Time Line-2018

India 03-Feb-2018

The BSF recovered seven kilograms of heroin from an unidentified area near the border outpost New Dona Rai Dina Nath (DRDN) at the India-Pakistan border in Forezepur Sector, Ferozepur District in Punjab. The heroin was wrapped in seven packets, each of a kilogram, of polythene and was concealed under the grass near the International border.

India 06-Feb-2018

Reacting to the recent edition of the Outlook India that featured a photo of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau with the headline ‘Khalistan-II: Made in Canada’, the Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan and a fellow Minister Amarjit Sohi—called the magazine’s heading ‘ridiculous’ and ‘offensive’ for accusing Canada for its involvement in the rise of Sikh terrorism. The published article depicts several alleged connections between the Canada and Khalistan movement along with accusing Sikh-Canadians exploiting Canada’s political system. “I have been a Police Officer and served my country [Canada] and such allegations are absolutely ridiculous and extremely offensive, said Harjit Sajjan.

India 08-Feb-2018

In a joint operation based on Intelligence inputs, the BSF and Punjab Police arrested Hans Singh—resident of Gajniwala Village, with two Kilograms of heroin, packed in four packets, worth INR 10 crores in international market, from nearby of India-Pakistan border outpost of Dona Raja Dina Nath, Amritsar Sector. The SFs also recovered a Pakistani mobile SIM card along with heroin buried under the soil

India 16-Feb-2018

The slain Sikh militant and important leader of Khalistan movement—Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale’s home at his ancestral village in Baghapurana sub-Division of Moga District in Punjab has been converted into a ‘Gurdwara’ (Sikh temple) and opened for general public. The Gurdwara is dedicated to his [Bhindranwale] martyrdom and named as ‘Gurdwara Sant Khalsa’. His home condition was in shambles therefore it was decided to convert into a ‘place of worship’. The Gurdwara was built by the Damdami Taksal with no financial assistance from the previous Punjab Government led by the coalition of SAD-BJP, said Head of Damdami Taksal Harnam Singh Dhuma. No one in village opposed the construction of the Gurdwara and it was highly supported by the youths as they remember him [Bhindranwale] fondly, said a village resident Jaswinder Singh Brar.

India 19-Feb-2018

The NIA spread-out its investigation to the UK, Australia, the UAE, Italy and Pakistan, in the cases related to the revival of Khalistan movement in Punjab. Upon the request made from the Government of Punjab, the UMHA on November 30, 2017, handed-over the investigation of homicide case of RSS member Ravinder Gosain in Ludhiana, to NIA.

India 20-Feb-2018

In a joint operation carried-out by the BSF and the STF of Amritsar on early hours of February 20, an unidentified Pakistani smuggler was killed and 10 kilograms of heroin was recovered from his possession at India-Pakistan border outpost at Ferozepur Sector in Ferozepur District of Punjab.

India 21-Feb-2018

During their official meeting, the Punjab’s CM Captain Amarinder Singh handed-over a list to Canada’s Prime Minister (PM) Justin Trudeau, with details of active handlers, based in Canada, of Khalistani militants operating in Punjab. Most of the operatives in the list belongs to the banned outfit—International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) and Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF). The details about operatives included their last visit to India, how the funding for firearms managed and how these groups received terror funding from Pakistan. Out of the nine, the list included five most-wanted operatives namely, Gurjeet Singh Cheema, Gurpreet Singh, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Gurjinder Singh Pannu, and Malkeet Singh alias ‘Fauji’.

India 21-Feb-2018

The Canadian PM Justin Trudeau said that his country [Canada] did not support any Sikh separatist movement in India or elsewhere. During his 40-minutes meeting with the CM of Punjab Captain Amarinder Singh, Trudeau assured the CM Amarinder Singh that Canada does not believe in Sikh separatism, even though the latter handed-over the list of nine Canada-resident operatives alleged for promoting radicalism. Amarinder Singh urged Canadian PM’s cooperation in dealing with separatism and hate crimes caused by a tiny proportion of Canada’s population. The Punjab CM also handed over to Trudeau a list of nine Canada-based operatives of Category “A”— allegedly involved in hate crimes in Punjab by financing and supplying weapons for terrorist activities, and also engaged in radicalising youth here.

China 22-Feb-2018

A Special team of Hong Kong Police arrested Punjab-based gangster Ramanjit Singh alias Romi in a robbery case in Hong Kong. Ramanjit Singh, who faced several criminal charges in India, was involved in plotting the Nabha jail break in 2016. In 2016, over Patiala Police’s request— the Interpol had issued a ‘Red Corner Notice’ (RCN), but Ramanjit Singh disappeared. In 2016, he was arrested but released on bail. He jumped the bail and fled to Hong Kong. Being in Hong Kong, Ramanjit kept in contact with Gurpreet Singh Sekhon—a key plotter and one of the prisoners to escape the Nabha jail in November 2016.

India 22-Feb-2018

Attending the inaguration of a Gurdwara build in the memory of slain Sikh militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale in his village, the representatives of major Sikh organisations described Bhindranwale as a ‘Martyr’ of 1984’s Operation Blue Star. The Gurdwara is located in Bhindranwale’s native village of Moga in Moga District of Punjab. The inauguration ceremony was attended by the heads of SGPC, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Managing Committee (DSGMC), the Damdami Taksal and the Jathedars (leaders of Akal Takht) of five Takhts (seat of authority). The event was dominated by the discussions over the storming of the Sikh Holy Shrine—the Sri Harmandir Sahib or mostly known as the Golden Temple, and killing of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale in Amritsar in June 1984. The representative accused the Indian Government led by then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi for the incidents.

India 26-Feb-2018

The Sikh radical groups based out of India had put forward their demands which includes a ‘Vatican-like’ status for Sri Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) in Amritsar, Punjab and Akal Takht (a Sikh authoritarian institution), and an apology from Indian PM Narendra Modi at a global forum for the 1984 Military-led Operation Blue Star. The contact related to the matter was established by the UK based Sikh groups via Jasdev Singh Rai, Director of the Sikh Human Rights Forum, before the visit of PM Modi to London in November 2015, which results to the initiation of formal talks on the matter between PM Modi and 30 Sikh members during their meeting. The interests of talks were highlighted in previous Indian Government too, but with Modi-led Government, the talk process picked up speed, said an unnamed person related to the developments.

India 28-Feb-2018

An ex-Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) member, Gurdev Singh Tanda—who was deported by Thailand Government, was produced before the Court in Amritsar and send to five days Police custody. Gurdev Singh had been active in propagating anti-India activities and was wanted in a terrorism related case of 2010. He was in Thailand since 2007, said an unnamed official.

India 28-Feb-2018

Former Khalistani militant, Jaspal Atwal, a Canadian Sikh had an e-visa to India. Jaspal Atwal raised the controversy by attending an event in Mumbai during the visit of Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to India concluded on February 24. As Atwal’s name had been removed from the UMHA’s list of prohibited Sikh militant in 2016, there was no clause that would hinder him to obtain an e-visa to India. Like other Canadian citizens, Atwal has a privilege to acquire an e-visa, but it shall not meant that Indian Government had any role in him being in India or extending an invitation to him to the event hosted to honour the Canadian PM Trudeau.