KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
India 02-Jan-2019
The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Ahir said in Rajya Sabha that in the recent grenade attack on a Nirankari mission in Amritsar, the involvement of the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF), and the International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) has emerged; and in last two years, 18 Khalistan-inspired outfits were busted with arrests of 95 Khalistani operatives.
India 04-Jan-2019
The BSF arrested a Pakistan national, Riasat Ali resident of Sardakot, for intruding into the Indian territory at India-Pakistan International Border (IB)’s Mullekot Border Outpost.
India 06-Jan-2019
An alleged Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) operative and fund raiser, Bhupinder Singh alias Dilawar, wanted in a May 2017 case in Punjab, has been deported to India by Saudi Arabia. He was produced in the court of a duty magistrate and was remanded to six days in police custody.
India 14-Jan-2019
Pro-Khalistan slogans were raised in the political conference of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) organised at the Bhai Mastan Singh Road, Amritsar. A number of hoardings and flags with pro-Khalistan messages were also put up at the venue.
India 23-Jan-2019
Chief Minister Amarinder Singh protested against Pakistan’s proposal to allow only Sikh pilgrims to visit Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara. He also urged the Union Government to take up the issue with Pakistan when the latter sends its draft agreement for regulating entry into its territory through the Kartarpur Corridor.
India 05-Feb-2019
Nawanshahr District Court announced life imprisonment to three Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) militants identified as Arvinder Singh, Surjit Singh and Ranjit Singh. They were charged under Section 121 (waging, or attempting to wage war), along with 10 years of imprisonment under Section 121 (a) (Conspiracy to commit offences punishable by section 121) of Indian Penal Code (IPC).
India 07-Feb-2019
A National Investigation Agency (NIA) report state that at least 33 alleged Pakistani terrorists have crossed into India from the Punjab and Samba-Kathua sectors in Jammu &Kashmir since October 2017. According to the report, terrorists may have infiltrated through the same sector that the attackers, who carried out the Pathankot Air Base attack and the Nagrota Army camp attack had used.
India 11-Feb-2019
Dal Khalsa announces a sit-down demonstration at the doorsteps of Nawanshahr District Court on February 13 to protest life imprisonment of three youths arrested for processing pro-Khalistan literature. According to the spokesperson of Dal Khalsa, ‘The three youth never indulged in any violent activity neither did anyone else allegedly influenced by them. The court held the trio guilty on mere possession of pamphlets’
India 12-Feb-2019
Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Gangaram Ahir states in Lok Sabha that Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) and International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) were involved in the November 2018 attack in Amritsar.He also informed that the two people were arrested in connection with the incident and three people residing abroad have been accused in the attack.
India 12-Feb-2019
Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir states in Lok Sabha that NIA has registered seven cases in Punjab of which five cases were related to murder and two cases related to attempt to murder in Punjab during 2016-17. “The objective of which was to destabilise the law and order situation in Punjab and to revive Khalistan linked terrorism in the state”, he said.
India 14-Feb-2019
A protest march was taken out at Jalandhar against life imprisonment awarded by the Nawanshahr District Court to three Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) activists for procession of pro-Khalistan literature.
India 14-Feb-2019
Security has been stepped up for the Additional Sessions Judge Randhir Verma who had sentenced the three BKI activists. Superintendent of Police (SP) Harish Dayama stated that ‘In view of protests in Nawanshahr and around, we have provided more security to the judge’.
India 22-Feb-2019
National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a charge-sheet against eight people allegedly owing allegiance to the banned Khalistan Liberation Front (KLF), in a case of attempt to murder Shiv Sena leader Amit Arora on February 3, 2016 in Ludhiana. Those charge sheeted include Hardeep Singh alias Shera, Ramandeep Singh alias Canadian, Dharminder Singh alias Guguni, Anil Kumar alias Kala, Jagtar Singh Johal alias Jaggi, Harmeet Singh alias Happy (suspected to be in Pakistan), Gurjinder Singh alias Shastri (suspected to be in Italy) and Gursharanbir Singh alias Pehalwan (suspected to be in UK)
India 27-Feb-2019
Police was notified after public noticed pro-Khalistan slogans like ‘Khalistan Zindabad’ and “Referendum 2020” which were painted on the walls of Ridhi Sidhi Colony and on a mile stone in Alamgarh in Ferozpur District.
India 05-Mar-2019
National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested an accused suspected, identified as Amir Nazir Mir, to be involved in 2018 Grenade attack on a Police station in Punjab from Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). On September 14, 2018, four grenades were hurled at the building of Maqsudan Police Station in Jalandhar, in which one police personnel was injured. Further, investigation has revealed that the attack was handiwork of Kashmir-based terror outfit Ansar Ghazawat-ul-Hind (AGH).
India 14-Mar-2019
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh stated, in connection with Kartarpur Corridor, that India’s agenda may be religious but Pakistan’s is totally disruptive. He further stated, "While Pakistan Prime Minister talks of peace, their Army Chief continues to promote his evil designs". The plan was to complete the project by November 23, 2019, the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak.
India 14-Mar-2019
India did not raise the issue of Pakistan supporting the Khalistani movement during delegation-level talks to discuss the modalities of the Kartarpur Corridor. An official stated that ‘We did not want to give Pakistan an opportunity to deviate from discussing the modalities of the corridor, which is a priority for us. Indian security agencies had raised concerns about Pakistan using the corridor to push the Khalistani agenda of secessionist groups, including Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), a U.S.-Canada based group who are planning to organise a convention on ‘Khalistan-Referendum 2020’ at the Kartarpur shrine.
India 15-Mar-2019
Punjab Police’s state special operation cell arrested an electrician, identified as Ram Kumar, who was working for Military Engineering Service (MES) under the charge of passing on sensitive military information to a Pakistan-based intelligence operative.
India 19-Mar-2019
Indian and Pakistani experts travelled to the border crossing in Punjab for the proposed Kartarpur Corridor to discuss the coordinates for the “zero point” where Sikh pilgrims will cross over. The two sides will meet next on April 2 2019, to take forward plans to complete the corridor in time for the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak.
India 28-Mar-2019
Jalandhar Police arrested a militant identified as Amrik Singh alias Manga reportedly belonging to Khalistan Commando Force (KCF) and Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) from Jalandhar District. He was wanted in twin blasts case at Jalandhar bus stand carried out by Satnam Singh alias Satta Lasuri on April 28, 2006 and May 24, 2006. Pakistan-based KZF leader Ranjeet Singh Neeta and USA-based Balwinder Singh Possi had masterminded the blasts along with Amrik Singh. Amrik had a close association with infamous terrorists Gurdeep Singh alias Deepa Heranwala of KCF.
India 29-Mar-2019
Fake Indian currency notes (FICN) of face value Rs 6,500 was seized from two Indian nationals coming from Pakistan via Samjhauta Express were intercepted by the Customs officials at the Land Customs Station (LCS), Attari in Punjab.
India 31-Mar-2019
Punjab Police stated that a militant cell (consisting Harvinder Singh, Sultan Singh, Karamjeet Singh, Lovepreet Singh, and Gurpreet Singh) was busted in an unspecified location in the state in which 32 bore pistol along with a magazine and four live rounds and 15 letter pads of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) were recovered from the arrestees. The accused were planning to kill Hindu leaders and members of Dera Sacha Sauda. They were planning to arrange weapons training in Jammu and Kashmir and were in touch with Khalistani militants including Jagtar Singh Hawara of BKI who is in jail, Ranjit Singh Pakhoke, active member of Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), residing in Germany.
India 13-Apr-2019
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh criticized the Canadian Government’s decision to remove all references to Khalistani extremism in its 2018 report on terrorist threats to Canada. The CM stated that it was clearly aimed at protecting its political interests in a poll year on the pretext of pressure groups in the Sikh community.The Canadian government had removed eight references to Sikh extremism and six references to Khalistan from its terror report.
India 16-Apr-2019
India and Pakistan reported progress in the talks on construction of infrastructure facilities for Indian Sikh pilgrims looking to visit Kartarpur Pakistan. The meeting was held in Gurdaspur in Indian state of Punjab.The Pakistani committee included Khalistan supporter Gopal Singh Chawla, who is also associated with Hafiz Saeed, the chief of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). India has stated that it would continue the technical talks on infrastructure but not official level talks on the movement of pilgrims.
India 23-Apr-2019
A PhD student at the Central University Bathinda (Bathinda District) identified as Hilal Ahmed Mantoo was arrested for his involvement in Pulwama attack.
India 27-Apr-2019
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh states that the appointment of a wanted Khalistani terrorist to spearhead the ‘Khalistan Referendum 2020’ campaign by ‘Sikhs For Justice’ (SFJ) has exposed the true motive and intent behind the separatist movement. He also urges the Government of India (GoI) and global community to join India in cracking down on this grave threat to its peace and security.
India 04-May-2019
Police arrested two persons, Arvinder Singh and Jaspreet Singh, allegedly linked to the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and recovered 15 passports, a pistol, six live cartridges and Pakistani currency worth 15,000 from their possession in Nawanshahr District of Punjab.
India 08-May-2019
Amritsar (rural) police arrested a serving soldier of Indian Army named as Malkiat Singh alias Fauji for allegedly spying for Pakistan and recovered sensitive documents from his possession in the area of Khasa cantonment, Amritsar. Police had recovered suspicious photographs, 3 mobile phones, training manual of Indian army, army’s movement details and other sensitive documents having secret information of military areas, etc.
Pakistan 15-May-2019
A group of Sikh pilgrims visiting Nankana Sahib in Pakistan to celebrate Baisakhi festival demanded a separate homeland for them. ‘Khalistan Referendum 2020’ banners in this regard have been put on Gurudwara Janam Asthan also referred to as Gurudwara Nankana Sahib.
India 26-May-2019
Three of the Khalistan accused arrested earlier in separate incidents this year and in 2018 were charge sheeted by National Investigation Agency (NIA) in a special court in Mumbai. Although police had arrested them, identified as Harpal Singh, Mohiuddin Siddiqui and Gurjeet Singh Nijjar at different time in different locations, they were being instructed by a single operative who was working at the behest of his masters in Canada, United Kingdom and Pakistan.
India 30-May-2019
Pro-Khalistan groups like the Dal Khalsa and Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) led by Simranjit Singh Mann will hold ‘genocide remembrance marches’ across the city on the eve of the anniversary. The Dal Khalsa has also given a call for ‘Amritsar bandh’ on June 6 to mark the anniversary.
India 31-May-2019
As several Sikh bodies, including separatist outfits, have started preparations for observing the 35th Anniversary of the Operation Bluestar on June 6, authorities are taking all security measures to turn the holy city into a fortress. Besides, 5,000 police personnel from Amritsar and the neighboring districts of Tarn Taran, Gurdaspur and Pathankot were already deployed, the Amritsar Commissionerate Police have called six companies of paramilitary forces to maintain law and order in the city.
India 01-Jun-2019
Police arrested Nishan Singh, belonging to a Sikh radical organisation, in Amritsar District and recovered .32 bore revolver from his possession.
India 02-Jun-2019
Police recovered two hand grenades from a bag that was hurriedly dropped by two unidentified motorcycle borne youth at a naka (temporary check post) laid on Ajnala- Amritsar road in Amritsar District.
India 04-Jun-2019
Dal Khalsa and Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar)’s annual ‘Sikh Genocide Remembrance’ march got support from Students for Society (SFS), a left leaning student body. This is the first time SFS has lent support to the march. Punjab University Student council president Kanupriya took part in the march and extended her support to the cause of Dal Khalsa, that raised demand of Khalistan during the march. “It is a time when fascism is in control of power and there is need to stand with minorities. SFS supports demand of self-determination of Dal Khalsa,” said Kanupriya. Activists led by Dal Khalsa youth leader Paramjit Singh Mand were carrying photographs of damaged Golden Temple and Akal Takht and those killed in the army action. Addressing the protest march, Dal Khalsa chief H S Dhami said: “The sentiments of sovereignty that were strengthened by the Army attack have not been buried with the passage of time and change in the political scenario.”
India 05-Jun-2019
An intelligence report submitted in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) claims that Canada-based Khalistani activists, backed by the Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence(ISI), is planning to target retired Police and Army Personnel to spread terror in Punjab. Chief Minister Amarinder Singh reviewed the state’s internal security and took stock of the law and order. He ordered the police to take all possible steps to verify such reports and check the spread of rumours, which could lead panic among people.
India 06-Jun-2019
A delegation of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) met Union Home Minister Amit Shah seeking the return of rare manuscripts and documents taken from the Sikh Reference Library at the Golden Temple complex by the Army during Operation Blue Star. SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal sought return of antiques, artefacts and books allegedly taken away by the Army during the operation, pension to those from the Sikh community who quit the Army in protest, and permission for a religious procession to Pakistan on the occasion of Guru Nanak’s 550th birth anniversary.
India 06-Jun-2019
Around 5,000 security personnel have been deployed across Amritsar ahead of the 35th anniversary of Operation Blue Star. Also, 500 Policemen would be present inside the Golden Temple during an event to observe the anniversary. Apart from coordinating security arrangements with the Police, the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) will also be keeping a tab on the situation with the help of CCTV cameras. Parallel Sarbat Khalsa JathedarDhian Singh Mand is also expected to reach Akal Takht and read message to the community.
Pakistan 06-Jun-2019
Gopal Singh Chawla, the General Sectary of Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (PSGPC) raised anti-India slogans and said that he will support groups like Babbar Khalsa, Commando Force, Sikh Youth Federation, Khalistan Force and added that they are on the same platform.
India 11-Jun-2019
An intelligence report has revealed that Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is helping pro-Khalistan militant group Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) to strengthen its network across Britain. The BKI has expanded its presence in cities like Birmingham, Derby and Coventry.
India 18-Jun-2019
Micro-blogging site Twitter has suspended pro-Khalistan propagandist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun's account following a complaint by the Indian Government. The legal adviser of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) -Pannun's account was suspended after a complaint by Sikh community claiming that Pannun is radicalizing Sikh youth with the help of illegal immigrants in the US and Canada. UK police arrested him in 2000, when he was entering England via Germany while returning from Pakistan after receiving terror training. He was sentenced to 30 months in prison as he was associated with proscribed organization Babbar Khalsa International (BKI).
India 24-Jun-2019
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh lambasted Canada for its “overt and covert” support to the Khalistan movement, warning that its failure to check anti-India activities being carried out from its soil would be detrimental to its own security. Citing findings of the John Major Commission into the 1985 Kanishka Bombing as a clear endorsement of Canada’s failure to act against Khalistanis operating from its soil, the Chief Minister said that by allowing the conspirators of the “mass murder”, the Canadian government had exposed its true intent.” “It is more than apparent that Canada has been extending its support to Khalistanis despite New Delhi’s protestations,” said Singh. He also cited the Canadian Security Intelligence Service’s 2018 Public Report to express concern over the fact that anti-India activities were on the rise in Canada
India 28-Jun-2019
India informed Canada that there is little hope for improving frosty bilateral relations if Ottawa doesn’t address New Delhi’s concerns about the burgeoning activities of Khalistani operatives and organizations. The message was conveyed by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar when he held a bilateral meeting with his Canadian counterpart, Chrystia Freeland, on the margins of the G20 Summit in Japan. However, there was no official comment on the matter from Indian and Canadian officials.
India 29-Jun-2019
The Customs Department had seized 532 kg of suspected heroin, worth around 2,700 crores, being smuggled from Pakistan in a truck through the trade route at the Attari border. The consignment was hidden under bags of salt in the truck which had come from Pakistan and one person was also arrested while another was detained.
India 30-Jun-2019
After weeks of an impasse on the Kartarpur corridor, the Government of India has written to Pakistan, proposing the next round of talks to be held from July 11 to 14 on the Pakistani side of the Attari-Wagah border. The meeting would discuss the draft agreement on the modalities for movement of pilgrims along the Kartarpur corridor and resolve outstanding technical issues related to alignment and infrastructure along the corridor.The target was to complete the road by end September 2019 and the passenger/ pilgrim terminal by end October 2019, in time to operationalize the Kartarpur corridor on the occasion of the 550th birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev falling in November 2019. Meanwhile, India has also urged Islamabad to not promote secessionist activities while carrying out work on the corridor meant to facilitate pilgrimage to the Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara in Pakistan.
India 30-Jun-2019
The Punjab Police arrested a 28-year old person, identified as Sukhwinder Singh Sidhu alias Sukha who was working as a spy for Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and allegedly passing on sensitive military information to his Pakistan based intelligence operatives from Dharamkot area in Moga District of Punjab.
India 01-Jul-2019
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh strongly condemned the sharing of a morphed picture of Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on social media platforms. The Pakistan-based pro-Khalistan leader and member of Pakistan Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Gopal Singh Chawla has shared the Sidhu's morphed image sporting green turban with a star and crescent on his Facebook page. The photo was shared by many on social media platforms including Twitter.
India 01-Jul-2019
A mega exercise to fortify the ‘anti-infiltration grid’ along the Pakistan border in Punjab and Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) has been launched by the Border Security Force (BSF). The operation, code named Sudarshan, was launched on July 1, 2019, and will cover the entire over 1,000-kms length of the India-Pakistan International Border (IB) in Punjab and Jammu. While Jammu shares about 485-kms of the IB with Pakistan, about 553-kms of the front is in Punjab.
India 02-Jul-2019
India and Pakistan will have a second round of meeting to finalise the Kartarpur corridor modalities at Wagah on the Pakistan side of the border, on July 14. India had last week proposed that the meeting be held between July 11 and 14. Confirming the date, Pakistan asked the Indian side to convey the composition of its delegation. Pakistan also said it remained committed to expediting progress on the matter to ensure that the corridor is operationalised in time for the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Baba Guru Nanak in November 2019.
United Kingdom 03-Jul-2019
The UK counter-terrorism Police arrested two British Sikhs in connection with ongoing investigations into ‘allegations of extremist activity in India and fraud offences’ in Birmingham. The arrested individuals were identified as 38-year-old Deepa Singh, who runs the group Sikh Youth UK (SYUK), and a 49-year-old female relative of his.However, the two arrestees were released on bail and will either be charged within 28 days or released pending further investigations.
India 04-Jul-2019
Indian intelligence agencies apprehend that Pakistan is more concerned and interested in opening of the Kartarpur Corridor because it wants to exploit Sikh sentiments to support the Khalistani agenda in India. The security agencies also apprehend that after opening of the corridor, Sikh radicalization will be increased manifold in the State of Punjab.
India 07-Jul-2019
The interrogation details of Sukhwinder Singh Sidhu, revealed that Sidhu was recruited by Rawalpindi when he visited the neighbouring country as part of a Jatha from India to visit Sikh holy shrines in Pakistan in November 2015 as part of Guru Parab celebrations. It is seriously concerned over Sikh pilgrims being recruited by Rawalpindi and used for promoting pro-Khalistan campaign “Referendum 2020”, Indian sources said.
India 08-Jul-2019
The incidents of Sikh pilgrims being recruited by Pakistani intelligence agencies for pushing the pro-Khalistan movement have become a matter of concern for Indian security establishment. The issue of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) supporting the "Referendum 2020" campaign has come to the fore a week before India meets Pakistan to discuss Kartarpur Corridor operations.
India 08-Jul-2019
A senior Indian security official revealed that though Pakistan banned the pro-Khalistan activities, the ISI has been promoting the agenda under the guise of Sikh pilgrimage. He revealed that Indian Sikh ‘Jathas’ (pilgrimage groups), who visit Pakistan under the Bilateral Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines of 1974, are targeted by the separatist organisation. "Sikhs coming directly to Pakistan from Canada, UK and Germany are tutored on the so-called referendum campaign, which is largely funded by Islamabad," he said.
United Kingdom 09-Jul-2019
A group of Sikh protesters sporting with "Punjab Referendum 2020" T-shirts and chanting pro-Khalistan slogans were evicted from the Old Trafford stadium in Manchester in United Kingdom (UK) during the World Cup Cricket semi-final match between India and New Zealand. Greater Manchester Police arrested the two of them who were causing disruption and later released.
Malaysia 09-Jul-2019
Malaysia detained four foreigners, including a 24-year-old Indian national who had allegedly acted as a facilitator to a senior member of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) - a Khalistani separatist group. The other arrestees were identified as two ethnic Rohingya from Myanmar (detained for providing support to the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army [ARSA], the insurgent group) and a 54-year-old Philippine national with alleged ties to Abu Sayyaf, a militant organisation aligned with the Islamic State (IS).
India 10-Jul-2019
The Government of India banned the pro-Khalistan radical group, Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) for five years and declared it as an “unlawful association” under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The US-based secessionist outfit with the primary objective of establishing an independent and sovereign country has its top leadership based in US, UK and Canada, with just 8-10 active members and negligible support base in India. SFJ enjoys strong online presence through social media accounts run in its own name or by its leaders — main promoter Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a New York-based attorney, apart from Hardip Singh Nijjar and Paramjit Singh Pamma who are principal proponents of “Referendum 2020” in Canada and UK respectively. A senior Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) official said all the major Sikh bodies consulted ahead of the five-year ban had supported the action and that the Centre had largely relied on the “material” sent by Punjab Government to impose the ban.
India 10-Jul-2019
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) special court in Lucknow convicted five operatives of the ‘Babbar Khalsa’ outfit facing charges under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and also conspiring to assassinate former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in 2018, apart from supporting the Khalistan movement. The NIA had filed charge sheet against five accused, Gurjant Singh alias Jinta of Saharanpur, Amrit Singh of Haryana, Karam Singh, Karamveer Singh and Jarman Singh, who belong to Shamli. They were lodged in Lucknow District jail.
India 11-Jul-2019
Punjab Chief Minister Chief Minister Amarinder Singh described the ban on the pro-Khalistan outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) as the first step towards protecting the nation from the anti-India and secessionist plans and designs of the Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)-backed organisation. He said the association should be declared a terror organisation. Punjab Police and National Investigation Agency (NIA) have busted several modules of SFJ found indulging in various subversive activities in Punjab. Investigations revealed that the activists were radicalized and funded by abroad based SFJ handlers - Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, Harmeet Singh, Paramjit Singh Pamma, etc. Ten cases have been lodged with Punjab Police while one case is with NIA in which 39 accused have been arrested.
India 11-Jul-2019
The Government of India downplayed the threats by al Qaeda and Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) saying, they are not to be taken seriously. Terming the pro-Khalistan group “Sikhs For Justice” a fringe group, External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that the organisation has no traction within the mainstream Sikh community and India takes no cognisance of what such fringe elements say.
India 11-Jul-2019
The legal adviser of the pro-Khalistan group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), Gurpatwant Singh Pannun had approached the Chinese authorities and claimed that there was ‘suppression of indigenous people's democratic movements of self-determination’ not only in Punjab but also in Kashmir and north-eastern states. According to an intelligence report, SFJ had started new propaganda warfare against India through social media,especially by launching “Burn the tricolour” videos to instigate the Khalistan issue, disrupt peace, social harmony and to create unrest in India. The report says,"Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, attorney of law, New York, legal adviser, SFJ, wrote a letter to Yao Jing, ambassador of China to Pakistan informing them about the role of an Indian intelligence agency in attack on Chinese consulate in Karachi, Pakistan, on November 23, 2018”.
Pakistan 12-Jul-2019
Ahead of the India-Pakistan talks over Kartarpur corridor, Pakistan removed the name of pro-Khalistan leader Gopal Singh Chawla from the committee. The development was confirmed through an official statement, which said, “The Federal Government (Federal Cabinet) has been pleased to re-constitute the Pakistan Sikh Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC).” Gopal Singh Chawla is a close associate of Mumbai attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed and resides in Pakistan. He is also suspected of planning terrorist attacks in India. And even said to hold meetings with global terrorist Masood Azhar.
India 14-Jul-2019
The intelligence sources revealed that Pakistan is using Khalistani terrorist and ‘chief’ of Khalistan Commando Force (KCF), Paramjit Singh Panjwar to smuggle drugs into India via carpet exports to the west and south-east Asia for fuelling militancy in Punjab. Paramjit Singh Panjwar is based in Lahore since 1994, whereas his wife and two sons live in Frankfurt in Germany. The nexus has been exposed after massive seizures of drugs shipped from Pakistan by the Coast Guards of the Maldives, Sri Lanka and India in recent months.
India 14-Jul-2019
India, in a dossier to Pakistan, has mentioned nearly 30 instances in the past four years when Sikh pilgrims visiting the neighbouring country were subjected to ‘anti-India propaganda’ such as espousing the Khalistani cause. The 23-page dossier was handed over to the Pakistani delegation during the Kartarpur corridor talks held at Wagah. Gopal Singh Chawla, a key “Khalistani element”, instigated the Sikh community to support Kashmiris for the formation of “Azad Kashmir”, says the dossier. The paper also contained a “pictorial catalogue of his anti-India activities on social media”. India accused that the recently banned Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) was given a free hand to promote secessionism during visits of pilgrims. The dossier also mentioned names of others like Tara Singh, Bishan Singh and Maninder Singh were named in the dossier for displaying Khalistani propaganda and leading a protest against India at Wagah border in July 2017.
India 15-Jul-2019
After being banned by the Government of India, the Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) said the group would now lobby with the United State (US), Canadian, United Kingdom (UK) and European Governments, ‘exposing how India brands mere expression through peaceful means of a peaceful political opinion as ‘terrorism’ and seeks to curb dissent’. Rejecting Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh’s charge that the Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) was backing the SFJ, it’s legal adviser Gurpatwant Singh Pannun said, “We filed defamation charges against Capt when he said it during his visit to the USA and Canada.
India 16-Jul-2019
The Special Task Force (STF) of Punjab Police recovered about 10 lakh tramadol tablets from Bathinda in Bathinda District.The opioid-based tablets are a schedule H drug under the NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) Act and used as a pain-killer. According to the reports, The kingpin, Pradeep Goyal, had supplied about 70 lakh tablets in the past few months.
Pakistan 19-Jul-2019
The Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) elected its new president Sardar Satwant Singh and secretary-general Sardar Ameer Singh, days after the Imran Khan Government dissolved the body following India's objection to the presence of Khalistani separatists as part of the Pakistani delegation discussing the Kartarpur Corridor.
India 21-Jul-2019
Nainital Police launched an investigation after 52 Haldwani residents (Nainital District of Uttarakhand) were found to be the members of a pro-Khalistan Facebook group. Police said that the Facebook group named “Hindustan Vs Khalistan” is a private group and the posts of the members cannot be viewed by any non-group member. The Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Nainital District, Sunil Kumar Meena said that "Nothing can be said conclusively as the matter is presently being looked into."
India 22-Jul-2019
The NIA court remanded four Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)-backed Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terrorists, Ravinder Pal Singh, Jagdev Singh, Nishan Singh and Harcharan Singh, till July 29, 2019. NIA took custody of the four, who were part of Amritsar module of BKI, from Punjab Police.
India 23-Jul-2019
Pakistan, which has sabotaged the previous peace initiatives between the two countries, must be hatching anti-Indian conspiracies around the Kartarpur Corridor too, warns the Indian security expert and senior professor at the Jammu University, Dipankar Sengupta. Pakistan has nothing to do with the welfare of any minority community and its diabolic gestures will be exposed in coming times, he said. He further said that Pakistan was taking advantage of the fact that there were more Sikh shrines inside its territory.
India 25-Jul-2019
The Government of India has empowered eight states, including Punjab and Delhi, with a “sizeable presence of Sikh population” to take action against Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) if they try “to brainwash Sikh community in favour of Khalistan movement”. In its order, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) noted, “..In exercise of the powers conferred by section 42 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (37 of 1967), the central government hereby directs that all powers exercisable by it under section 7 and section 8 of the said act shall be exercised also by the state governments of Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, government of National Capital Territory of Delhi and Chandigarh administration”. “Centre doesn't have the wherewithal or jurisdiction to implement the notification in these states. This notification deals with only those states which have a sizeable Sikh population and where the organisations like SFJ can play foul and try to brainwash Sikh community in favor of the Khalistan movement, through various means,” a senior UMHA official said.
India 27-Jul-2019
The National Investigation Agency (NIA), in connection with the narcotics terror case in Amritsar in Punjab, visited the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari-Wagah border between India and Pakistan. A team formed of NIA officials, Customs officers and Punjab Police interrogated the importers at the ICP and asked for the list which contained the list of the goods which are being transported from across the border.
India 29-Jul-2019
According to sources, many Khalistan terrorists in Punjab prisons have been found to be inciting the other jailbirds against the country and brainwashing them. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) decided that soon all the states will be asked to separate the terrorists from the inmates and create a separate jail for the terrorists who are being punished in different jails across the country.
India 29-Jul-2019
The NIA special court in Mohali in Punjab sent all the four ISI-backed Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) module members to judicial custody. The accused were initially arrested by Amritsar Police on charges of disturbing the state’s communal harmony, during the Ghalughara (massacre) week.
Pakistan 30-Jul-2019
Around 500 Indian Sikhs arrived in Pakistan to take part in celebrations in connection with the 550th birth anniversary of Sikh faith founder Guru Nanak Dev. According to sources, since the arrival of the Indian Sikhs was kept in a "low profile" neither the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), which looks after holy places of minorities in the country, nor the Pakistan Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee (PSGPC) were taken on board by the Imran Khan Government regarding their arrival. The Pakistani media was also not invited to the venue to cover the arrival of the Sikh pilgrims from India. However, the Pakistan foreign office later in the day issued a statement confirming the arrival of 500 Indian Sikhs but did not tell whether they crossed over via under construction Kartarpur corridor or Wagah border.
India 31-Jul-2019
The former DGP, Punjab, Shashi Kant claimed that Pakistan-backed pro-Khalistani Sikhs are trying to set up their new bases in the UK, especially in Birmingham city. He said, "Now, they are trying to get a good foothold in Birmingham where they have been organising rallies.""There have been demands from India that the Khalistani activists abroad, should not be permitted to hold rallies but the British government has been taking up a different stand citing that as long as they do not indulge in violence, they are unable to take action," he added. He also underlined the key role of Pakistan's spy agency, ISI in fanning anti-India sentiments.
India 02-Aug-2019
Maheshinder Singh Grewal, a senior spokesperson of the Akali Dal, accused Pakistan of working at the instructions of the ISI of hatching conspiracies to create a rift between the Sikh communities in both countries by floating religion-based narratives. Grewal added that Pakistan’s peace gestures were merely an eyewash and Islamabad had no Sikh-welfare in mind.
India 02-Aug-2019
In a joint operation, Ludhiana Special Task Force (STF) and Ludhiana Rural Police recovered over 4.5-kilogram heroin, worth crores in the international market, at Mamdot in Ferozepur District of Punjab near the India-Pakistan border.
India 04-Aug-2019
Unprecedented security measures have been made at IB with Pakistan, especially in Pathankot District of Punjab. Punjab’s border zone IGP S P S Parmar said that high alert had been sounded in all border districts of the state following which they had upgraded the security. He added that special officers had been deputed in the border districts who would be monitoring the situation round the clock.
Pakistan 04-Aug-2019
After being removed from the PSGPC and ETPB, Pakistan’s pro-Khalistan leader Gopal Singh Chawla has now taken to social media to propagate misinformation campaign about Kashmir. In a two-minute video uploaded on social media, Chawla alleged “Kashmir tay jo zulm ho riha hai, usdi main apni tarfo te saari duniya day Khalisatania vallo muzammat karda han (I and the Khalisanis around the world condemn the atrocities committed in Kashmir).” Chawla circulated the video in the wake of New Delhi has called off Amarnath yatra and has issued advisory to tourists and pilgrims to leave the Kashmir valley. In his provocative video message, he also named former slain Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, stating that those who had committed atrocities had met their fate like her.
India 05-Aug-2019
The recent seizures of over 1,100 kg of heroin in the Indian subcontinent have left the investigating agencies worried about a spurt in the activities of Pakistan-based drug-trafficking syndicates in the region. A case in point is the seizure by the Customs at the Attari Integrated Check Post (ICP) in Amritsar District of Punjab in June of 532 kg of heroin and 52 kg of other drugs. They had been declared rock salt. The alleged kingpin, Tariq Ahmed Lone of Kupwara in Jammu and Kashmir, was arrested, along with importer Gurpinder Singh. “The consignment was booked in the name of Global Vision Impex, a front for Pakistan’s ISI, in Lahore,” the official said.
India 06-Aug-2019
Punjab Jails Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa accepted in the State Legislative Assembly that drugs and mobile phones were being smuggled into prisons in the State. The Minister informed the assembly that his department was taking this "seriously" and seized 576 cellphones from various jails and suspended 20 jail staffers in six months. Six jail employees of the Patiala jail have been dismissed and Ferozpur jail superintendent has been demoted to the post of deputy jail superintendent, said the Minister.
India 08-Aug-2019
The Government of India has set up a tribunal to adjudicate whether or not there is sufficient reason to impose a ban on pro-Khalistan group SFJ, which was declared as an unlawful organisation last month. The UMHA, while imposing the ban, had said the group’s primary objective is to establish an “independent and sovereign country” in Punjab and it openly espouses the cause of Khalistan and in that process, challenges the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India.“Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 5 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (37 of 1967), the central government hereby constitutes an Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal, consisting of Mr Justice D N Patel, Chief Justice, High Court of Delhi, for the purpose of adjudicating whether or not there is sufficient cause of declaring the SFJ as an unlawful association,” a notification issued by the UMHA said.
India 08-Aug-2019
An elderly man identified as Amar Singh was shot and wounded when drug peddlers selectively shot at some houses in Shamkhera in Muktsar District. Police has registered a case against eight people. However, no arrest has been made so far.
India 09-Aug-2019
According to a report, Punjab is struggling to wean its youth from substance abuse. An estimated 7.2 lakh people in Punjab, out of its around 3-crore population, need treatment for opioid addiction, according to a study by the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). Over 42 lakh people in Punjab are involved in substance abuse, including opioid, cannabis, alcohol and sedatives, it found. The figures on substance abuse in Punjab are stark. Punjab Police have arrested 34,443 persons in a total of 28,214 FIRs registered under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act since April 2017.‘At present, 51% of the total 23,033 prisoners in 24 jails of Punjab are undertrials or convicts in NDPS Act cases.As per official figures, there have been 134 drug overdose deaths since 2017 to date and around 4,000 viscera samples, including those of suspected drug overdose deaths, are pending with Punjab’s only functional chemical examining laboratory in Kharar.
India 10-Aug-2019
India sent a reminder to Pakistan to hold technical level meetings to finalise key decisions relating to the proposed Kartarpur corridor. India had proposed that technical level meetings should be held in the first week of August. However, the sources said Pakistan is yet to respond to it, prompting the Indian side to send a reminder.
India 11-Aug-2019
Government of India has put into motion the process to allow Sikhs, who figured on the now defunct “blacklist”, to visit India. The controversial list was done away in April 2019. GoI through embassies and high commissions abroad, written to the persons mentioned on the list that they can now travel to India. Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF), a banned terrorist outfit, has welcomed the removal of the “blacklist” of Sikhs by the Indian Government. Some of its members have expressed the desire to visit India, but with a rider that they would be allowed to raise the demand for ‘Khalistan’.
India 11-Aug-2019
Punjab CM Amarinder Singh expressed concern over reports of slowdown in activities of discernible showdown by Pakistan to develop Kartarpur corridor. The CM urged Pakistan not to back out of their commitment. The CM also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to announce a special economic package for the development of the border states of Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir to create better job opportunities.
India 11-Aug-2019
According to Government officials, Pakistan’s enthusiasm over Kartarpur corridor will depend on the unfolding situation in Kashmir once the restrictions are relaxed. While not commenting on reports that Pakistan had slowed down work on the corridor, they referred to influential voices in its establishment, such as those of former Foreign Secretary Abdul Basit, calling for work to be suspended in light of India’s Jammu and Kashmir moves. The Indian establishment has viewed the Kartarpur Corridor with a tinge of suspicion. There have been recurring concerns after the seizures of explosives and arms in Punjab and Haryana that Pakistan is attempting to destabilise Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab.
India 11-Aug-2019
Special Task Force (STF) arrested head constable Gagandeep, alias Gaggi Khanna and his two accomplices for drug peddling and recovered 785 gram heroin from their possession from an unspecified location. His accomplices have been identified as Amandeep Singh, aliasMauli, and Vikas Kumar, alias Lara.
India 11-Aug-2019
Two drug peddlers were arrested from Sirsa District in separate incidents. A drug peddler identified as Laksham Singh was arrested from Bappa village in Sirsa District with 100 kilo grams of Chura Post. Separately, another drug peddler identified as Vinod Kumar was arrested with 12 kilo grams of Marijuana from an unspecified location in Sirsa District.
India 11-Aug-2019
Anti-Narcotic Cell team recovered 20 grams of heroin from two drug peddlers, identified as Mohit Kumar and Jitender Singh in Baba Hanuman Singh Chowk in Sirsa District.
India 11-Aug-2019
A member of anti-drug campaign committee was shot and wounded by drug peddlers at Kotli Ablu in Muktsar District.
India 11-Aug-2019
Mansa Police conducted extensive searches in houses of 51 people suspected of drug peddling or liquor smuggling in the District. The Police arrested 13 people and registered 11 cases.
India 12-Aug-2019
Radical Sikh organisation Dal Khalsa, United Akali Dal and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) have decided to observe August 15 as Black Day. Kanwar Pal Singh of Dal Khalsa said that they will stage protests on Independence Day against the atrocities, political subjugation and denial of rights to Sikhs in the last seven decades. He also alleged that due to increased hostilities between Indo-Pakistan in the wake of government's abrogating article 370, the Kartarpur corridor is likely to become causality.
India 12-Aug-2019
Former MLA, Virsa Singh Valtoha had to face ire from the locals during his address on the death anniversary of Sukhdev Singh Babbar of the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) at Dasuwal in Tarn Taran District in Punjab. Valtoha talked about his association with BKI. When he spoke on opening an old murder case of Patti-based surgeon Dr Sudarshan Trehan, who was shot on November 15, 1984, the organisers switched off the public address system and Valtoha was made to sit.
India 12-Aug-2019
Two female drug peddlers, Manjit Kaur alias Bitto and Amarjeet Kaur alias Kalo were arrested from Rajgarh village in Ludhiana District and Police seized 850-gram heroin worth over INR 1.5 crore and INR 5,00,000 drug money from their possession.
India 12-Aug-2019
Son of a Sarpanch (village head), Harwinder Singh was arrested with one kilo gram of opium outside Baghapurana in Moga District.
India 12-Aug-2019
A teenager who was abducted for ransom was allegedly murdered by drug addicts in Verka in Amritsar District of Punjab. The victim was identified as Prabhkeerat Singh. The perpetrators have been arrested by the Police.
India 12-Aug-2019
An individual identified as Jagdish Sharma died of an overdose of a synthetic drug at Ahata Badan Singh locality in Moga District.
India 13-Aug-2019
One man was arrested along with one kilo gram of heroin worth INR one Million from Sirhind town in Fatehgarh Sahib District. He reportedly confessed that he brought drugs from Delhi and supplied in the various Districts of Punjab.
India 13-Aug-2019
Pakistani Science Minister Fawad Chaudhry tweeted ‘’I appeal to all Punjabis in Indian army to refuse to be part of injustice and deny duty in Kashmir’’. In Reply Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh tweeted ‘’ Stop trying to interfere in India's internal matter. And let me tell you that the Indian Army is a disciplined and nationalist force, unlike your Army @fawadchaudhry. Your provocative statement will not work, nor will the Soldiers in our Army follow your divisive diktats”.
India 13-Aug-2019
A man was arrested for firing at the anti-drug campaign committee member at Kotli Ablu village in Muktasar District. A country made pistol and seven rounds of ammunition were recovered from the arrestee. Initial investigation has reportedly revealed that the arrestee was involved in drug peddling
India 14-Aug-2019
Drug smugglers opened fire at a Police party at Dadial village in Hoshiarpur District. The Police party was conducting a raid when the smugglers fired upon them. One smuggler was arrested while two others escaped. A pistol and 100 grams of intoxicant powder was recovered.
United Kingdom 15-Aug-2019
Violent protest took place outside Indian High Commission in London when protesters carrying ‘Khalistani’ and Kashmiri flags tried to push across the Police line and threw objects targeting Indian Diaspora. The Indian Diaspora was celebrating the Independence Day on August 15. The violent protesters had arrived in London from Birmingham and Nottingham.
India 15-Aug-2019
BSF arrested an Indian smuggler Harjinder Singh alias Jinder from Mohammadi Wala border outpost in Ferozepur District. A magazine, 31 rounds of ammunition were recovered from the arrestee. Moreover, 16 kilo grams of heroin was recovered from the arrestee. He was arrested by BSF while he was coming back from the Pakistani side by swimming across the Sutlej river.
United Kingdom 15-Aug-2019
According to reports, amid escalating tension between New Delhi and Islamabad British Sikh Association chairman Rami Ranger stated that there will be no investment in Pakistan by the Punjabi diaspora in UK “until relationships between New Delhi (India) and Islamabad (Pakistan) becomes cordial. The relations between the two countries have hit a low with Pakistan downgrading its ties with India after latter scrapped Jammu and Kashmir’s special status earlier this month. In January this year, British Sikh Association had signed a memorandum with Pakistani multinational conglomerate Hashoo Group for development of infrastructure on the Kartarpur Corridor. Ranger had signed the MoU on behalf of British Sikh Association in United Kingdom.
United States 15-Aug-2019
400 including pro-Khalistani protesters marched from India’s United Nations (UN) mission to a cordoned-off area opposite the UN building in New York in USA. They shouted slogans for Khalistan and Kashmir, holding flags of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and yellow Khalistani and blue “referendum” banners.
India 15-Aug-2019
Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Chandigarh unit had seized 2.7 kilo gram opium and 6.14 kilo gram Heroin from Ludhiana, Amritsar and Ferozepur in Punjab in two weeks preceding Independence Day (August 15). NCB Director General (DG) Rakesh Asthana stated that they plan to focus n cross border cartels bringing drugs from Afghanistan. Bureau also plan a crackdown on Delhi-Punjab drug network operated by Af-Pak based cartels.
India 15-Aug-2019
Three anti-drug activists were attacked by drug peddler at Gurusar village in Muktsar District. The anti-drug committees of Gurusar and Ghagga villages today held a joint meeting to discuss the issue and rework their strategy. The members said they would not give in to the threats.
India 15-Aug-2019
A woman, identified as Kulbir Kaur was arrested for her linkage with a pro-Khalistan group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), from Delhi airport in New Delhi. According to Police, the arrestee had moved to Malaysia from Barnala city (Barnala District) in Punjab in 2008 and was one of the active members of the SFJ. Police said that, Kaur is accused of brainwashing some youths, who set fire to two liquor vends in Harpur Dhandoi and Panjgrayan villages in Gurudaspur District. Police was verifying whether she was also involved in funding of Referendum 2020 activists or not. However, Police official stated that during investigations it was revealed that the funding was made from someone in UK.
India 15-Aug-2019
According to report, since October 2018, at least 11 youths including six from Amritsar, two from Tarn Taran and one each from Delhi, Roorki (Uttarakhand) and Gurdaspur (Punjab) have been arrested for posting banners related to Referendum 2020.
India 17-Aug-2019
ABVP members of Punjab University alleged that former president of Punjab University Campus Students Council (PUCSC) Kanupriya boycotted Independence Day celebrations and protested for a referendum in favour of a separate Punjab.They alleged that she has disrespected the country’s independence by tagging Independence Day as a “black day”.
Pakistan 17-Aug-2019
According to media report, no work has been carried out in the Pakistan portion of Kartarpur Corridor for six consecutive days. This has triggered speculation about Islamabad’s intent regarding the completion of the project. It also has coincided with Pakistan’s downgrading of diplomatic ties with India. Sources stated that “Earlier we had assumed that due to Eid they didn’t carry out work on August 11 and 12. Then it was Pakistan’s Independence Day on August 14. But it’s surprising that no construction activity was visible on their side either on August 15 and 16.” Earlier on August 8, Pakistan had stated that ‘’Notwithstanding the latest developments, Pakistan’s Kartarpur initiative shall continue. Pakistan respects all religions and would continue the project”.
India 18-Aug-2019
According to official figures, an average of three drug overdose deaths occurred in a month in Punjab between April 2017 and July 9, 2019. The number can, however, be much higher as viscera samples are sent to the laboratory for examination only when a police case is registered. The state government’s forensic laboratory received viscera samples of 134 people suspected to have died of drug overdose during the period. Experts found traces of drugs in 78 cases while in 14 samples pesticide was found. Morphine, an opiate pain reliever, is the most commonly used intoxicant in Punjab and accounts for over 88 % of overdose deaths reported in last 23 months. As heroin is a derivative of morphine, the presence of the drug indicates that the individuals were either consuming heroin or taking morphine directly. Maximum overdose deaths were reported in Amritsar (15), followed by Hoshiarpur (11). Ludhiana recorded 8 deaths, Ferozepur and Jalandhar had five deaths each and Bathinda and Gurdaspur accounted four each.
India 18-Aug-2019
A woman was arrested with 4,000 habit-forming tablets and five grams of Heroin from Ubhawal road Sangrur District.
Canada 18-Aug-2019
Even though hundreds of protesters were bused into Toronto by pro-Pakistan and Khalistani groups as the city hosted its India Day Parade on August 18, an efficient and visible police presence at the venue prevented violence at the venue, barring minor scuffles.Over a thousand protesters, many bused in from various parts of the Greater Toronto Area or GTA, arrived at the venue, Nathan Philips Square, but were prevented from causing any disturbance within the area and were restricted to the periphery by Toronto Police. The India Day Parade is the signature celebration in Canada marking Independence, and attracts nearly 50,000 visitors each year. This year, though, Indian officials were concerned as Kashmir separatists joined hands with Khalistanis to protest the abrogation of Article 370 by Parliament.
India 19-Aug-2019
The Fatehgarh Sahib District Police in Punjab arrested an African national, identified as Splair Sunde alias Emeka Ekechifor supplying drugs from Vipan Garden near Uttam Nagar in New Delhi. SSP Amneet Kondal said the anti-narcotic cell of the district police had recently recovered 1-kilogram heroin from one Jaswinder Singh alias Toni of Mandi Gobindgarh during a special checking. During the interrogation, Jaswinder Singh revealed the name of Nigerian citizen Splair Sunde who was supplying heroin and cocaine to him. Based on this information, the special team was sent to nab Ekechi to Delhi where he was arrested along with the narcotic.
United Kingdom 20-Aug-2019
Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed to Boris Johnson, his counterpart in the United Kingdom, about New Delhi's displeasure over recent “vandalism and violence” by a large number of Pakistani protesters in front of the Indian High Commission in London.
India 20-Aug-2019
The Punjab and Haryana High Court put Punjab Government on notice on a plea seeking release of 8-year-old son of Malaysian woman arrested by Punjab Police for funding terror activities. The woman, Kulbir Kuar was arrested from Delhi airport on August 15 for her linkage with a pro-Khalistan group SFJ. The court was told that Diljot Singh is son of Kulbir Kaur, who was deported to India from Malaysia and was arrested at the Delhi airport. The police sent the child to a shelter home in Gurdaspur. The state’s response has been sought by August 27.
Pakistan 20-Aug-2019
The Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) and Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) reiterated that they will make all arrangements for the “sangat” (devotees) coming to Pakistan for 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak.
Pakistan 20-Aug-2019
An office-bearer of the ETPB, a statutory board that manages religious properties and shrines of Hindus and Sikhs who had migrated to India after Partition, said over phone that they will ensure the corridor, which is being constructed to give Indian devotees a visa-free access to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, the final resting place of Guru Nanak, is completed well before November 2019.
India 21-Aug-2019
Calling it a state-sponsored massacre of Sikhs, the pro-freedom Sikh outfit Dal Khalsa has said that the November 1984 killings started after Rajiv Gandhi was sworn-in as Prime Minister of India on October 31st along with four cabinet colleagues at 6.45 pm.
Pakistan 21-Aug-2019
The Pakistan High Commission (PHC) said that over 500 Indian Sikh pilgrims entered Pakistan on August 21 after being granted visas by Islamabad to head for the historic Nankana Sahib Gurudwara in order to begin celebrations in advance for the 550th birth anniversary of the founder of Sikhism and first guru of the Sikhs Guru Nanak.
India 21-Aug-2019
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) has decided to hold fortnightly meetings to review the progress of the construction work of Kartarpur corridor so as to complete the project by October 31 deadline. UMHA additional secretary Gobind Mohan on August 21 visited Kartarpur corridor site at Dera Baba Nanak to review the construction work. The first jatha (group) is likely to cross the border through the corridor on November 8 to celebrate the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. "He has directed to hold fortnightly meetings to review the progress of construction work," said sources.
Pakistan 21-Aug-2019
Pakistan is sticking with its plan to open the first visa-free border crossing with India to facilitate Sikh pilgrims despite brewing tensions between the two neighbours over the longstanding Kashmir dispute.Pakistan’s Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal said that Pakistan was committed to open the corridor in November on the 550th birth of Baba Guru Nanak. The Shrine is located only a few kilometres from the border. The proposed corridor will allow Sikhs to visit the Shrine without a visa.
India 23-Aug-2019
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) arrested seven foreigners for allegedly running a clandestine cross-border heroin smuggling racket and seized narcotics tablets worth over INR 1 lakh in a separate case in Punjab.Officials said the drug seizure was affected by NCB officials of Chandigarh zone as the roots of the case are in Punjab.The drug is heavily trafficked to Bangladesh and Indian agencies are on their guard to check its transport across the border.
Pakistan 23-Aug-2019
Former Pakistan Army chief Gen Mirza Aslam Beg said that the country will use Kartarpur corridor for Khalistan terror."Pakistan army and the government should create trouble for India through Khalistan movement," Mirza Aslam said. He also said that “the terror 'jihad' was the ‘only way to teach India a lesson’…. The Indian army at LoC cannot stop the jihadis. "Mirza Aslam Beg has earlier also expressed that he wants a hybrid war against India.
India 23-Aug-2019
To send a message of universal brotherhood on the occasion of 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, Punjab Government will invite religious heads of different faiths, including Pope Francis, the Dalai Lama, Puri Shankaracharya for the anniversary celebrations at Dera Baba Nanak in November. To represent the Muslim community, discussions are underway to invite a religious leader from Mecca, along with Shahi Imam of Delhi’s Jama Masjid. It is learnt that the Dalai Lama has already confirmed his presence at the function. The Government has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for flagging off a Jatha to Pakistan on November 8 and President Ram Nath Kovind for the November 12 function to be organised at Sultanpur Lodhi, where the government is preparing for a massive function by setting up a tent city. The religious gurus would be invited for Dera Baba Nanak, where the event would go on for four days.
India 24-Aug-2019
An official spokesperson stated that the tribunal set up by the Government of India to adjudicate ban on SFJ issued a show-cause notice to the pro-Khalistan group. He said that a notice has been issued to SFJ as to why the association declared unlawful, be not adjudicated to be so and why the order confirming the declaration be not made. The association has been given 30 days to respond from the date of service of the notice. The objections, reply or affidavits may be filed before the next date of hearing.
India 24-Aug-2019
BJP MP Subramanian Swamy said the work on the Kartarpur corridor should be stopped in the interest of the nation and there should be no talks with Pakistan on any issue. He also said that Sikhs were nationalists and they would understand it.
United States 25-Aug-2019
Hundreds of American Kashmiris, Pakistanis and Sikhs staged a demonstration in front of the United Nations (UN) office in New York, calling on the world body to play its role to protect the Kashmiri people suffering under the tight Indian military siege. During the protest, Sikh leader, Sardar Amarjit Singh, voiced support for the cause of Kashmir and reaffirmed his call for the establishment of Khalistan.
India 25-Aug-2019
Several Congress leaders in Punjab, including two State Cabinet Ministers, on August 25 hit out at BJP MP Subramanian Swamy for his remarks that the work on the Kartarpur corridor should be stopped in the interest of the nation. The senior Congress leaders, including eight party MLAs, castigated Mr. Swamy and said his comments on the Kartarpur corridor had hurt sentiments of the Sikhs.
India 25-Aug-2019
The Punjab State Government is set to make the celebrations of 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak a global affair. It is in talks to hold an event on Guru’s life and teachings in New York’s Times Square. Apart from inviting world-renowned dignitaries and prominent Sikh faces, who have valuable contribution to their respective fields, a laser show on the life of the founder of Sikhism will be held. A Sikh organisation having rights to hold events at Times Square is learnt to have approached the government.Since holding the event at the international venue requires various permissions and huge funds, the government would be looking for sponsors for the event planned in October. Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and senior ministers are expected to be part of the event. Apart from New York, events have been planned in other cities of the US, UK, Canada, Italy, Germany and Australia.
India 25-Aug-2019
Police arrested two persons, identified as Vikram Singh (55) and Vikas Kumar (40) and recovered 2.5 kilograms of opium from their possession on Sua Road at Jhande village in the Ludhiana District of Punjab. Police claimed that the suspects were going to supply the opium to their customers.They brought the opium from other states and supplied it to their clients in Punjab and Haryana.
India 25-Aug-2019
Police arrested a man, identified as Harpal Singh Pala from near Kartarpur in Jalandhar District of Punjab for allegedly providing secret information about Indian Air Force (IAF) and Army installations to Pakistan-based pro-Khalistan leader Gopal Singh Chawla. He was also allegedly in contact with Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) chief Ranjit Singh Neeta and Kulwant Singh Mathada, who is promoting the ‘Referendum 2020’. Police recovered seven mobile handsets from him.
India 26-Aug-2019
Mohali Police arrested a Nigerian couple, identified as Makaogu John and Fahe Rechelle from Delhi for supplying drugs to peddlers in Punjab and Haryana. Police recovered 40gm heroin from their possession.
Pakistan 26-Aug-2019
According to sources, Pakistan is now trying to incite the Sikh community living in Pakistan and elsewhere against India. A Pakistan-based Sikh leader was heard claiming in a viral video on social media that they have got a mandate from Akal Takht, the highest Sikh temporal authority in India, to support Pakistan on the Kashmir issue. Though no such resolution has been passed by the Akal Takht, such provocative statements are being issued to radicalise, confuse and deviate the Sikh community.
Pakistan 26-Aug-2019
In another attempt to woo the Sikh community, Pakistan's Punjab Province chief minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has called an international congregation of Sikhs on August 31.This congregation is being linked to the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev but the motive behind it is to perpetuate and launch an anti-India propaganda.Pakistan Government has also announced another Sikh congregation at Nankana Sahib but the dates are yet to be announced.
Pakistan 26-Aug-2019
The controversial statement given by the former Pakistan army chief General Aslam Baig that Pakistan will be using the Kartarpur corridor to send jihadis into India, has once again exposed Pakistan's nefarious designs. Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh had also expressed apprehension that Pakistan might misuse Kartarpur corridor for anti-India activities but has not opposed the idea of the corridor due to religious and political compulsions.
India 26-Aug-2019
A recent Punjab Government forensic lab report revealed that 78 out of 134 samples collected in the past 23 months have shown that most of the deaths were caused by drug overdose. Amritsar topped the list of drug overdose deaths reported in the past 24 months.
India 26-Aug-2019
Congress Party in Punjab slammed BJP MP Subramaniam Swamy for raising apprehensions on the security of the Kartarpur corridor and claimed that there is no threat as Punjabis will act as the first line of defence.
India 27-Aug-2019
Dal Khalsa alleged that the political divisions within police hierarchy and divisive politics played by Congress and Akali Dal are responsible for the miscarriage of justice in Bargari sacrilege case. Dal Khalsa spokesperson Kanwarpal Singh in a statement said, “Self-contradictory Statements by both the leaders in the last one month on this issue have put them in poor light”.
Pakistan 28-Aug-2019
Pakistan’s Religious Tourism and Heritage Committee (RTHC) decided that Pakistan will start a month-long visa process starting September 1 for the Sikh pilgrims from India and other countries who plans to attend the 550th birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak in November.
India 29-Aug-2019
Pakistan spy Harpal Singh Pala, a former IAF official's son who was arrested in Jalandhar on August 25, revealed during interrogation that it was Gopal Singh Chawla (Pro-Khalistan leader and former secretary of the PSGPC) who radicalised him and recruited him as an agent of the ISI's espionage network.
India 30-Aug-2019
15 Officials from each India and Pakistan discussed the technical modalities of the Kartarpur corridor, the first meeting held at the Zero point, after New Delhi revoked Jammu and Kashmir's special status leading to fresh tensions between the two countries. The meeting lasted for close to two hours during which various technical aspects pertaining to the corridor were discussed.
India 30-Aug-2019
According to reports, the Kartarpur Corridor will be opened in a ceremony on the eve of 550th birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak on November 11. The officials of the two countries will review technical aspects of the bridge constructed on Ravi river. The consultations between technical experts of India and Pakistan will revolve around the "bridge" to be built by Pakistan.
India 30-Aug-2019
The Punjab Government is planning to convene a special one-day session of the State Legislative Assembly to make the 550th birth anniversary of Sikhism’s founder Guru Nanak Dev a memorable event. The proposed session, likely to be held in September-October, would focus completely on the Sikhs’ first guru during which no legislative work or discussion on other matters would be conducted. For the special session, the Government is planning to invite the former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh as the special guest.
India 01-Sep-2019
Pakistan and India will hold the next high-level talks on the proposed Kartarpur Corridor for Sikh pilgrims on September 4, which would take place on the Indian side of the Wagah Border - Attari Border - where the two countries are expected to finalise the draft agreement pertaining to the opening of the corridor.
India 01-Sep-2019
Activists of Bajrang Dal Hindustan set fire to the effigy of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan in Amritsar and called for solidarity between Hindu and Sikhs to protest against the continued lack of action by the Pakistani government on the abduction of the Sikh girl, who was forcibly converted and then married to a Muslim man.
India 01-Sep-2019
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) is going to start various events for celebrating the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev at Sultanpur Lodhi in Kapurthala District in Punjab from November 1.
Canada 02-Sep-2019
Canada’s Liberal MP, Ramesh Sangha, who represents Ontario’s Brampton Centre riding, criticised that his party has been “pandering” to Sikh separatists, threatening Canada’s relations with India in the process. Indian officials have previously accused the Liberals of trying to win favour with Canadians pushing for an independent Sikh homeland - Khalistan - in the Punjab region of India.
India 02-Sep-2019
The Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) decided to approach the United Nations (UN) against forced conversions of minorities in Pakistan. SGPC chief Gobind Singh Longowal said that the Sikh body is planning to write to the UN regarding the issue.
India 02-Sep-2019
President of the radical group Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) Simranjit Singh Mann stated that the Pakistan Government and PM Khan should take special care of Sikh minorities living in the country. He revealed that a statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh was also vandalised in Lahore recently. Such incidents are not positive signs for the minority community in Pakistan, said Mann.
Pakistan 02-Sep-2019
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan announced that his government would issue multiple and on-arrival visas to Sikh pilgrims coming from India and abroad and provide them maximum possible facilities during their visit to the holy sites.
India 03-Sep-2019
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and raised the issue of forceful conversion and marriage of a Sikh girl, Jagjit Kaur in Pakistan and said the neighbouring country should protect the rights of the minorities.
India 03-Sep-2019
According to reports, the Khalistani separatist elements are trying to radicalise Sikh youth in the Indian state of Punjab through sustained campaigns on social media run from countries like Canada, UK and Germany. Khalistani supporters have also organised rallies against India in connivance with the ISI in the UK.
United Kingdom 03-Sep-2019
Two persons were arrested on September 4 after Pakistani diaspora along with Khalistanis launched a massive protest outside the Indian High Commission in London on September 3 and broke a window pane, drawing widespread condemnation. UK's metropolitan police in a statement said that “there were two arrests for criminal damage at yesterday’s event outside the Indian High Commission”.
India 04-Sep-2019
Two persons, identified as Harpreet Singh (20) and Vikram Singh (28) were killed and another one, Gurjant Singh (27) injured in a low-intensity blast in an agricultural field near Kaler village in Tarn Taran in Tarn Taran District. Harpreet was a part-time carpenter, Vikram a mason, while Gurjant rears cattle to make a living. Punjab Police suspects that blast could have links with terror organisations. It is suspected that the two deceased and the person injured in the blast might have been assembling a crude bomb at the site. The police were conducting raids and questioning suspects to probe links of those killed in the blast with radical organisations.
India 04-Sep-2019
India snubbed Pakistan delegation when they tried to ‘indirectly’ raise issues relating to J&K when the two sides met for the third round of talks on the Kartarpur corridor, as they were bluntly told to ‘stick to the agenda’. The Indian side led by SCL Das, Joint Secretary in the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, was quick to “rebuff”, as he “snubbed” the Pakistan officials by saying “don’t talk about concerns other than Kartarpur corridor, as we have greater concerns (cross-border terrorism) than you. Better we stick to the agenda rather than delve on other issue”, said a source.
India 04-Sep-2019
The agreement on the Kartarpur Corridor project, which will open the famed pilgrimage centre to Indians, could not be signed after Pakistan declared that it would charge fees from the visitors. According to the sources, Pakistan has insisted on charging a service fee for allowing pilgrims to visit Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib, which is not agreeable in the spirit of smooth and easy access through the corridor.”
Pakistan 05-Sep-2019
The day after Pakistan announced to levy USD 20 service fee for the pilgrims going to Kartarpur Sahib via under construction Kartarpur corridor, the US-based pro-Khalistani organization Sikh For Justice (SFJ) offered to reimburse the fee. Gurpatwant Singh Pannun who claims to be the legal advisor of SFJ informed “People of Punjab who will visit Kartarpur Sahib between November 1 and 30 will have to submit proof of their visit to SFJ and receive USD 20 service fee reimbursement via Western Union.”
India 06-Sep-2019
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said that the two people killed and one injured in a blast in Tarn Taran District in Punjab were trying to make a bomb in a bottle."The three people were digging a pit during the night and were trying to make a bomb in a bottle with a mixture of some chemicals that exploded. Two died in this incident and one had injuries in his eyes," Singh said. He further added that "We will find out who were making these bombs, how were they being made and for whom these bombs were being made. It will be known".
India 06-Sep-2019
A National Security Guard (NSG) team along with Punjab Police inspected the site at Tarn Taran District’s Pandoori Gola village where a blast took place on September 4, and recorded statements of people living in the nearby areas. The Punjab Police’s Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) wing rounded up more than 100 suspects in connection with the case, but no one was arrested.
India 07-Sep-2019
The Sarbat Khalsa appointed Akal Takht Jathedar Bhai Jagtar Singh Hawara was produced before the Ludhiana based court of Judge Atul Kasana via video conference in a case pertaining to bomb blast occurred near Ludhiana’s clock tower in 1995. Sources said that the hearing of this case has been adjourned to September 18 for recording of Bhai Hawara’s statement under section 313 Cr.P.C through video conferencing.
India 07-Sep-2019
Bhai Jagtar Singh Hawara was also produced before the court of Judge Arunveer Vashisht via video conferencing in a case registered against him under the Arms and Explosive Act in Police Station Kotwali of Ludhiana in 1995. Without any proceedings in this case, the next hearing was adjourned to October 5 for final arguments.
Pakistan 08-Sep-2019
Pakistan’s Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar stated that the Sikh community enjoyed complete freedom in Pakistan. CM Buzdar said that Sikh community, from around the world, was supporting the Pakistan’s stance on the core issue of Kashmir. He said, “The Sikh brethren have come very nearer to Pakistan and this has no resemblance in the past.”
India 08-Sep-2019
The Special Task Force (STF) arrested a gangster, Jatinder Kumar Chintu, and his accomplice, Shiv Kumar along with 500-grams heroin at Kakowal road in Ludhiana District of Punjab. Inspector Harbans Singh, in-charge STF Ludhiana Range said that the accused had confessed their involvement in procuring and selling heroin among his customers from different areas of Amritsar, Jammu and Delhi.
India 09-Sep-2019
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh inaugurated a state-of-the-art Digital Investigation Training and Analysis Centre (DITAC) to strengthen Punjab’s anti-terror capabilities in the face of growing cyber terror threat, particularly along the vulnerable bordering areas exposed to infiltration and narcotics smuggling. The Chief Minister said that the new emerging cyber threats had necessitated the enhancement of online technical intelligence systems.
Pakistan 10-Sep-2019
According to reports, Pakistan's ISI held a high-level meeting with many terror groups including Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), and Khalistani Zindabad Force (KZF) in Islamabad to plan its nefarious activities against India.The closed-door meeting in Islamabad was also attended by some other Pro-Khalistan terror groups.
India 10-Sep-2019
The BSF team deployed along the border near the Sutlej river had successfully seized eight kilograms of heroin and 55 grams of opium. Since the rise of water level in the Sutlej river in Punjab's Ferozepur, smugglers from Pakistan have been continuously sending narcotics by turning the rough flow of the river into their advantage.
India 10-Sep-2019
The Narcotic Control Bureau (NCB) Amritsar Sub-Zone said that it had busted an international network of drug trafficking operating in Delhi, Punjab and Mumbai with linkages in Australia and Canada.
India 11-Sep-2019
Police arrested six more suspects in connection with the explosion which took place near Kaler village in Tarn Taran District on September 4. The arrested suspects belong to Gurdaspur, Patti and Amritsar and were being interrogated. Two persons were killed and another one was injured in the blast that took place in an agriculture field.
India 11-Sep-2019
According to sources, the interrogation of 32 people in connection with Tarn Taran blast has provided important leads about the motive behind the explosion."The accused wanted to cause a blast at a public place. Investigation is on to find out who these people were working for", an unnamed senior police official said. Sources also said that the Police suspect the hand of ISI and Khalistani terror groups in the explosion. Traces of foreign funding have also been found. Tarn Taran District was a hotbed for terror activities during the Khalistan militancy days.
India 11-Sep-2019
The Punjab Police, in a move to restructure its Intelligence Department, formed a separate ‘internal security wing’ to specifically focus on anti-terrorism and anti-internal insurgency operations. Under this new administrative arrangement, three major wings of Intelligence Department, Counter Intelligence (CI), Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) and Organised Crime Control Unit (OCCU) will now be supervised by ADGP (internal security) — a new post created recently. 1993-batch IPS officer RN Dhoke was transferred to the post on September 9. Earlier, functioning of these three wings (CI, FIU, OCCU) which are headed by IG, used to be directly supervised by the intelligence chief.
India 11-Sep-2019
Baldev Kumar, a former lawmaker of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s political party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) who has sought asylum in India, said that he has been receiving threatening phone calls from across the border. Baldev Kumar has sought political asylum in India for himself and his family, citing atrocities against minorities in Pakistan.
India 11-Sep-2019
The Special Task Force (STF) Ludhiana Ferozepur range arrested a drug peddler, identified as Ravinder Singh Nikka along with 1kg heroin and 100 gm of expensive ice drug from Chimney road in Shimlapuri in Ludhiana District.
India 11-Sep-2019
In a joint operation conducted by the health officials and the district administration, an illegal drug de-addiction centre, which was running under the name of ‘Khalsa Welfare Foundation’, was busted in Punjab's Fatehgarh Sahib District. The authorities rescued as many as 14 addicts being allegedly tortured in the centre.
India 11-Sep-2019
The Minister of Forests, Sadhu Singh Dharamsot demanded the arrest of former Pakistan lawmaker Baldev Kumar, who arrived in India a month ago. He said the antecedents of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader should be verified as sending him to India could be a ploy of Pakistan spy agency, ISI.
India 12-Sep-2019
India urged Pakistan to show ‘some flexibility’ on the Kartarpur Corridor to ensure the celebrations of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev is conducted smoothly. Earlier in the day, Pakistan said that pilgrims will be charged $20 as service charge for visiting the Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara.
India 13-Sep-2019
One person, identified as Shamsher Singh Shera was arrested along with a cache of 7.5 kg of heroin and INR 28 lakh drug money from Amritsar in Punjab. SPS Parmar,IG, Border Range said that "We are interrogating the cross-border angle in this matter. We are also probing into the forward and backward linkages of the matter".
India 13-Sep-2019
A blacklist of Sikh foreign nationals who have been barred from travelling to India for decades has been reduced from 314 to just 2, a senior UMHA official said. The 312 nationals removed from the blacklist, formally called the ‘Central Adverse List’, will be “eligible to get Indian visa and the Overseas Indian Card” in due course, the official said. The decision to whittle down the list was taken after a ‘review’ of threats posed by these people to India. These blacklisted Sikhs have been mostly living in the US and Canada in North America; and the UK, France and Germany in Europe. It has included Sikh community leaders who had promoted the cause of Khalistan, former militants, those connected to the ideology without a criminal record, and those who sought political asylum contending threat to their lives from the Indian authorities.“This review is a continuous and dynamic process and is a part of a regular exercise. Such a review will afford an opportunity to such Sikh foreign nationals to visit India, meet their family members and reconnect to their roots, “the official said.
India 13-Sep-2019
The Punjab Government has decided to distribute religious literature in all prisons in the state to mark the 550th birth anniversary of the founder of Sikh religion, Guru Nanak Dev. On the eve of the Sikh Guru's birthday celebrations, the Punjab Government has also proposed to release 550 prisoners on account of good conduct.
India 13-Sep-2019
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) condemned the Pakistan Government’s decision to charge INR 1,400 per pilgrim as service charge for using the upcoming Kartarpur corridor, saying the neighbouring country is trying to impose ‘jazia’ (a tax non-Muslims pay under Sharia law) on Indian devotees.
India 15-Sep-2019
Police arrested a Tanzanian woman, identified as Rehma and recovered 2 kg heroin from her at Dainwind village in Kapurthala of Kapurthala District. Kapurthala SSP, Satinder Singh said that she was visiting India on a business visa and living with her relatives. She had earlier supplied drugs five times in other cities in Punjab and was caught supplying drugs in Kapurthala District.
United States 15-Sep-2019
Pro-Khalistani Sikhs joined by Pakistani community members held a protest in Houston in US, demanding the resolution of the Kashmir dispute and against Indian Government for committing gross human rights violations in occupied Kashmir. To express support for the cause of Kashmir and demanding a separate land for Sikhs, the Sikh community members and Pakistanis, with Kashmir and Khalistan flags mounted on their cars, moved through the roads and streets while chanting slogans against the Narendra Modi Government.The protesters raised slogans of “Modi’s tour of the U.S. unacceptable.”
India 15-Sep-2019
Sikh hardliners praised Narendra Modi led Union Government for scrapping the black list that will allow many Sikhs to visit their motherland, meet relatives and celebrate 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. While expressing gratitude towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi, informal Sarbat Khalsa-appointed parallel acting Jathedar of Akal Takht Dhian Singh Mand said, “It is a highly commendable act of Indian government and deserves acknowledgement.”
India 15-Sep-2019
Former Khalistan ideologue Wassan Singh Zaffarwal also hailed Narendra Modi Government. “Now those Sikhs can come to their motherland, meet their relatives and participate in the celebration functions of 550th birth anniversary of the first Guru,” he said.
India 16-Sep-2019
The Madras High Court in Tamil Nadu received a bomb threat from a person claiming to be a member of ‘International Khalistan Support Group’. In a five-line letter addressed to the registrar general of the High Court, Hardarshan Singh Nagpal, claimed he was a resident of Sudershan Park in Moti Nagar in New Delhi, and said he along with his son “will do multiple bomb blasts inside the high court buildings on September 30”.
India 16-Sep-2019
The Punjab Police detained 10 persons allegedly belonging to a Khalistani terror module for questioning in connection with the September 4 Tarn Taran blast. Police said, on the basis of strong leads, 10 persons had been detained, who were being questioned on the probable target of the bomb they were making. Officials also confirmed there was no trace of RDX from the blast site.
India 17-Sep-2019
Police, on the basis of disclosure made by a man arrested for drug peddling last week, recovered 13.72 kg heroin buried in a field across the barbed fence on the India-Pakistan border near Daoke village in Amritsar District. The accused, Samsher Singh, alias Shera, was arrested with 7.5 kg heroin and ₹28 lakh drug money in Ajnala’s Poonga village on September 13. Police had also recovered 1kg heroin from at Bhaini Rajpootan on Shera’s disclosure on September 15. The contraband was pushed into the Indian territory by Pakistan-based smugglers, the Police said.
India 17-Sep-2019
After intelligence warning about the ISI network's nefarious design to revive the pro-Khalistan elements and whip up passions for separatist movement, the Central Government is planning to have a joint counter operation centre in Punjab involving NIA, external spy agency R&AW, counter-terror unit of Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Punjab Police.
India 17-Sep-2019
Punjab Police procured five-day remand of seven persons arrested in connection with the September 4 Tarn Taran blast.Those arrested include Harjit Singh, Maandeep Singh alias Massa, Amritpal Singh Randhawa, Manpreet Singh, Channdeep Singh, Armarjit Singh and Malkit Singh. Harjit is considered to be the kingpin.The investigation revealed the close relations of the arrested persons with foreign-based pro-Khalistan leaders. Sources said that the suspects confessed their links with Khalistani elements, who were providing them funds.
India 18-Sep-2019
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal sought intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure “expeditious and across-the-board release of all Sikh prisoners languishing in different jails in the country even after serving the full term of their sentence”.
United States 18-Sep-2019
According to reports, the organizers of Howdy Modi event in Houston on September 22, in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend, said that they have averted the protesters backed by Khalistani activists, Kashmiri separatist and Pakistani groups’ plan to picket outside the NRG stadium venue. However, several groups including ‘Friends of Kashmir’, ‘Sikhs For Justice’ and “International Humanitarian Foundation” have reportedly hired buses and trucks and plan to drive around close to the venue, and are offering “tickets” for the protest on an online events management website.
India 18-Sep-2019
An alleged Pakistani spy, identified as Vipin Singh, was arrested from Gurdaspur cantonment area on charges of passing vital information regarding Kartarpur Corridor construction work to Pakistan's ISI. Officials recovered a mobile phone from his possession and they claimed that the mobile phone was used by Vipin Singh to communicate with Pakistan-based handlers and share photographs of the Kartarpur Corridor construction site.
United States 19-Sep-2019
According to reports, a group of pro-Khalistan outfits, Pakistani migrants and Kashmir sympathizers are planning to disrupt the ‘Howdy Modi’ event which is scheduled to be held in a week in Houston. Houston has a large population of Pakistanis, Kashmiri separatists, and Khalistanis.
India 22-Sep-2019
Punjab Police busted a terror module of the revived Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF), that was conspiring to unleash a series of terrorist strikes in Punjab and adjoining States, by arresting four suspects along with a huge cache of arms, including five AK-47 rifles, pistols, satellite phones and hand grenades from Tarn Taran District. Those arrested were identified as Balwant Singh, Akashdeep Singh, Harbhajan Singh and Balbir Singh. The module was backed by the Pakistan-based ‘chief’ of the KZF, Ranjeet Singh alias Neeta, and his Germany-based associate, Gurmeet Singh alias Bagga. The module was planning to carry out multiple terrorist strikes in J&K, Punjab and other States.
India 22-Sep-2019
Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh decided to transfer the ‘KZF terror module’ case to NIA for further investigation. A statement released by the Punjab CMO stated, "Module was conspiring to unleash series of terror strikes in Punjab and/or adjoining states. Police seized huge cache of arms including 5 AK-47 rifles, pistols, satellite phones and hand grenades. Further investigations in the case handed over to NIA." Punjab CM also urged the Central Government to direct the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Border Security Force (BSF) to launch necessary counter-measures to check for any possible threats.
India 23-Sep-2019
The Amritsar judicial magistrate court sent five members of a Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) terror module busted by Punjab Police to 10-day Police remand. Punjab Police on September 22 arrested four KZF members from Chola Sahib village in Tarn Taran District. Police investigation revealed that one Maan Singh of Samurai village in Gurdaspur District, currently lodged in Amritsar jail in an Arms Act and UAPA case, had recruited Akashdeep when they were lodged together in the Amritsar jail. The four arrested accused and Maan Singh, who was brought on production warrant, were presented in the court which sent them to police remand till October 3.
India 23-Sep-2019
STF has recovered five AK 74 rifles, ten magazines, 200 rounds, 1 Austria made Glock pistol, 2 magazines and 20 rounds from Mamdot area near International Border with Pakistan in Firozpur District.
India 24-Sep-2019
Intelligence agencies sounded an alert in the northern region, cautioning against a terror attack aimed at high-profile military targets following an influx of infiltrators from across the border with Pakistan. Sources said the input came from technical surveillance and consequently, all stakeholders in the northern region, particularly Punjab and adjoining districts of Rajasthan, have been notified about the need for extra security.
India 25-Sep-2019
The State Special Operation Cell (SSOC) of the Punjab Police arrested a Khalistani terrorist, Gurdev Singh, brother of Germany-based Gurmeet Singh Bagga alias Doctor, for his alleged involvement in the dropping of arms and ammunition by drones from across the border in Punjab from PAP Chowk in Jalandhar. FICN with a face value of three lakh was also recovered from his possession. Gurdev is the sixth person to have been arrested in connection with Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) terror module in Punjab so far.
India 26-Sep-2019
The State Special Operation Cell (SSOC) has reportedly arrested another member of the module identified as Shudhdeep Singh alias Shubh from an undisclosed place in Punjab. With his arrest, the Punjab Police have arrested seven members of the terror module till now. Sources said that Shubhdeep accompanied Akashdeep, Balwant Singh, Harbhajan Singh and Balbir Singh while retrieving the consignment of arms, ammunition, explosives and fake Indian currency notes smuggled to Indian side of border with the help of drones.
India 26-Sep-2019
A five-member NIA team visited the spot where a China-made drone was destroyed by the alleged Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) terror module members. The interrogation of arrested persons revealed that they had also thrown several parts of the drone into UBDC canal near Dhode village near Jhabalin Amritsar district.
India 27-Sep-2019
According to reports, Pakistan based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) militant Aashiq Nengroo, originally hailing from Kakapora in Pulwama, along with Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) was instrumental in transporting consignments of arms, ammunition and explosives from Pakistan to Tarn Taran District of Punjab through drone.
India 27-Sep-2019
The state special operation cell (SSOC) of Punjab Police, based on a tip-off from arrested Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) members, recovered a drone from Mahawa village near Attari on the Indo-Pak border in Amritsar. The SSOC officials claimed that two KZF members,Akashdeep and Subhdeephad hid the drone in the bushes on the defense drain near the village.The Police have arrested seven members of the KZF terror module till now.
India 28-Sep-2019
India announced on September 28 that eight Sikh prisoners housed in Indian jails – Lal Singh, Davindar Pal Singh Bhullar, Harjinder Singh, Gurdeep Singh Khera, Waryam Singh, Subheg Singh, Nand Singh and Balbir Singh – would be prematurely released in a special exemption coinciding with the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak. It also said that the death sentence handed to Rajoana, of the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) outfit, was being commuted to a life sentence.
India 28-Sep-2019
Police searched the Amritsar Central jail, where three of the accused, Maan Singh, Akashdeep and Gurdev Singh, had hatched the conspiracy to receive weapons from across the border. “A search operation was launched in the barracks where Maan Singh was lodged. The barracks of Akashdeep and Gurdev Singh were also searched,” said a Police officer. Police seized three mobile phones found abandoned in the jail complex.
India 29-Sep-2019
Police recovered missing parts of drone from the Dode-Chhapa canal near Chabhal town, around 35km from Tarn Taran district headquarters. Earlier, Police busted a Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) module that had weapons smuggled to it through a drone.
India 30-Sep-2019
According to senior officials in the government, the decision to release eight Sikh prisoners and commute the death sentence of Balwant Singh Rajoana, the main conspirator in the 1995 assassination of former Punjab CM Beant Singh, is the culmination of various key steps taken by the Union Government to assuage the sentiments of the Sikh community and derail Pakistan’s “K2” (Kashmir & Khalistan) plan. According to them the main objectives of these decisions are “heal the wounds of the Sikh community”, and “wean away hardliners living abroad” from a conspiracy by Pakistan’s spy agency, ISI, to revive militancy in Punjab.
United States 30-Sep-2019
The Sikh community in the US, led by its front-line organization Sikhs of America Inc, welcomed the decision of the Government of India to release Sikh prisoners lodged in jails under Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) for the last three decades. The Chairman of Sikhs of America Inc, Jesse Singh thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
India 30-Sep-2019
Former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh's family threatened to move the court after the union government decided to commute convicted Khalistani terrorist Balwant Singh Rajaona's death sentence into life imprisonment. Beant Singh's grandson and Member of Parliament(MP) Ravneet Singh Bittu said "We will fight on every platform. Be it Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Amit Shah or their government. We will fight every war. We have lost whatever there was. How can we push people of Punjab towards Rajaona? Once released they will come and kill more people in the future. We know how to chain people like Rajaona." Bittu expressed the apprehension that Rajaona was a dreaded terrorist. He said that if his sentence is commuted, he will come out of jail and will indulge in bloodshed by getting parole.
India 30-Sep-2019
A five-member panel constituted by Sarbat Khalsa Jathedar Jagtar Singh Hawara demanded to release the Sikh prisoners who have completed their life sentences. The panel said that there are 22 such prisoners lodged in different jails across the country, including ten of them in Punjab jails and five in Chandigarh's Burrail Jail.
India 30-Sep-2019
Special Task Force (STF) arrested three persons, identified as Sukhraj Singh, Bhupinder Singh and Rajpal Singh, following an encounter near Jandiala in Amritsar District. Two of their accomplices managed to flee. STF has recovered 2 pistols, 3 magazines and 64 rounds from their possession.
India 01-Oct-2019
One militant of Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF), Sajan Preet Singh, was arrested near Khalsa College in Amritsar, Punjab along with two pistols retrieved from a consignment of large arms from Pakistan. He was sent to five-day police remand.
India 24-Dec-2019
Police arrested a Rajasthan resident, identified as Kishan Lal along with 180kg poppy husk and 1kg opium from the Jandiala-Jalandhar road in Jalandhar. The truck carrying the contraband was also impounded. According to Police, the contraband was meant to be delivered in Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Jagraon.
India 25-Dec-2019
A drug peddler, identified as Lalit Kumar was arrested along with 18 gm heroin at a naka set up near Logarh T-point in Zirakpur in Mohali District.
India 25-Dec-2019
Police arrested a drug peddler, identified as Lakhwinder Singh alias Lucky and recovered 5 gm of heroin from his possession during a routine checking at Basant Avenue in Ludhiana.
India 25-Dec-2019
Intelligence agencies sources claim that the Khalistani terrorists have escalated their efforts to smuggle weapons from Pakistan to Punjab to carry out terror attacks in Punjab. Sources also revealed that terror groups like Babbar Khalsa and Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) are in contact with their Pakistani handlers to smuggle weapons across the India-Pakistan border.
India 25-Dec-2019
Based on the intelligence input, Government of India ordered the BSF, NIA, RAW and IB to monitor the activities of these Khalistan-backed terrorists and surveil the bordering areas of Punjab to prevent the smuggling of weapons in the state
India 26-Dec-2019
Jalandhar district rural Police arrested two drug peddlers and recovered a pistol, two live cartridges and 70,000 liters of alcohol from their possession near power station in Kartarpur .
India 26-Dec-2019
After the Intelligence inputs which said that Pakistan’s ISI has planned on unleashing Khalistani terrorists to strike in various places in Punjab, the border areas of Punjab have been placed in a state of very high alert. Earlier, the intercepts picked up on the air waves suggested that the ISI has tasked the Babbar Khalsa to carry out the attack and there are attempts to smuggle the arms into Punjab.
India 26-Dec-2019
According to reports, concerned over the recent incidents of Pakistani drones airdropping arms and ammunition along the border areas of the state, Punjab Police is planning to buy anti-drone equipment from Israel to detect such devices and jam communications between them and their operators. Though the proposal to buy this technology is in its initial stage, the provisioning wing of Police department, has zeroed in on some of Israel-developed latest technologies, especially the new optical detection system, report said.
India 27-Dec-2019
Police arrested five drug peddlers and recovered 1.5 kg heroin and 4.5 kg opium from them in three different cases in Jalandhar district. Cases under the NDPS Act were registered against the accused at Kartarpur, Nakodar Sadar and Bhogpur police stations.
India 27-Dec-2019
Due to the foggy weather conditions in Punjab, BSF has intensified its patrolling along the India-Pakistan border in Punjab to prevent activities of sneaking narcotics, arms and ammunition into the Indian territory.
India 27-Dec-2019
The SAD (Amritsar) held a conference to pay tributes to Mata Gujri and younger sons (Sahibzades) of Tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh in which representatives of Dal Khalsa also participated. During the conference, the speakers demanded the withdrawal of CAA and NRC and also criticized that the present-day government for dragging the situation leading to another Emergency.
India 27-Dec-2019
Balwant Singh Rajoana, convicted for the assassination of the then Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh in 1995, announced that he would sit on hunger strike from January 11, 2020 to protest against non-action on his appeal against his sentence which is pending with the President for the last eight years. Rajoana’s sister Kamaldeep Kaur alleged that both SAD and SGPC were not taking up his issue seriously though they have assured her brother a number of times that they will help him.
India 27-Dec-2019
The NIA filed a charge sheet in the special NIA court at Mohali against 11 accused including six absconders, and four companies in the case related to the seizure of 532 kg of heroin and 52 kg of mixed narcotics on June 29 at Integrated Check Post (ICP), Attari. The investigation has established that the accused formed a terrorist gang to smuggle narcotics into India.
India 29-Dec-2019
The STF’s Ludhiana unit arrested a 34-year-old man, Sanjay Das along with 230 gm heroin - worth Rs 1.25 crore at a checkpoint near Transport Nagar in Ludhiana.
India 30-Dec-2019
The SGPC condemned booking of Sikh devotees by UP Police for allegedly defying prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPc) by taking out a religious procession from Kiratpur Gurudwara in Pilibhit’s Kheri Naubaramad village to commemorate Shahidi Diwas (martyrdom of the sons of Guru Gobind Singh) on December 29 afternoon.
India 30-Dec-2019
The SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal said that a delegation would meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah soon and urge him to implement a Ministry of Home Affairs’ decision of commuting Rajoana’s death sentence and release him from jail. Longowal said that SGPC was committed to Rajoana’s release. “We have plans to meet Rajoana before January 11. I appeal to him to take back his decision of going on a fast in protest,” he said.
India 30-Dec-2019
BSF seized 10 packets containing 5.19 kg heroin which was buried in an agricultural field near the fence at Ghatti Maste border out post (BoP) under Ferozepur sector in Punjab. However, suspected smugglers managed to flee the spot taking advantage of dense fog.
India 31-Dec-2019
21 more villages in Punjab’s Nawanshahr district were declared drug-free on the eve on the New Year, while 50 of total 71 villages were declared drug-free a few months back. Nawanshahr district of the Doaba region has taken a lead in the crusade against drugs launched by the state government, while Hoshiarpur district is in the second in the list with 37 villages. According to the government information, Nawanshahr has identified 71 villages out of its total 466 villages (15 per cent) which are totally drug-free and there was no case registered under NDPS Act and also no drug recovery was made from any resident of such villages. Additionally, there are no addicts in these villages, as per the government’s information.