KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
India 06-Jun-2026
Two unidentified motorcycle-borne assailants shot and critically injured village sarpanch and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Gurbindar Singh in Qadian Rajputa village, Gurdaspur district on June 9. According to reports, Gurbindar Singh had just stepped out of his uncle's house and was about to enter his vehicle when the attackers opened fire. Three rounds were fired, with two bullets striking his legs. The assailants fled the scene immediately after the attack. Meanwhile, unverified claims circulating on social media suggest that a gangster group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Police, however, stated that they are verifying the authenticity of these claims.
India 07-Jun-2026
On June 7, the 138th day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangstran Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahar— the police conducted 541 raids, arrested 281 persons and recovered 11 weapons from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 74 individuals, while 20 persons were verified and released after questioning. Two proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
India 07-Jun-2026
On June 7, Punjab Police, on day 463 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 66 drug smugglers, and seized 2.3 kg of heroin, 279 intoxicant pills and INR 3450 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
India 07-Jun-2026
Punjab Police's Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), in a joint operation with the Jammu and Kashmir Police, on June 7 arrested two alleged shooters, identified as Vishnu Kumar and Rahul Mahawar, in connection with the June 1 killing of a shopkeeper in Makhu, Ferozepur district of Punjab and recovered a .30-bore Beretta pistol along with 10 live cartridges from their possession, in Jammu and Kashmir. Preliminary investigations revealed that Vishnu Kumar has a criminal history involving extortion, robbery, theft, and Arms Act violations. He was also carrying a reward of INR 10,000 announced by the Rajasthan Police.
Portugal 07-Jun-2026
The Lawrence Bishnoi Gang has reportedly claimed responsibility for two shooting incidents targeting Indian nationals in Portugal. In a social media post, Rahul RK Meena, allegedly linked to the Sunil Meena Gang, claimed the attacks were carried out by an alliance of international criminal syndicates. The group claimed responsibility for a recent shooting at the residence of Gurpreet Singh Gill in Vila Nova de Milfontes and an earlier attack on Gurdeep Singh in Sintra on May 6. Describing the shootings as warning attacks, the post threatened further violence and asserted the syndicate's reach across multiple countries. The claims remain unverified, and authorities are reportedly investigating possible links to transnational criminal networks.
Canada 07-Jun-2026
A float depicting the assassination of former Indian Prime Minister (PM) Indira Gandhi was featured during the annual Sikh religious procession, “Nagar Kirtan”, in Brampton, Ontario, Canada, on June 7, sparking renewed controversy over the recurrence of such displays year after year.
India 08-Jun-2026
According to data compiled by Punjab Police and central security agencies, more than 40 per cent of the 128 Pakistani drug smugglers on a watch list for trafficking narcotics into Punjab are based in Lahore and Kasur districts of Punjab province in Pakistan. A police dossier identifies the two border districts as key hubs for narcotics smuggling into northern India, listing 27 suspected smugglers from Lahore and 26 from Kasur. The assessment indicates that these networks use a combination of drone drops, cross-border land routes, and container shipments to traffic heroin and other contraband into India.
India 08-Jun-2026
On June 8, the 139th day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangstran Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahar— the police conducted 469 raids, arrested 263 persons and recovered one weapon from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 69 individuals, while 24 persons were verified and released after questioning. Two proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
India 08-Jun-2026
Police on June 8 arrested two persons, identified as Karan Arora alias Laddu and Vicky Kumar Ravani alias Buvan, and recovered a .30 bore pistol, 10 live cartridges, and a motorcycle from the accused, in connection with the May 30 firing incident at Shri Ganesh Scan Centre in Nurpur Bedi, in Rupnagar district. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Maninder Singh said the suspects had allegedly opened fire at the scan centre during the intervening night of May 30 after its owners failed to comply with an extortion demand. Police described the arrests as a significant breakthrough in the ongoing crackdown on gangsters and anti-social elements in the district.
United States 08-Jun-2026
According to United States (US) court records, the sentencing of Indian national Nikhil Gupta, who pleaded guilty in February to charges related to a plot to assassinate Khalistani separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the US, has been postponed to September 25 from its original date of May 29. Gupta faces a potential prison sentence of 19 to 23 years. His legal team requested the delay to allow additional time to review case records and prepare arguments seeking the lowest possible sentence.
India 08-Jun-2026
On June 8, Punjab Police, on day 464 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 81 drug smugglers, and seized 373 grams of heroin, 2.2 kilograms of ganja, 256 intoxicant pills, and INR 792000 in drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
India 08-Jun-2026
The Amritsar Police on June 8 arrested four persons, including an Afghan national, and recovered eight sophisticated pistols and seven live cartridges while dismantling a cross-border drug, arms smuggling, and hawala network in Amritsar district. Preliminary investigations indicate that the accused were in contact with a foreign-based smuggler who supplied illegal weapons through concealed drop locations. Police said the firearms were intended for criminal and gangster networks operating in Punjab and were being distributed through a well-organised supply chain. Investigators suspect the operation was linked to both arms trafficking and hawala transactions, pointing to the involvement of an international criminal syndicate.
India 08-Jun-2026
According to police records, Punjab’s border districts are witnessing a worrying rise in the involvement of juveniles in cross-border drug and arms smuggling. Over the past 14 months, 54 juveniles have been arrested — 32 in drug-related cases and 22 under the Arms Act — prompting security agencies to raise concerns. The warning came days after Amritsar Police arrested two minors and recovered five Pakistan-origin weapons and heroin from their possession. Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar described the trend as “very alarming,” noting that juveniles had been involved at some stage in many of the cross-border drug and arms trafficking networks dismantled over the past year. He cited a recent case involving six arrests, including an Afghan national, where the investigation began with the apprehension of two juveniles carrying sophisticated pistols. A senior official of the Border Security Force (BSF) said Pakistani traffickers were increasingly directing their Indian associates to recruit teenagers, as they often lack criminal records and attract less scrutiny from security agencies. The official also noted that juveniles are subject to different legal provisions under India’s juvenile justice framework, making them attractive recruits for smuggling networks.
India 09-Jun-2026
Punjab Police, in coordination with central agencies, on June 9 arrested two men, identified as Davinder Singh and Rajwinder Singh, and recovered two hand grenades from their possession in Amritsar district. Preliminary investigations revealed that the accused were in direct contact with foreign-based handlers and were allegedly acting on their instructions. Police said the recovery of the grenades points to a larger conspiracy aimed at disturbing peace and public order in the border state.
India 09-Jun-2026
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on June 9 conducted coordinated searches at 18 locations across nine districts in Punjab and Haryana in connection with three terror-gangster network cases linked to Pakistan-based operative Shahzad Bhatti. NIA teams examined several individuals and seized digital devices, documents, and information related to communication networks, financial transactions, and the activities of persons under investigation. The searches were aimed at identifying Bhatti's associates and other individuals allegedly linked to the broader terror conspiracy being investigated in the three cases.
India 09-Jun-2026
Ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, rebel Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MLA from Dakha in Ludhiana district, Manpreet Singh Ayali, joined Waris Punjab De, led by jailed Member of Parliament Amritpal Singh, on June 8. Ayali ruled out any alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and stated that the organisation would continue to pursue the demand for Khalistan through democratic means.
India 09-Jun-2026
On June 9, Punjab Police, on day 465 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 100 drug smugglers, and seized 1.8 kg of heroin, 50 kg of poppy husk, 606 intoxicant pills, and INR 1,900 in drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
India 09-Jun-2026
On June 9, the 140th day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangstran Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahar— the police conducted 554 raids, arrested 275 persons and recovered five weapons from their possession. Four proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
Canada 09-Jun-2026
Canada’s CBC's premier investigative documentary series, The Fifth Estate, reported that a man shot dead in a targeted daylight attack at an office building in Surrey, British Columbia on May 4 was allegedly a key handler of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and had purported links to cricket-fixing activities. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Integrated Homicide Investigation Team confirmed that the victim was killed inside an office in a commercial complex in Surrey but did not disclose his identity or a motive for the shooting. According to The Fifth Estate, the victim was Gurvikramjeet Singh Warring alias Satveer Singh Warring alias Sam Canada alias Sam. Sources cited by the programme alleged that gunmen entered the building, shot Warring, and left without attempting to conceal their actions. The identities of the sources were withheld due to concerns over possible retaliation.
Canada 09-Jun-2026
Three Punjabi youths, identified as Taranveer Singh, Harjot Singh, and Dayajeet Singh Billing, were sentenced by Surrey Provincial Court, on June 9 for their involvement in a February 1 extortion-linked shooting at a residence in Surrey, in British Columbia, Canada. Taranveer Singh received a five-year prison term for reckless discharge of a firearm, while Billing and Harjot Singh were each sentenced to just over two years for throwing an explosive substance. The attack, which involved gunfire and a small fire outside the residence, was linked by police to ongoing extortion-related threats in the area. The three will serve their sentences in Canada, after which deportation proceedings may be initiated.