KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
India 01-Sep-2024
On September 1, Sukhraj Singh, son of one of the 2015 Behbal Kalan police firing victims, announced his independent candidacy for the Gidderbaha assembly bypoll in Gidderbaha, Sri Muktsar Sahib district. Singh, whose father was killed during a protest against a sacrilege incident, criticized successive governments for failing to deliver justice and expressed his intent to hold them accountable directly in the assembly.
India 01-Sep-2024
Sanam Sutirath Wazi, the author of the recently released book The Kaurs of 1984, discussed the significance of documenting the overlooked experiences of Sikh women during the 1984 anti-Sikh pogrom in an interview with The Hindu. Wazi emphasized the need to capture personal accounts as vital components of our collective history, especially as firsthand witnesses are dwindling. His book highlights the resilience and activism of Sikh women, challenging dominant narratives and advocating for a more nuanced and inclusive historical account of the tragedy.
India 01-Sep-2024
A Sikh organization has filed a public interest litigation at the Madhya Pradesh High Court in Jabalpur, seeking a ban on the release of Kangana Ranaut's film Emergency. The organization alleges that the film infringes on the Sikh community's fundamental rights. The petition is scheduled to be heard by a division bench on September 2.
India 01-Sep-2024
On September 1, Sikh organizations staged a protest in Kotkapura, Faridkot district, Punjab, demanding action on longstanding sacrilege and police firing cases. The protestors called for the prosecution of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim and the return of the Behbal Kalan case to the Faridkot court. Families of victims from the 2015 Behbal Kalan firing criticized both the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) governments for neglecting these issues after coming to power.
Pakistan 01-Sep-2024
Ramesh Singh Arora, Punjab’s Sikh Minority Affairs Minister in Pakistan, on September 1 launched a PKR 88-crore project aimed at enhancing religious tourism by upgrading facilities at gurdwaras in Punjab Province. The initiative includes constructing 100 rooms at Gurdwara Janamasthan in Nankana Sahib and renovating other key gurdwaras to attract global Sikh pilgrims. Arora emphasized the project's completion by November 2025 to coincide with Guru Nanak Dev’s birth anniversary celebrations. The government is also setting up botanical gardens and initiating karsewas to further enhance the appeal of these sacred sites.
India 01-Sep-2024
The Border Security Force (BSF) on September 1 intercepted a drone and seized a packet of heroin weighing 536 grams from the premises of Radha Swami Satsang, near Naushera Dhalla village in Tarn Taran district. The recovered drone was a Chinese-made DJI MAVIC 3 Classic model.
India 01-Sep-2024
The Amritsar rural police on September 1 busted a trans-border drug and weapon smuggling module with the arrest of cross-border trafficker Ravinder Singh, seizing three pistols from his possession in Daoke village, Amritsar district. Singh revealed his involvement with Arshdeep Singh and a Pakistan-based drug peddler known as 'Chacha.' Further investigations are underway to track down Arshdeep and assess the extent of their smuggling activities.
Canada 01-Sep-2024
On the night of September 1, gunshots were fired outside Punjabi singer AP Dhillon's residence on Vancouver Island, Canada. Rohit Godara, a gangster linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi-Goldy Brar gang, took responsibility for the attack in a viral social media post, allegedly in retaliation for Dhillon's collaboration with Bollywood actor Salman Khan. Authorities are investigating the incident and Godara's threats as worries mount over the gang's increasing international reach.
India 01-Sep-2024
Police on September 1 arrested four individuals identified as Sunil Kumar and his wife Jaswinder, Mohan Lal and Sunita, and seized 37 grams of heroin along with a car and a bike from their possession in Jalandhar in Jalandhar district.
India 01-Sep-2024
Police, on September 1, arrested nine members from two different gangs and seized 11 stolen or snatched bikes, along with numerous sharp-edged weapons, from their possession in Jalandhar, Jalandhar district
Canada 01-Sep-2024
On September 1, gunshots were fired outside Punjabi singer AP Dhillon’s house on Vancouver Island, Canada, with Lawrence Bishnoi's gang claiming responsibility. Indian intelligence agencies are investigating a possible connection to a similar shooting outside Bollywood actor Salman Khan's Mumbai residence in April 2024. Both incidents are being investigated for potential links, as Salman Khan had appeared in a music video with Dhillon.
India 02-Sep-2024
On September 3, a woman from a well-off family was found dead from a drug overdose in Dakoha, Jalandhar district, Punjab. Her partner, also an addict, had died the previous day, on September 2.
India 02-Sep-2024
The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) recently postponed the release of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament (MP) Kangana Ranaut's film Emergency, citing concerns over religious sentiments and sensitive content. Sikh organizations, including the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) and the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), objected to the film's portrayal of Khalistani separatist and militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. They argued that the film could incite communal tensions and misrepresent the Sikh community, leading to a delay in certification.
India 02-Sep-2024
The Akal Takht, the highest Sikh authority, declared Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal "tankhaiya" for violating the Sikh religious code during his tenure as Deputy Chief Minister from 2007 to 2017. Badal was summoned to appear before the Akal Takht for atonement. Although he accepted the ruling, he remains SAD president, and his refusal to resign could further damage his political standing. Historically, being declared "tankhaiya" has had a negative impact on the political careers of Sikh leaders.
India 03-Sep-2024
According to sources, with Sukhbir Singh Badal declared 'tankhaiya' by Sikh high priests, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has welcomed Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh's call for restraint regarding politically motivated statements on the issue under religious consideration. The SAD has urged its leaders and spokespersons to adhere to these directions and avoid public debates on the matter.
India 03-Sep-2024
The Jalandhar Commissionerate on September 3 arrested Kannu Gujjar, a key associate of gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, and seized eight pistols, 55 live cartridges, and eight magazines from his possession after an encounter near Hamilton Tower on 66ft Road in Jalandhar district. Gujjar confessed that the gang was planning a major crime and attempted to escape custody by firing at the police before being shot and injured.
India 03-Sep-2024
Police on September 3 arrested two drug smugglers, identified as Ankit and Amandeep Singh, and seized 60 grams of heroin from their possession in Jalandhar, Jalandhar district.
India 03-Sep-2024
Police on September 3 arrested a drug smuggler, identified as Gagandeep Singh and seized 60 grams of heroin from his possession, in Jalandhar in Jalandhar district.
India 03-Sep-2024
Police on September 3 arrested a drug smuggler, identified as Ruldu and seized 10 grams of heroin from his possession, in Jalandhar in Jalandhar district.
India 03-Sep-2024
Police on September 3 arrested an individual, identified as Baljit Singh and seized 5,500 intoxicating tablets from his possession, near Balluana village in Abohar in Fazilka district.