2025
Police on August 27 arrested three individuals, identified as Rohit Bhullar, Arshdeep Singh alias Karan, and Gurjinder Singh alias Gagan, and seized a mobile phone from their possession, in Kalyanpuri, East Delhi district. The accused had allegedly demanded INR 25 lakh from a jeweller by threatening him in the name of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. Police stated that the trio was acting on the instructions of a handler named Sheru, currently based in Bahrain. Further investigation is underway to trace other associates and links to Bishnoi’s network.