KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
India 18-May-2026
Punjab Police on May 18 busted a drugs and illegal arms smuggling module and arrested one accused with 2.1 kg of heroin and seven sophisticated pistols, in Amritsar district. Police suspect the network may have wider links to organized crime and cross-border smuggling operations. The recovery of sophisticated firearms has also raised concerns over the growing nexus between narcotics trafficking and illegal arms networks in the border state.
India 18-May-2026
National Investigation Agency (NIA) on May 18 filed a supplementary chargesheet against another accused in the 2022 Babbar Khalsa International (BKI)–Lawrence Bishnoi gang terror nexus case before the NIA Special Court at Patiala House Court in New Delhi. In the sixth chargesheet filed in the case, accused Arjit Kumar alias Ajit was charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Arjit is the 23rd accused to be chargesheeted in the case linked to an alleged terror conspiracy involving the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and the proscribed BKI to spread terrorism in India. He is among the 20 persons arrested in the case.
Norway 18-May-2026
According to reports in sections of the Pakistan media, Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi faced protests by pro-Khalistan activists during his reported visit to Oslo, Norway, where he was said to be receiving the country’s “Grand Cross” award. Demonstrators allegedly gathered outside the venue, raising slogans against the Indian Prime Minister and accusing his government of promoting “Hindutva extremism.” Protesters reportedly displayed banners and chanted slogans targeting Modi, while heavy security arrangements were in place during the visit.
India 18-May-2026
On May 18, the 118th day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangstran Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahar— the police conducted 519 raids, arrested 271 persons and recovered three weapons from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 85 individuals, while 26 persons were verified and released after questioning. Five proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
India 18-May-2026
On May 18, Punjab Police, on day 443 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 102 drug smugglers, and seized 2.4 kg of heroin, 242 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 5900 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
India 19-May-2026
The Counter-Intelligence Wing of Punjab Police on May 19 arrested two associates linked to foreign-based handlers of the banned terrorist outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), identified as Ajay and Jodhbir Singh and seized two hand grenades from their possession in Amritsar district. According to police officials, preliminary investigations revealed that the grenades were part of a larger conspiracy to target government institutions and key infrastructure in Punjab with the intent to disturb peace and disrupt law and order in the state.
India 19-May-2026
Former Director General of Police (DGP) Mohammed Mustafa on May 19 alleged that the blast near Malerkotla House, his residence along the Hathoa road link in Malerkotla in Malerkotla district on May 15, was a targeted attack on him and his family. According to Mustafa, the powerful explosion severed a buffalo’s limbs and hurled the animal several feet into the air, while a man nearby narrowly escaped unhurt. He further alleged that the police initially attempted to portray the incident as an accident and linked the blast to a recent threat email directed at him and others.
India 19-May-2026
A team of the Special Task Force (STF) Unit, Karnal, on May 19 arrested two alleged shooters of the Himanshu Bhau gang, identified as Harsh Singh and Kashish Luthra and seized two foreign-made pistols, live cartridges, and mobile phones were seized from them, following a brief exchange of fire in the Shahabad area of Kurukshetra in Haryana.
India 19-May-2026
A special court in Ludhiana acquitted Charanjit Singh alias Patialvi in a 16-year-old case registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Explosive Substances Act at Machhiwara police station in Ludhiana district. The court granted him the benefit of doubt after examining the evidence and circumstances presented during the trial in the case registered on July 23, 2010. The matter had remained in focus for years as the accused had earlier been declared a proclaimed offender. In April 2022, the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) had arrested him, alleging that he was living in a gurdwara disguised as a granthi to evade arrest.
India 19-May-2026
On May 19, the 119th day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangstran Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahar— the police conducted 512 raids, arrested 218 persons and recovered 13 weapons from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 133 individuals, while 17 persons were verified and released after questioning. Five proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
India 19-May-2026
On May 19, Punjab Police, on day 444 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 104 drug smugglers, and seized 4.2 kg of heroin, 685 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 9470 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
India 20-May-2026
Punjab Police on May 20 claimed to have arrested 30,721 persons after conducting 77,895 raids across the state since the launch of its statewide anti-gangster campaign, “Gangstran Te Vaar,” on January 20. Special DGP (Law and Order) P K Sinha said police recovered 569 weapons, 1,613 live cartridges, 157 magazines, 181 sharp-edged weapons, and seven hand grenades from those arrested. Preventive action was initiated against 13,007 persons, while 17,711 were verified and released after questioning. Police also arrested 1,108 proclaimed offenders (POs) during the campaign. A police spokesperson further stated that, under the state government’s anti-drug campaign, “Yudh Nashian Virudh,” police have so far arrested 64,844 persons.
India 20-May-2026
On May 20, the 120th day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangstran Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahar— the police conducted 557 raids, arrested 246 persons. Preventive action was taken against 10 individuals, while 10 proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
India 20-May-2026
On May 20, Punjab Police, on day 445 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 68 drug smugglers, and seized 14.8 kg of heroin, 12 kg of ICE (methamphetamine), 873 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 2,900 in drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
India 20-May-2026
Police on May 20 arrested a person identified as Om and seized 10.125 kg of heroin from his possession near the Khai Pheme Ke–Habib Ke village road in Mallanwala, Ferozepur district.
India 20-May-2026
Police on May 20 arrested two persons, identified as Aniket Kumar and Sumit Kumar, and recovered two kg of ICE drug and a .30-bore Turkish pistol from their possession in Ferozepur district.
India 20-May-2026
The Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) on May 20 arrested three youths, identified as Shekhwinder Singh, Lakhvir Singh alias Manga, and Gurpinder Singh alias Manna, and recovered a hand grenade from their possession near the Chak Pakhi Railway Station area in Fazilka district.
India 20-May-2026
Amritsar Police on May 20 dismantled an international narco-smuggling module with links extending from Punjab to Dubai by arresting two accused and recovering 10 kg of ICE (methamphetamine) and 4 kg of heroin from their possession in Amritsar district. The arrests pointed to a well-organised cross-border syndicate operating through foreign handlers. Police said the accused were allegedly working under the directions of a Dubai/Abu Dhabi-based drug smuggler who used international contacts to push narcotics into Punjab and Delhi. The investigation further revealed that local operatives were being recruited, trained abroad, and then used to expand the synthetic drug network across the Majha and Doaba regions in Punjab.
India 20-May-2026
The Counter Intelligence (CI) wing in Amritsar has uncovered a disturbing recruitment pattern after busting a Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) module on May 19 allegedly linked to ISI-backed gangster-turned-terrorist Jeevan Fauji. Investigators found that vulnerable village youths were first drawn in through local cricket matches, then used for drug smuggling before being tasked with transporting explosives. Two arrested youths, Ajay and Jobanbir Singh, allegedly joined the network through local contacts who promised easy money. Initially used to deliver narcotics for payments of Rs 5,000–7,000, they were later asked to transport foam-wrapped packets that police identified as hand grenades. Acting on intelligence inputs, CI teams intercepted them before the consignment reached its destination. Police said the grenades were meant to target key establishments and disturb peace in Punjab.
India 20-May-2026
The Shimla police on May 20 arrested an alleged interstate drug supplier, identified as Akash Deep alias Akash, from Jalalabad near the India-Pakistan border in Fazilka district in Punjab. Shimla Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Gaurav Singh said his role surfaced during an investigation into a drug case in which two Punjab residents, Nishan Singh and Gurpreet Singh, were arrested in Shimla with 10.3 grams of heroin.