KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
India 01-Jan-2021
According to Border Security Force (BSF) data, the BSF personnel have recovered 517 kilograms heroin and 43 weapons from along the Indo-Pak International Borders (IB) in Punjab in 2020. The BSF also shot dead eight drug smugglers and intruders in separate encounters in 2020. Additionally, a total of 13 Pakistanis and one Bangladeshi national were also arrested during the year. In a humanitarian gesture, the BSF handed over six Pakistanis to the Pakistan Rangers after they had inadvertently crossed the IB.
India 03-Jan-2021
The Punjab Police have decided to recruit specialised de-radicalisation counsellors in the backdrop of radicalisation of youth for pro-Khalistan activities via social media. 30 de-radicalisation counsellors and 82 assistants will be recruited soon with the job to bring back youth into the mainstream after they were allegedly brainwashed by terror agencies, including Pakistan-based Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), said Director General of Police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta. According to the Police records, nearly 70 terror modules had been busted in the past few years in which more than 300 youth were arrested. Most of them were radicalised for pro-Khalistan activities through social media.
India 07-Jan-2021
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted searches at six locations – five in Jammu District of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and one in Tarn Taran District of Punjab in connection with the investigation of a narco-terror module case (RC 05/2020/ NIA/JMU) related to seizure of about 61 kilograms of heroin along with arms and ammunitions on September 20, 2020 at International Border (IB) at Arnia in Jammu District. The officials recovered digital devices and other incriminating documents having financial details and accounts numbers during these searches. The searches were conducted at the residences of six accused persons namely – Jasraj Singh, Sham Lal, Bishan Dass, Ajeet Kumar, Gurbaksh Singh and Gurpartap Singh. These accused persons were arrested for hatching a criminal conspiracy for carrying out anti-national and unlawful activities, and to help the terrorist organisations by collecting funds and channelizing the proceeds of drugs for furthering the activities of such terrorist organisations like Babbar Khalsa International (BKI). Gurpratap Singh, r/o Tarn Taran District is the kingpin of this module. In the second week of September 2020, Gurpratap Singh had received 10 kilograms of heroin from Pakistan based handlers through his associates. The consignment in the case was also intended to be received by Gurpratap Singh to fund the activities of BKI in Punjab.
India 09-Jan-2021
Police arrested a drug smuggler and recovered five kilograms of heroin worth INR 250 million in the international market from Indo-Pak International Border (IB) near Hussainiwala in Ferozepur District. The smuggler, identified as Dalbir Singh aliasDallu, was arrested with 250 grams heroin. Later on, based on his disclosure, in a joint operation with Border Security Force (BSF) personnel, five kilograms heroin, one pistol, 2 magazines, 18 live cartridges and Pakistani currency worth INR 1,100 were recovered at the designated place across the fencing near the IB. “During preliminary investigation, it came to the fore that Dalbir had links with Pakistan-based drug smugglers and was in touch with cross-border drug peddlers through the social media,” said a Police official
India 10-Jan-2021
The Border Security Force (BSF) recovered four packets of heroin weighing two kilograms from IB in Ferozepur sector of Ferozepur District.
India 13-Jan-2021
The Border Security Force (BSF) recovered 12 kilograms of heroin, worth INR 600 million in the international market, near India-Pakistan International Border (IB) in Amritsar district. “We seized 12 packets of the contraband near the border fence. The area is manned by 88 Bn, BSF, Amritsar sector. A 13-foot-long PVC pipe was also found there. It was probably used to push packets across the border. No arrest has been made so far,” a BSF official said.
India 14-Jan-2021
The Border Security Force (BSF) shot dead an unidentified Pakistani intruder along the International Border (IB) in Amritsar District. The BSF personnel noticed suspicious activity near the border fence and after sensing a threat, troops shot him dead.
India 14-Jan-2021
The banned US-based secessionist group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) announced a reward of USD 2,50,000 for protesting farmers of Punjab for hoisting ‘Khalistan flag’ at India Gate in the national capital on Republic Day. While announcing the reward, SFJ’s chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, in a video tried to link the farmers' protest with 1984 anti-Sikh riots. “26 January is coming and on the Red Fort, there is an Indian tricolour. Remove the tricolour on 26th of January and replace it with the Khalistan flag,” he said while announcing that SFJ will give USD 2,50,000 to those who will remove the Indian tricolour. Besides this, SFJ also used the bait of giving foreign citizenship to lure the protesters. “The laws of the world are with you. If the Indian Government points a finger at you, you and your families will be brought to the foreign countries under the United Nations laws,” he further said.
India 15-Jan-2021
The Counter Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Border Security Force (BSF) personnel recovered four kilograms heroin worth INR 200 million in the international market from International Border (IB) in Ferozepur District. The consignment was recovered following the inputs provided by a drug peddler – Malkeet Singh alias Kala (35) who was arrested by the Police on January 10. “During preliminary investigation, it came to the fore that Malkeet had links with Pakistan-based drug smugglers and was in touch with cross-border drug peddlers through the social media. At least, 13 Pakistan mobile numbers were found in his mobile,” Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Bhupinder Singh said.
India 19-Jan-2021
The Border Security Force (BSF) and Police recovered 5.2 kilograms of heroin along with an AK-47 submachine gun, a pistol, an AK magazine with seven cartridges, near the Daoke border outpost on the International Border (IB) in Amritsar District. The contraband and weapons were sneaked into the Indian territory by a Pakistan-based drug peddler Bilal Sandhu of Maniala village there. The Police recently got a tip-off that Sandhu and some contacts in India recently pushed a consignment of contraband and weapons from across the border near the Daoke border outpost. The information was shared with the BSF following which the recovery was made.
India 20-Jan-2021
The Border Security Force (BSF) recovered two kilograms of heroin along the India-Pakistan International Border (IB) in Ferozepur sector of Ferozepur District. BSF recovered 17.60 kilograms heroin so far in January 2021 along the IB in Punjab.
India 23-Jan-2021
The US-based banned Khalistani outfit, Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) threatened to stage protests outside Indian missions in the US, UK and Canada on Republic Day (January 26) over Farm Laws. Following this, India’s Foreign Ministry on January 23 said that India has asked host countries to take appropriate action for ensuring the security of the mission premises. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, “we have raised the issue of security of our diplomatic mission with local authorities”.
India 26-Jan-2021
The US-based pro-Khalistani outfit, Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), announced a reward of USD 350,000 for unfurling the "Khalistani flag" on the Indian Parliament on February 1, when the Union Budget 2021-2022 will be presented. In a video statement, SFJ chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun hailed the hoisting of the 'Nishan Sahib'—which he referred to as a "Khalistani flag"—during the "siege" of the Red Fort in Delhi on January 26. He announced a reward of USD 350,000 (INR 25 million) for unfurling the "Khalistani flag" at the Parliament on February 1.
India 04-Feb-2021
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that India had issued a Mutual Legal Assistance Request to the US for investigation in the case of ‘Referendum 2020’ (secessionist campaign) by the Sikhs for Justice (SFJ). As per procedure, the request has been sent directly by the Indian authorities concerned to the US Department of Justice (DoJ), it added.
India 04-Feb-2021
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted searches in Amritsar and Gurdaspur Districts of Punjab, in connection with a narco-terror case of Pakistan-based terror group Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM). During searches, INR 2 million of drug proceeds, 130 rounds of 9 mm bullets, mobile phones, pen drive, one bunch of polythene bags used for packing heroin, a car, a two-wheeler, documents related to properties and other incriminating documents have been seized from the house of the suspect. An NIA spokesperson said, the searches were conducted at the premises of suspect Manpreet Singh of Amritsar, a close associate of charge-sheeted accused Ranjit Singh in connection with the investigation of HM narco-terror case. The case relates to the arrest of Hilal Ahmad Shergojri, an Over Ground Worker (OGW) of HM and a close associate of Riyaz Ahmed Naikoo, the then ‘commander’ of HM who had come to Amritsar to collect funds to further the terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), the official said.
India 07-Feb-2021
A Pro-Khalistan militant identified as – Gurpinder Singh (37), with alleged links to the banned terror group, Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF), was arrested by a joint team of Punjab and Maharashtra Police in Nanded city in Nanded District of Maharashtra. A resident of Gurusar in Muktasar Sahib District in Punjab, Gurupindar along with four other pro-Khalistan militants was active in fundraising and collecting arms from abroad for the movement. He had hatched a plot to assassinate Hindu leaders who opposed the Khalistan movement. An FIR was registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, along with sections of the Indian Arms Act, by Punjab’s special operation cell in Amritsar on December 19, 2020, naming four suspects, three of whom have been arrested while another is in Belgium. “Three of the arrested suspects — Sarabjit Singh alias Kirat, Amandeep Singh alias Bhinder and Gurdeep Singh alias Baghi — are active members of KZF and were conspiring to commit terrorist activities in Punjab. They are in touch with Belgium-based KZF terrorist Jagdish Singh alias Bhoora, who is motivating and facilitating them by arranging funds from different countries, procurement of weapons and asked them to recruit people to carry out terror activities. These suspects have already acquired arms and ammunition and were planning to carry out targeted killings of leaders of Hindu organisations and people who are against the Khalistani ideology, to disturb communal harmony and law and order in the state of Punjab”, states the FIR.
India 08-Feb-2021
A joint team of Punjab and Uttar Pradesh Police arrested an accomplice, identified as Jagdev Singh alias Jagga, of two Pro-Khalistan terrorists – Paramjit Singh Pamma and Multani Singh from Vikas Nagar area in Lucknow District of Uttar Pradesh. Paramjit is currently in the UK while Multani is in Germany. Both of them are accused of carrying out anti-national activities in Punjab and trying to promote terror and harm peace and religious tolerance. According to the Police, Paramjit and Maltani were allegedly preparing Jagdev Singh to carry out anti-national activities and with the money provided by them, he along with his partner Jagroop Singh bought guns and cartridges from Madhya Pradesh. Punjab Police had already arrested Jagroop on February 7.
India 08-Feb-2021
The Border Security Force (BSF) recovered a packet containing 470-grams of heroin in Tahliwala border outpost in Fazilka District. The packet was recovered from the fields of a farmer, Darshan Singh, across the barbed fencing.
India 09-Feb-2021
The Border Security Force (BSF) in a joint operation conducted with the Punjab Police recovered two kilograms of heroin along with a pistol and 11 live bullets from across the barbed fence near Rajatal border outpost along the International Border (IB).The contraband was hidden under the ground around 200 metres ahead of the barbed fence.
India 11-Feb-2021
The Border Security Force (BSF) arrested a drug peddler, identified as Mandeep Singh, near Attari along the International Border (IB) with Pakistan in Amritsar District. During search across the barbed fencing, the personnel recovered 10 packets containing 10.7 kilograms of heroin. When challenged, the BSF men heard sounds cocking of weapons and opened fire in self-defence. Mandeep was injured while his accomplice fled from the spot. During search, the BSF found heroin in a bag.
India 11-Feb-2021
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a chargesheet against six accused persons in a case (RC-30/2020/NIA/DLI) dated September 5, 2020, relating to hoisting of ‘Khalistani’ flag at Deputy Commissioner Office Complex in Moga District of Punjab by cadres of Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) before NIA Special Judge at Mohali in Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar District of Punjab. The six accused include - Inderjit Singh, Jaspal Singh alias Ampa, Akashdeep Singh alias Munna, Jagwinder Singh alias Jagga, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, and Harpreet Singh alias Rana alias Ranjit Singh alias Harmeet Singh. Investigation in the case revealed that accused Inderjit Singh, Jaspal Singh and Akashdeep Singh were radicalized members of SFJ and conspired with Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and Rana Singh of SFJ. In furtherance of conspiracy accused Inderjit Singh, Jaspal Singh and Akashdeep Singh were involved in hoisting ‘Khalistani’ flag at DC Office Complex, Moga on August 14, 2020, and also tearing of Indian National Flag hoisted in premises of DC Office, Moga. They have made video of the incident and sent it to Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and Rana Singh of SFJ which was broadcasted by them on various social media platform like YouTube, US Media International and SFJ Channel to propagate the secessionist agenda of SFJ and in support of ‘Referendum 2020’ for making separate State of Khalistan. Accused Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and Rana Singh have also sent funds through money transfer services to accused Inderjit Singh and Jaspal Singh after the commission of crime.
India 13-Feb-2021
An unidentified Pakistani drug smuggler was killed by the Indian Security Forces (SFs) at the international border (IB) in the Ferozepur sector in Ferozepur District. The SFs heard some sound along the border fence and opened fire in which one Pakistani intruder was killed on the spot. During a search, a PVC pipe and 14 packets of contraband, suspected to be heroin, weighing 14.805 kilograms was recovered from the possession of the slain intruder. Besides one pistol magazine, six rounds and two mobile phones were also recovered from the spot.
India 14-Feb-2021
Six packets of heroin weighing 6.38 kilograms were recovered from the India-Pakistan border in Amritsar District.
India 16-Feb-2021
Indian intelligence agencies have sounded an alert that a global conspiracy has been hatched by Khalistan Commando Force (KCF) to target farmers’ leader protesting at Delhi’s borders. Central intelligence agencies – Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) and Intelligence Bureau (IB) – are tracking such attempts of KCF, and a report has been prepared by the intelligence agencies on the same. According to the report prepared by central intelligence agencies based on inputs, the conspirators are from Belgium and the United Kingdom (UK) who in coordinated manner have prepared a plan to eliminate a farmer leader protesting at Delhi's border. The KCF’s plan is also to settle score with the leader who was “alleged to have involvement in eliminating KCF cadres from Punjab in the past”.
India 19-Feb-2021
The Border Security Force (BSF) recovered 10.265 kilograms of heroin, worth around INR 500 million in the international market, from Mamdot area along the Indo-Pak international border (IB) in Ferozepur District.
India 22-Feb-2021
The Border Security Force (BSF) recovered 895-grams of heroin, concealed in a tractor near Kassoke border outpost along the International Border (IB) in Ferozepur District.
India 02-Mar-2021
Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) donated USD 10,000 to the UN Human Rights High Commissioner to request for a ‘commission of inquiry’ to be set up to probe the curbs allegedly imposed by the Central government on farmers from Punjab. In a video released by SFJ, the outfit's General Counsel Gurpatwant Singh Pannun revealed that the USD 10,000 donation had been made to the UN to seek the formation of an inquiry committee to investigate ‘curbs’ imposed on farmers by the Centre, including sedition and to hold India accountable.
India 06-Mar-2021
According to the latest data provided by the Border Security Force (BSF), the personnel in 2020 made a record 517-kilograms haul of heroin, which is the highest seizure in the past five years from along the International Border (IB) in Punjab. The drug recovery in 2020 witnessed almost a three-fold rise compared to 2019 (228 kilograms). BSF soldiers also shot dead eight drug smugglers and intruders in separate encounters in 2020 and arrested 13 of them. “The number of intruders trying to cross over, came down last year as we reacted swiftly,” said a senior BSF official. In 2020 in a humanitarian gesture, the force handed over six Pakistanis to the Pakistan Rangers after they had inadvertently crossed the IB. “With almost every drug consignment, weapons too are sent along. The most common weapon is a .30 bore pistol,” said a BSF officer.
India 10-Mar-2021
The banned pro-Khalistan organization Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), in a video message, announced INR 100,000 to the deceased and INR 25,000 for the injured farmers who have been protesting at Delhi's borders since December 2020 against the recently introduced farm laws.
India 11-Mar-2021
Police recovered one kilogram of heroin and arrested three persons, identified as Dhawan Singh, and his brothers Harjinder Singh and Satwinder Singh, near the Lakhe Karaha in village link road along the IB in Fazilka District.
India 12-Mar-2021
Police and Border Security Force (BSF) recovered five kilograms of heroin in the international market from Gatti Bissoke border outpost area along the Indo-Pak International Border (IB) in Fazilka District.
United States 13-Mar-2021
The United Nations (UN) has received a USD 10,000 “donation” from the pro-Khalistan group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), an outfit banned by India. SFJ is simultaneously lobbying the UN to set up a “commission of inquiry” to investigate alleged mistreatment of farmer protesters in India.A spokesperson for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Geneva, said, “We confirm we received a contribution of USD 10,000 on 1 March from an individual representing the Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) group via our online donation function. In general, we do not decline online contributions, unless they are from groups or individuals listed on UN sanctions lists or the organisation/individual is engaged in activities manifestly contrary to the UN Charter or its principles.” US-based Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, SFJ’s general counsel, said a further USD 1.3 million had been pledged from the Sikh community to establish a UN commission of inquiry (CoI) “to investigate India’s use of violence and sedition charges against protesting farmers”.“As of my knowledge the UN has not established the commission. But we are pursuing the matter through the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights,” Pannun said.
India 14-Mar-2021
A Pakistani drone entered the Indian territory, but was forced to return as BSF troopers spotted it and opened fire in its direction in Pathankot District.
India 14-Mar-2021
The Border Security Force (BSF) arrested five alleged Indian drug peddlers, after an exchange of fire in which one of them was injured, near the Fatehpur international border outpost in Amritsar District. The arrested were identified as – Vikramjeet Singh and Vijay Singh, Sarabjit Singh and Gopi, all residents of Kakkar village and Navjot Singh of Dug Dogar village in the District. According to BSF, they observed suspicious movements on the Indian side of the barbed fence and challenged the suspects. However, they tried to flee away following which the BSF troopers opened fire at them in which Sarabjit Singh was injured.
India 22-Mar-2021
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a charge-sheet against seven Khalistani operatives namely – Jajbir Singh Samra aka Jazz aka Jass r/o Tarn Taran, Varinder Singh Chahal r/o Amritsar, Kulbir Singh r/o Nawan Shahar, Manjit Kaur r/o Ludhiana, Taranbir Singh aka Khanpuria r/o Amritsar, Kulwinderjit Singh aka Khanpuria {an operative of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI)}, and Harmeet Singh aka PhD {Pakistan based self-styled chief of Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF)} in the NIA Special Court at Mohali in Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar District of Punjab, says NIA. The accused were allegedly involved in a case pertaining to the recovery of two hand grenades and a mobile phone from a bag in Amritsar on June 2, 2019. A case was filed in Raja Sansi Police Station, Amritsar (Rural) vide FIR No. 90. NIA had re-registered the case as RC-07/2020/NIA/DLI and taken over the investigation. Investigation has revealed that accused Jajbir Singh Samra and Varinder Singh Chahal were part of a Narco-Terror module involved in distributing the heroin smuggled from Pakistan in order to channelize the proceeds of drugs to various terrorist entities on the directions of Pakistan based terrorist Harmeet Singh aka PhD. They had also picked up grenades and concealed the same at pre-decided location for carrying out terrorist act to further the conspiracy hatched by Harmeet Singh aka PhD and Kulwinderjit Singh aka Khanpuria. Investigation has also revealed that chargesheeted accused namely Kulbir Singh, Manjit Kaur and Taranbir Singh aka Khanpuria had harboured and provided logistics support including accommodation, business VISA for Kulwinderjit Singh aka Khanpuria in Cambodia and Malaysia when he had escaped from India.
India 29-Mar-2021
The Border Security Force (BSF) recovered 6.150 kilograms heroin and ammunition, including a Pakistan-made .30 bore pistol and two pistol magazines from across the International Border (IB) in Jalalabad subdivision of Fazilka District.
India 17-Apr-2021
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on April 17 filed a charge-sheet against seven narco-smugglers associated with Babbar Khalsa International (BKI). The charge sheet exposes the plot of Pakistan’s Intelligence Agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and banned terror outfit BKI. Pakistani ISI handler Arif told accused Gurpartap Singh that he will sell the heroin and then either he will buy weapons for BKI and other terrorists or provide the money to the terrorists and operatives of BKI. Arif also told that the proposed consignment will be for Gurpartap. In addition, he also told that Gurpartap has strong connections with ISI in Pakistan. The NIA charge-sheet says, “Investigation has established that accused Gurpartap Singh has been involved in smuggling of heroin and gold since 2004. He has been part of the larger conspiracy of smuggling of heroin and arms/ammunition into India to actively assist revival of BKI activities. He is an active member of BKI. His role is to collect proceeds of heroin and collect arms/ammunitions smuggled from Pakistan into India and forward them to the cadres of BKI and to create unrest in Punjab. In the first week of June, 2020 Sham Lal visited the house of Gurpartap Singh.” It further added that accused Ajeet Kumar remained an operative of BKI. He was involved in the 2005 Delhi Cinema Blast which was claimed by BKI. He had also been part of a larger conspiracy of smuggling of heroin, arms and ammunition into India for the revival of BKI cadres. Accused Ajeet Kumar played a vital role in transporting heroin.
Canada 19-Apr-2021
In a major operation, Canadian law enforcement arrested and charged over two dozen persons, mostly Indo-Canadians with roots in Punjab, with participating in transnational drug trafficking activities. The drugs were being illegally brought into the country from the US - primarily from California - and also from India. York Regional Police (YRP), which led the investigation and the subsequent crackdown, said that multiple agencies worked on the operation that “dismantled a large-scale international drug trafficking network that extended to western Canada, the United States and India”. The investigation, named “Project Cheetah”, began in May last year (2020) and penetrated “a robust network” involved in importing large quantities of banned drugs into Canada. “The drugs were then distributed across the country through a sophisticated system run by the traffickers,” YRP said. On April 8, police in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and British Columbia as well as in California executed over 50 search warrants, resulting in 33 people being charged with over 130 offences. Among them, 27 were arrested and charged in the Greater Toronto Area, with 19 of them hailing from the town of Brampton. Of these, 23 are of Punjabi origin. One suspect, Gurbinder Sooch, remains at large.
Pakistan 19-Apr-2021
Sikh pilgrims celebrated the 322nd Baisakhi Mela at Gurudwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur. Around 818 Sikhs from India came to border town Kartarpur through the corridor in a procession. Other than India, pilgrims from Pakistan, Dubai, the US and Canada were also participated in the Baisakhi festival.
India 19-Apr-2021
Police arrested Raj Kumar alias Raja and recovered 270-gram heroin from him in Ferozepur district. He was booked under the NDPS Act.
India 20-Apr-2021
The Narcotics Control Cell arrested a smuggler and recovered 6.27 kg heroin worth Rs 32 crore following the information provided by him in Ferozepur district.
Pakistan 20-Apr-2021
Pakistan’s Punjab Government has issued a resolution which defines the Government’s position towards the Sikh community and puts in a strong plea for the maintenance of cordial relations between the Sikhs and the Government.
India 20-Apr-2021
Accusing Delhi Police of ducking its Right to Information (RTI) queries about the specimens of “Khalistani, Hindu Rashtra, and other banned flags”, pro-farmer ‘Tractor2Twitter’ group has vowed legal action against the television channels if these would further insult a 'Nisan Sahib' (Sikh flag) from now on in their coverage.
India 20-Apr-2021
The recent charge sheet filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) against 7 operatives of the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) in connection with a narco-smuggling case clearly suggests that the BKI continues to be backed heavily by the ISI, which is aiming cause a huge unrest in the country. The report said that the BKI with the ISI was drumming up support abroad and, in the bargain, earned a lot of sympathizers. While Pakistan continued to provide shelter, the Khalistan outfits began drumming up support abroad, especially in Canada, UK and the US. During the farmer protests it was seen that several pro-Khalistan voices had offered support and were attempting to create unrest in several parts of the country in the name of the protests.
Canada 21-Apr-2021
According to reports, Punjabi smugglers figure among top three notorious gangs in Canada behind the biker gangs and Vietnamese groups. The Punjabi gangs have hogged international limelight these days with the Canada police claiming on April 19 that they have broken a major drug cartel run mainly by Punjabis. Out of 33 persons charged for the possession of drugs and firearms besides huge currency and a gold-plated car, nearly 25 were of Punjabi origin. According to a report from Canada said about 21 per cent of gangsters died in gang-wars or police operations since 2006 were of Punjabi region. Their activities are of high concern back home in Punjab as some of the gangs have been linked to either arrested or wanted smugglers. The main being the gangs of Devinder Dev, Kamaljit Chauhan and Amarinder Singh Chhina. The Punjab Police and NCB officials said Dev even had links with the Jagdish Bhola gang. These persons had used Punjab as the base to transport drugs to Canada, the USA and Australia through the Golden Crescent of drugs network featuring Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Pakistan 21-Apr-2021
According to media reports, the Sikh community in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) of Pakistan is facing troubles as the members of the community are once again receiving calls from extortionists. A local Sikh trader who has a cosmetics shop in the Karkhano Market recently received a call from Afghan numbers asking him to pay ‘charity money’ to the militants. The businessman has received two calls for extortion in a short span of two days and is being threatened with dire consequences if he failed to pay up. The Hayatabad police have opened an inquiry into the case.
India 21-Apr-2021
Punjab Government has approved a reward policy to encourage information and inputs leading to recovery of drugs under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The Director General of Police (DGP), Dinkar Gupta, said the policy will recognize government servants-informers-sources for their role in providing inputs leading to the recovery of substantial quantity of drugs and in successful implementation of various provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985 and PIT NDPS Act, 1988. The quantum of reward for successful investigation, prosecution, forfeiture of illegally acquired property, preventive detention and other significant anti-drug work shall be decided on case-to-case basis, he said.
India 21-Apr-2021
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) decided to cancel the plan of grand events that were scheduled to be held to mark the 400th birth anniversary of Guru Teg Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru.
United States 21-Apr-2021
In the wake of last week’s massacre of innocent people, including four Sikhs in a FedEx store in Indianapolis, United Sikhs, a United Nations (UN)-affiliated human rights advocacy organization, has called upon the US administration for adopting stricter gun control measures in the country. It called upon the Congress and the Executive branches at the state and federal levels to declare such types of crimes, including race and ethnicity, hate-based crimes, a crisis and a national emergency.
United States 21-Apr-2021
Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthy has entered a statement into the Congressional record to recognize April as ‘Sikh appreciation and awareness month’ in his home state of Illinois. He underscored the importance of the recognition, saying there had been a disturbing rise in hate crimes and violent acts perpetrated against the Sikh-American community.
India 22-Apr-2021
Around 100 pilgrims of the 818-member Sikh jatha that returned from Pakistan on April 22 tested positive for Covid-19. The jatha had gone to Pakistan on a 12-day pilgrimage to celebrate Baisakhi at Gurdwara Panja Sahib, Hasan Abdal, and pay obeisance at other historical Gurudwaras.
India 22-Apr-2021
Police arrested three Nepali nationals, including a woman, along with 13 kg heroin from near Peer Baba Dargah on Ambala-Chandigarh highway in Lalru in Mohali district in the evening. A case under Section 18/61/85 of the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act has been registered at Lalru police station.
Pakistan 23-Apr-2021
According to reports, Pakistan’s anti India propaganda machinery is now projecting a Muslim in guise of Sikh who has given a call to Sikh community to join hands with Islamist activists against the French people and to boycott the French products in protest against publishing of caricatures of Prophet Mohammed. In a video message which was uploaded on social media on Friday, a turban clad person said that this was the right time to reply to the temerity of French people and the man is also heard saying that he had visited a few shopping malls where he saw ‘boycott' labels attached to the French products. Notably, in the recent past there had been violent protests against France, after French president Emmanuel Macron defended the publication of a caricatures of Prophet Mohammed and pledged to fight the Islamist separation. Meanwhile, the Indian Sikh jatha on visit to Pakistan had to be stopped due to protest by the activists of Islamist body Teherek-i-Labaik Pakistan on April 12. While ensuring support of Sikh community to the Islamist jihadi’s, he said that they should be like Hitler to the French people who dared to publish the blasphemous caricature of Prophet Mohammed. Intelligence sources informed that the person in the provoking video was Qasam Dogar who calls himself Sardar Qasam Dogar Singh and was on the payrolls of ISI like Pakistan’s pro Khalistani leader Gopal Singh Chawla.
India 23-Apr-2021
The Chief Minister (CM) Amarinder Singh said that, in view of the coronavirus crisis, the Punjab Government will celebrate the 400th birth anniversary of ninth Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur from April 28 virtually. The CM said the situation is not conducive for grand celebrations and he will also speak to Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) chief Bibi Jagir Kaur to shift all celebrations to the virtual mode.
United States 23-Apr-2021
Several Indian-American Sikh, Muslim and Christian groups have applauded the US Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) for its latest report wherein it has recommended India be designated as a “country of particular concern (CPC)” for the alleged deterioration of religious freedom in the country. The coordinator of American Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (AGPC), Dr Pritpal Singh, said that “India, which claims to be the world’s largest democracy with a tradition of secular pluralism, is fast slipping into a majoritarian autocracy”.
India 23-Apr-2021
Mohali Police arrested a couple, identified as Manoj Sharma and Aishwarya Nagpal and recovered 260 gm heroin from their possession from Dhakoli in Mohali district. The couple was arrested while they were waiting for their clients. During preliminary interrogation, the couple revealed that they had been procuring the heroin from a Nigerian national in Delhi’s Uttam Nagar and selling it to their clients in Mohali, Dhakoli, Zirakpur, Panchkula and Chandigarh.
India 23-Apr-2021
Police busted an inter-state drug racket and arrested three persons, identified as Amandeep Singh, Gurmeet Singh and Nanak Singh along with 900 grams of heroin from Sirsa district.
India 23-Apr-2021
Punjab Police recovered 1 kg of heroin that was concealed near a border outpost (BoP) along the India-Pakistan border in Ramdas village in Ajnala sector in Amritsar district. The drug consignment was supposed to be collected by smugglers on the Indian side of the border, Police said.
India 23-Apr-2021
Police arrested two drug peddlers and recovered 13,700 intoxicating tablets and 1.5 kg opium from their possession in Khanna city of Ludhiana district. The accused were identified as Amritpal Singh of Noordi Adda and Daler Singh of Tarn Taran district.
India 25-Apr-2021
Police arrested three drug smugglers, identified as Karandeep Singh, Mandeep Singh and Hardeep Singh alias Saba, after a brief encounter in which several rounds of ammunition were exchanged near Jakholahri on the Dinanagar-Pathankot road in Pathankot district on April 25 night. Police recovered 265 gm heroin, a US-made pistol and five cartridges from the possession of the suspects.
India 25-Apr-2021
Border Security Force (BSF) seized two packets of contraband suspected to be heroin wrapped in two white sacks weighing 1.902 kg from the area of responsibility of 136 Bn in Ferozepur sector in Ferozepur district. A BSF spokesperson said that the contraband was found hidden in the wheat fields ahead of border security fencing. Meanwhile, BSF had seized 202.097 kg heroin during the current calendar year so far having a value of more than Rs 1010 crore in the international market.
Germany 25-Apr-2021
Expressing annoyance at the statement of a Muslim man in Pakistan in the guise of a Sikh, against the French people and French interests, the European Sikh leadership has appealed to the Pakistan Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan to take strict action against such elements who have a propaganda which can be detrimental to the religious and economic interests of Sikh community of Europe. A local Sikh leader Gurdeep Singh Randhawa said, "The Sikh leadership of Europe strongly condemn the nonsense statement of a turban wearing Muslim who has no knowledge of Sikh religion, we are living very peacefully in Europe maintaining a respectable status in the society."
Pakistan 25-Apr-2021
Pakistan’s National Command and Operation Centre informed that the Kartarpur Corridor was closed for pilgrims since 16th of last month owing to rising disease spread.
India 26-Apr-2021
Police arrested two persons, identified as Ankur Kumar and his accomplice Sikander Sahni along with 124 gm of cannabis (ganja) from near Pancham Hospital in Dugri in Ludhiana district.
India 26-Apr-2021
Police arrested a man, identified as Sukhwinder Singh and recovered 5 gm of heroin from him from Street No 9 in Shimla Puri in Ludhiana district.
India 26-Apr-2021
Punjabi Non-Resident Indian (NRI) MPs and MLAs in the UK and Canada expressed concern over the deteriorating Covid19 situation in India and have promised to extend help in this moment of crisis.
India 27-Apr-2021
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a charge sheet against eight terrorists of the outlawed Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) for their alleged involvement in killing Shaurya Chakra awardee Comrade Balwinder Singh Sandhu at the direction of their Pakistan-based handlers. Sandhu, who fought terrorism in Punjab, was shot dead in October 2020 in Tarn Taran district. The charge sheet, according to which Sandhu was killed by the KLF terrorists, was filed before a special NIA court in Mohali under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Arms Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Inderjit Singh, Sukhraj Singh, Sukhdeep Singh, Gurjit Singh, Sukhmeet Pal Singh, Ravinder Singh, Akashdeep Arora and Jagroop Singh were named in the charge sheet. The NIA investigation revealed that Sandhu was executed with the intent to strike terror in the minds of the people of India and especially those opposed to the Khalistani ideology. According to the NIA, the transnational conspiracy in the crime was hatched by Pakistan-based self-styled chief of the KLF Lakhvir Singh Rode and top foreign-based KLF terrorists who provided arms/ammunition and funds to the accused. Further, a well-oiled terrorist-narcotics-criminal nexus, wherein narcotic drugs along with weapons were smuggled by Pakistan-based entities from across the international border into Punjab for generation of funds for executing terrorist acts, has also been unearthed.
India 28-Apr-2021
Sikh diaspora condemned Pakistan’s machination of defaming the Sikh community and trying to create a wedge between Pakistani and European Sikhs by projecting a Muslim man in the guise of a Sikh and inciting them to give a befitting reply to French people for allegedly publishing a caricature of Prophet Muhammad. According to sources, presumably after having failed to come up to their expectations and deliver the expected task from pro-Khalistan Sikh leader, Gopal Singh Chawla, Pakistan’s intelligence agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is now trying to project a pseudo-Sikh figure to further their anti-India designs. Sources in Pakistan revealed that Gopal Singh Chawla has not only failed to make new ‘recruitments’ to carry out disruptive activities in India but he has also failed to spark anti-India sentiments among the Indian jatha that recently arrived back from Pakistan after celebrating the festival of Vaisakhi.
Pakistan 29-Apr-2021
Pakistan’s Religious and Minorities Affair Department has failed completely to utilize its Rs 370.20 million funds in the first 10 months of this fiscal year in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P). According to the official sources, out of the Rs 370 million allocated funds around Rs 350 million were released by the Finance Department but the Religious Affairs Department only managed to utilize Rs 110.93 million funds.
India 29-Apr-2021
Low-key celebrations to mark the 400th Parkash Gurupurab (birth anniversary) of the ninth Sikh Master Guru Tegh Bahadur began in Amritsar city, with the covid-19 surge a major dampener.
Canada 30-Apr-2021
The pro-Khalistani separatist group, Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) said that the government of India has blocked a Canadian website that aims to raise funds for COVID-19 patients abroad. Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a lawyer and chief of SFJ, said it launched a website (OxygenFund.org) on April 27 to connect patients in four Indian states with donations to buy liquid oxygen. However, the group launched another site April 29, Oxygen4Punjab.org, which was blocked again within hours. Though the government of India didn’t respond to it, Anshuman Gaur, India's deputy high commissioner to Canada, said that his government has labelled SFJ a terrorist group, but could not comment on whether the state blocked its site.
India 30-Apr-2021
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) marked the 184th martyrdom anniversary of great Sikh general Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa at Gurdwara Diwan Hall Manji Sahib situated in Sri Darbar Sahib complex.
India 01-May-2021
According to report, the Border Security Force (BSF) seized around 215-kg heroin till April 30 this year along the 553-km-long border with Pakistan this year (2021), which is the highest in the corresponding periods of last five years. The recovery was around 130 kg and 75 kg for the corresponding periods of 2020 and 2019, respectively.
India 01-May-2021
As part of the 400th Prakash Purab celebrations of Guru Tegh Bahadur, Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Amarinder Singh dedicated several development projects to the people, including conservation and development of Old Jail at Bassi Pathana where the 9th Guru, along with his supporters, was imprisoned by Noor Mohammad Khan Mirza for 40 days while he was reportedly on his way to meet Emperor Aurangzeb. The CM said the state government had sent a detailed Memorandum to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a grant of Rs. 938.37 crore for various infrastructural projects in the State as a part of the historic celebrations.
India 01-May-2021
The Border Security Force (BSF) recovered 10 packets of heroin, weighing 10.5 kg, along the Pakistan border in Ferozepur district. The seized contraband is worth Rs 55 crore in the international market.
India 02-May-2021
The Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) of the district police arrested three persons, identified as Parmjit Singh, Devinder Singh and Mohd Aasif and recovered 300-kg poppy husk from near Thaman Singh Wala in Sangrur district.
India 02-May-2021
Police arrested five persons, including the son of former Cabinet Minister Sucha Singh Langah for possessing heroin from Dhariwal in Gurdaspur district . SSP Nanak Singh said, “All five — Aditya Mahajan, Kunal Kumar, Sudhir Singh, Rajesh Kumar and Parkash Singh Langah — were found consuming drugs at a private residence in Dhariwal. A case under the NDPS Act has been registered at the Dhariwal police station. I have formed a team of officers who are investigating the case”.
India 04-May-2021
According to sources, the outlawed pro-Khalistan group, Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) is indulging in what officials call an “oxygen conspiracy”. Punjab officials allege that SFJ is trying to fish in troubled waters to increase its followers in the border state. Over two dozen calls have been tracked down that show Gurpatwant Singh Pannun’s organisation promising Rs 3,000 to Punjab Covid-19 patients in need of oxygen. Pannun has announced that Sikhs for Justice will provide “Oxygen money” (Rs 3,000) to each Covid patient in Maharashtra, UP, West Bengal and Punjab. SFJ has launched a website www.oxygenfund.org for registration to get oxygen money of Rs 3,000. Police believe that at least 200-250 random calls with the message have been made. But the desperate attempt by SFJ has not paid dividends as average calls were cut a couple of seconds into the conversation. It is the same organisation that has also tried to milk the farmer agitation.
India 04-May-2021
The Punjab and Haryana High Court on May 4 dismissed the bail plea of Jagtar Singh Hawara, in a 15-year-old case registered under sections of Arms Act, Explosives Act and waging war against Government of India, at PS 17 Chandigarh. The court held that “there are serious allegations against the petitioner of waging war against the Government of India and indulging in revival of terrorism and formation of Khalistan.” Hawara, who is lodged in Model Jail of Chandigarh, in his bail plea had contended through his counsel that he is in custody for more than 15 years and the trial against him has not commenced in the case. The court, while dismissing the plea of Hawara said that “In the present case, there are serious allegations against the petitioner of waging war against the Government of India and indulging in revival of terrorism and formation of Khalistan. It has also been noticed by the Trial Court that it had already written to the authorities of Chandigarh Administration to intimate about the status of notification under Section 268 CrPC whereupon necessary orders of commencement of trial would be passed.”
India 04-May-2021
The Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) said that the Sikh community has been serving people through gurudwaras during the COVID pandemic and it would be a shame to connect this service (Sewa) with the demand for Khalistan. Harpreet Singh Kalka, General Secretary of DSGMC said, "Some people say that the fund is coming from Khalistan. Even the last time during the farmers' protest, those people had alleged the same. They should be ashamed to say where this money is coming from."
India 04-May-2021
The special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court at Mohali granted bail to eight accused arrested in connection with the killing of Shaurya Chakra awardee comrade Balwinder Singh Sandhu as charge-sheet was not presented against them within the stipulated 180 days. Sandhu, who was conferred with the bravery award for fighting terrorism in Punjab, was gunned down by two bike-borne men at his home in Bhikhiwind town of Tarn Taran district on October 16, 2020.
India 05-May-2021
Dal Khalsa expressed grief over the demise of Chairman of Theerek-e-Hurriyat Mohammad Ashraf Sehrai at Jammu hospital. Party Spokesman Kanwar Pal Singh in a statement said Sehrai was a genuine friend of Sikhs of Punjab.
India 05-May-2021
The management of Takht Sri Harmandir Sahib at Patna in Bihar has received a signed threatening letter from an individual that reads: “Give me Rs 50 crore or I’ll blow up the Takht and Gurdwara Bal Leela”. This is for the first time that someone had dared to threaten to harm one of the five temporal seats of the Sikhs, Patna Sahib jathedar Giani Ranjit Singh said.
India 05-May-2021
Police arrested a person, identified as Gagandeep Singh and seized 60,000 tramadol tablets (opioid-based narcotics) and 360 Wincirex syrup vials from his possession in Patiala in Patiala district.
India 06-May-2021
Police arrested a drug peddler, identified as ArashDeep Singh alias Arsh on the charge of selling opium and recovered 1 kilogram opium from his possession in Shahkot in Jalandhar district.
Pakistan 07-May-2021
According to sources, a group of Sikh leaders of Pakistan, reportedly led by former Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) president, Bishan Singh, held a meeting with the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) top brass seeking change in leadership. Sources alleged that Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) bosses were not “satisfied” with the performance of the present PSGPC president Satwant Singh in finding “soft targets” from among the Indian Sikh jathas to push the Khalistan movement. Taking advantage of this, a Sikh lobby led by Gopal Singh Chawla is trying to oust Satwant, they added.
India 07-May-2021
Police arrested two men, who were using an ambulance to smuggle drugs from UP and supply them to their clients in Ludhiana, along with more than 1 lakh intoxicating tablets in Ludhiana.
India 08-May-2021
Punjab Police managed to bust the entire part of gangster-cum-drug smuggler Gavi module active in the state with the arrest of his five accomplices and they also recovered 1.25 kg heroin from Gavi's rented flat located at Urban Homes-2 in Kharar in SAS Nagar district besides seizing three Pistols including one .30 calibre Chinese Pistol and two .32 calibre Pistols and 23 live cartridges from his hideouts. Director General of Police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta said that Three vehicles, including Toyota Fortuner, Mahindra Scorpio and Hyundai Verna, which were being used for drug smuggling have also been recovered.
India 08-May-2021
A resident of Arjan Manga village in Hoshiarpur district received threat calls from unidentified persons on a social media app from different mobile numbers of Pakistan. The callers accuse him of using objectionable remarks against Khalistan sympathisers. According to the police, the complainant alleged on April 13 he got a message in Punjab language from a Pakistan number accusing him of being anti-Sikh. He said he was getting threats by way of recorded messages and video calls. They threatened to kill him and his family.
Afghanistan 08-May-2021
The explosion in Kabul on May 8, which left over fifty dead, has not only refreshed the memories of March 2020 gurudwara blast in Kabul in the minds of minority Sikh and Hindu communities but has also forced the remaining minority families to mull their future. However, they are reluctant to move to India due to prevalent Covid situation.
India 09-May-2021
The Moga CIA Staff arrested a drug peddler, identified as Amanpreet Singh and recovered 2 kg of contraband opium from his possession from Moga in Moga district. The CIA staff disclosed that the peddler brought 3 Kg of contraband opium from Madhya Pradesh and he sold 1 Kg to his permanent customer and the remaining 2 Kg he came to provide to his customers in Moga.
United States 10-May-2021
According a report in Newsweek, a weekly American magazine, New Delhi has prevented a United States (US) based Sikh advocacy group, Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) from providing financial support to the Indians who are unable to afford the high cost of oxygen. The SFJ said the Indian government blocked its COVID-19 relief website, oxygenfund.org, which was aimed at connecting the needy Indians with Sikhs in the US, Canada and other countries willing to donate money. Amid the block, according to the report, the group now operates through WhatsApp to reach the Indians in desperate need.
United States 10-May-2021
According a report in Newsweek, a weekly American magazine, New Delhi has prevented a United States (US) based Sikh advocacy group, Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) from providing financial support to the Indians who are unable to afford the high cost of oxygen. The SFJ said the Indian government blocked its COVID-19 relief website, oxygenfund.org, which was aimed at connecting the needy Indians with Sikhs in the US, Canada and other countries willing to donate money. Amid the block, according to the report, the group now operates through WhatsApp to reach the Indians in desperate need.
India 12-May-2021
A downward trend in Covid-19 trajectory in both India and Pakistan will be the deciding factor for the visit of two Sikh jathas scheduled to leave from India for Pakistan in June to observe the martyrdom anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev and death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Bibi Jagir Kaur said, “We will take a decision as per the Covid-19 situation at that time.”
India 12-May-2021
The Shiromani Akali Dal, Delhi, headed by Paramjit Singh Sarna, and the Jag Aasra Guru Ott party led by Manjit Singh GK objected to the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) accepting a donation of Rs 2 crore from actor Amitabh Bachchan for the Covid facility created at Rakab Ganj Sahib Gurdwara. They accused Bachchan of being involved in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and said accepting money from him was wrong.
Pakistan 12-May-2021
A granthi of a Pakistan Gurdwara was suspended after his sleazy video went viral on the net causing much embarrassment to the authorities of Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) and its parent body Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB).
India 13-May-2021
A jatha of Sikh devotees led by Amarjit Singh and RamPal Singh along with members Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) will leave for Pakistan to observe shaheedi divas of 5th Guru of Sikhs Sri Guru Arjan Dev which falls on June 6. SGPC Spokesman said that the jatha will return back to India on June 15.
Pakistan 13-May-2021
A United States (US) body on religious freedom in its latest report has been scathing in its criticism of Pakistan and China over the appalling condition of the minority communities in their states. Stating that underage girls from the Hindu, Sikh and Christian communities continue to be kidnapped for conversion to Islam, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) in its annual report said that around 1,000 such incidents occur in Pakistan every year.
India 14-May-2021
The president Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), BIbi Jagir kaur condemned brutal assault and desecration of ‘Kesh’ (hair) of a Sikh youth in Rajasthan.
India 14-May-2021
Rural Police arrested two drug smugglers, identified as Inderjit Singh and Balwinder Kumar, and recovered 2 kg of opium from their possession in Phagwara in Kapurthala district.
India 14-May-2021
Police arrested one person, identified as Amarjit Singh and recovered 500 gms of opium from his possession in Phagwara in Kapurthala district.
India 14-May-2021
Rural Police arrested a drug smuggler, identified as Charanjit Singh and recovered 10 Kg of Puppy Husks from his possession from Phagwara in Kapurthala district.
India 15-May-2021
Car-borne drug smugglers shot dead two assistant sub-inspectors (ASIs) and injured another in the new grain market in Jagraon in Ludhiana district. The accused also opened fire on a group of youths, who tried to record the incident on their phones, while fleeing the spot. The youngsters, however, escaped unhurt. Ludhiana Police said the assailants have been captured in the CCTVs installed in the area. An alert has been sounded and special teams have been formed to arrest the accused.
India 15-May-2021
Mandir Sri Ram Balaji Dham Charitable Trust located in Kale Ghanupur in Amritsar district complained that it had been getting threat letters from Khalistani operatives to bomb the temple if the trust did not stop its operations. The office-bearers of the trust also said that trust president Sant Ashnil Kumar was attacked by unscrupulous elements a number of times. They threatened him and asked to shut down the operations of the temple in the area. They said the trust was involved in social service, including providing monthly ration to the needy and widow, medical facilities including free dispensary and physiotherapy centres, pension, marriages of poor girls and monetary help to the people following untoward incidents.
India 16-May-2021
The Border Security Force (BSF) recovered three packets of heroin weighing 2.5 kilograms and one pistol from Abohar in Fazilka district. According to BSF, an intelligence-based search operation was carried out by personnel of the second battalion leading to the recovery of the packets with a pistol, made in Turkey and one magazine.
India 16-May-2021
Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta asked all police chiefs in districts to launch a crackdown on drug smugglers and suppliers in their areas. In a virtual meeting, the DGP asked police officers to also launch a combing operation to nab all those selling or smuggling drugs. He made it clear that under the zero-tolerance policy against drugs, every Commissioner of Police (CP) and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) should not let the sale of drugs in their jurisdictions.
India 16-May-2021
Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Captain Amarinder Singh said that the State Government will be renovating all those places visited by Sikh Gurus under “Charan Chhoh” project. He said nearly 103 such places in Punjab have been identified which are not only being preserved to keep the future generations in touch with their great heritage and the values that Sikh Gurus promoted.
India 17-May-2021
Police arrested two drug peddlers including a foreign woman on the charges of selling heroin from Shahkot in Jalandhar district. According to police, the accused have been identified as Elizabeth alias Liz a citizen of Kenya and presently living in New Delhi and Sammi Kapur son of Desraj a resident of Delhi. 505 grams heroin was recovered from their possession and the accused were travelling in a car.
India 17-May-2021
Delhi Police filed a 3000-page charge sheet against 16 persons including Punjabi actor and activist Deep Sidhu in connection with the violence took place at Red Fort on Republic Day. About 524 police persons and 11 farmers were injured in this violence.
India 18-May-2021
A Tarn Taran court has rejected an anticipatory bail plea of a dismissed Punjab Police inspector, accused of letting off two drug smugglers arrested with 1kg of heroin in March. Baljit Singh, who was posted in the Civil Lines area of Tarn Taran, had allegedly released Malkit Singh alias Palta, and his brother-in-law Bau Singh after accepting ₹3.5 lakh as bribe on March 31.
Australia 19-May-2021
A stabbing incident in an educational institution prompted Australia’s New South Wales (NSW) state to ban Sikh students from wearing kirpan in all schools from May 19, triggering anger among the community. The kirpan is one of Sikhs’ five kakars (articles of Sikh faith).
India 19-May-2021
Police arrested three persons, including a woman, for allegedly being involved in drug peddling, and recovered 1.6 grams heroin, 580 grams opium, 560 grams gold and Rs 49,48,700 cash from their possession near Tanda Chowk in Hoshiarpur district.
India 20-May-2021
Police arrested three youths, identified as Varun Kumar, Mohit Sharma alias Pandit and Simranjeet Singh Randhawa and recovered 1.6kg charas from them in Model Town in Jalandhar district.
India 22-May-2021
Punjab Police arrested two operatives of the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), identified as Lovepreet Singh alias Ravi and Ram Singh alias Sonu from the rear side of Senior Secondary School near railway crossing Mehna in Moga district on May 22. The duo allegedly involved in several heinous crimes in the last one year, including the murder of a sect follower and firing on a priest. They were acting on the directions of KTF’s Canada-based chief, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, whose name incidentally figured in the list of Khalistani operatives that was handed over by Chief Minister (CM) Amarinder Singh to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during the latter’s visit to India in 2018. With their arrest, police also foiled a plan to kill another sect follower, who they were targeting to take revenge in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib sacrilege cases. Three 0.32 bore pistols with 38 live cartridges and one 0.315 bore pistol with 10 live cartridges, along with two magazines, were also recovered from the suspects. The DGP Dinkar Gupta disclosed that “Besides, Nijjar, three of their other KTF’s co-conspirators, identified as Arshdip, Ramandip and Charanjit alias Rinku Bihla, are hiding out in Surrey (BC) Canada, while one, Kamaljeet Sharma alias Kamal, is still absconding.” He said while Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh and Ramandeep Singh alias Raman Judge went to Canada legally in 2019 and 2017 respectively, Charanjit Singh alias Rinku Bihla had gone there illegally in around 2013-14. The DGP also said investigations were in progress to unravel further links of the accused and trace other previous crimes in which they might have been involved.
India 23-May-2021
Punjab Police’s Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) recovered 13.30 kg heroin, worth Rs 66 crore in the international market, during a joint operation with the BSF along the Pakistan border in Ferozepur district.
India 24-May-2021
Police, in separate cases, arrested 10 persons and recovered more than 7,000 intoxicant tablets and drug money worth Rs 9 lakh besides 3-gram heroin in Ferozepur district.
Australia 24-May-2021
As many as 49 Sikh unions in Australia under the banner of Australia Sikh Association (ASA) has called upon the New South Wales (NSW) government to remove the ban on kirpan. It also called upon the state government to work with the Sikh community to arrive at a workable solution that guarantees the safety of all Australians while maintaining the right to practise religion.
India 24-May-2021
The National Investigation Agency (NIA)’s recent charge sheet revealed big details of narco-smuggling route between Pak-Gujarat-Punjab. The charge sheet was filed in connection with a narcotics case that arose out of Gujarat.
India 24-May-2021
Anti-Narcotics staff arrested two persons, Mangal Singh Manga and Ganagdeep Singh Raja and recovered 2.6 kg of opium from their possession in Tarn Taran district.
Pakistan 24-May-2021
In an audio message circulating among Sikh groups of Pakistan, a Sikh religious leader has cautioned the community members based in Lahore and Nankana Sahib to not move out of their houses late at the night due to threat from Taliban. The Pakistani Sikh leader said he has been informed about these threats by the officials of Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) after the culmination of religious services at Gurdwara Dera Sahib, Lahore on May 24. The leader appealed to the Sikhs of Lahore and Nankana Sahib to furnish their credentials with the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGC) and Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) for security arrangements. However, the chairman of ETPB, Dr Aamer Ahamd denied the reports of asking Sikhs to furnish their details with them. “We vehemently deny such reports, there is no threat to Sikhs in Pakistan,” said Aamer.
India 25-May-2021
Police arrested a drug peddler of Delhi, identified as Pritpal Singh after it recovered 1kg of heroin from his possession at Doraha in Ludhiana district.
India 25-May-2021
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) decided to move ahead with its plans to make religious films but under the ambit of Sikh ‘rehat maryada’ as directed by Akal Takht.
India 26-May-2021
Moga Police booked three operatives of the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) for killing gangster Sukha Lamme in June 2020. The accused were identified as Arshdeep Singh, Lovepreet Singh and Kamaljeet Singh of Dala village of Moga. Lovepreet and Kamaljeet were arrested on May 22 for their involvement in several heinous crimes in the past. Arshdeep, who is living abroad, is yet to be arrested.
Pakistan 28-May-2021
Pakistan-based Khalistani leader Gopal Singh Chawla admitted that a Gurdwara granthi, Ranjit Singh, sending out the voice message which warned members of the Pakistani Sikh community, but he said the motive was different. In a video message uploaded on social media, Chawla, whose handlers are with ISI, said Sikhs of Pakistan always took guidance from gurdwara granthis. “The message was indeed from granthi Ranjit Singh, but he wanted to convey something else,” Chawla said. Instead, Chawla claimed, the granthi was giving a message to Sikh youth to not loiter around late in the night and reach home on time. He also pointed to deteriorating Sikh religious values and practices in Pakistan, as he claimed that Sikh youth of Pakistan had gone astray from the path of Sikhism.
India 28-May-2021
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) demanded from the Pakistan government the safety and security of Sikhs living there. SGPC president Bibi Jagir Kaur raised the demand raising concern over reports of threats to members of the Sikh community in Pakistan.
India 28-May-2021
The Central government invited non-Muslims like Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists belonging to Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan and residing in 13 districts of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Haryana and Punjab to apply for Indian citizenship. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs issued a notification in this effect for immediate implementation of the order under the Citizenship Act 1955 and Rules framed under the law in 2009 even though the rules under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) enacted in 2019 are yet to be framed by the government.
Pakistan 29-May-2021
A Hindu lawmaker, Keeso Mal Kheeal Das, a member of the National Assembly, submitted a bill in the lower house of Pakistan Parliament which intends to refer religious minorities as ‘non-Muslims’. Called as the Constitution Amendment Act, 2021, the bill aims to end discrimination against Pakistani non-Muslims who have been also referred in the constitution as minorities. He suggested that the bill should be adopted and brought into effect immediately. The government has not opposed the bill so far and the matter has been referred to the relevant standing committee. After it is vetted by a bipartisan committee of the house, it will be presented for voting.
India 30-May-2021
Akal Takht acting Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh flayed the Punjab government for not providing vaccine to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) for organising free vaccination camps at Gurudwaras.
India 31-May-2021
According to sources, the Damdami Taksal, which is working on a ‘memorial gallery’ on the premises of the Golden Temple in Amritsar to honour those who perished during Operation Blue Star, has managed to collect information of around 900 people, most of whom are militants, with hardly any data on devotees who were killed at the time. Despite the long history of politics over the issue, no Sikh body has accurate data on those killed during the operation. The spokesperson of the Damdami Taksal, Sarchand Singh said, “We have around 900 names so far. Around 80 per cent of these are Sikh fighters. We have managed to collect around 600 pictures of those killed inside Golden Temple. These pictures will be displayed in the gallery.” Asked how many devotees were killed during the operation, he put the approximate number at 3,000. A gurdwara called ‘Operation Blue Star Memorial’, was constructed in the Golden Temple premises in 2013 and the new gallery will come up in the basement of this memorial.
India 31-May-2021
The Dal Khalsa, in remembrance of Sikhs and pilgrims who were killed during Operation Bluestar, has decided to organise ‘Ghallughara Yadgari Samagam’ in four districts of the state from June 3 to 6. The events will be held at Moga and Mullanpur (Ludhiana) on June 3, Bhatinda on June 4 and Amritsar on June 5. The organisation called upon masses to gather at Akal Takht on June 6.
India 31-May-2021
Sikh and Hindu refugees living in Ludhiana have hailed the Union government’s move to invite applications from immigrants belonging to minority communities from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh for Indian citizenship.
India 01-Jun-2021
Punjab Police arrested a suspected Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) operative, who they believe was one of the main shooters involved in the murder of a follower of the Dera Sacha Sauda and the attempted murder of a priest, identified as Kamaljeet Sharma along with four .315 bore pistols with 10 live cartridges from near village Nathuwala Jadid in Moga District. Earlier, Police arrested two of his associates Lovepreet Singh and Ram Singh from Moga on May 22. Police claim the trio had been found acting on the directions of KTF’s Canada based chief, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who has been notified as a ‘designated terrorist’ under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) by the central government.
India 01-Jun-2021
With just days left for the 37th anniversary of Operation Bluestar, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) is in a quandary as Sikh seminary Damdami Taksal has failed to complete a portrait gallery dedicated to those killed in action in the Golden Temple complex even as the project was assigned four years back. The radical Sikh leader, Kanwarpal Singh questioned the apex gurdwara body over the delay that, “The SGPC, being custodian of the project, must clarify about the fate of the gallery. The gurdwara body president must tell what hurdle they are facing in completing the project.” Besides militants, portraits of the devotees killed in the operation were also proposed to be installed in the gallery. The portraits will include those of slain militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, the then head of the seminary, and his military adviser Major General Shabeg Singh who helped fortify the shrine complex.
India 01-Jun-2021
The Akal Takht announced plans to make a documentary on the Army’s operation in June 1984, thirty-seven years after Operation Bluestar. For the purpose, the officiating Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh has called up the surviving dramatis personae to submit their experience in a video format so that these could be compiled to recreate what happened inside the Golden Temple complex during those fateful days between June 1 and 10 in 1984.
India 01-Jun-2021
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) asked to expedite the work on the martyrs’ gallery, dedicated to those killed during Operation Bluestar, on the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar. The ‘karsewa’ for the gallery being set up in the basement of Gurdwara Shaheedan in the Operation Bluestar memorial, was entrusted to Damdami Taksal, once headed by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. The ceremony was officially launched in 2017 in the presence of the then SGPC president Kirpal Singh Badungar, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh and Damdami Taksal head Harnam Singh Khalsa. But the project that was aimed to be completed within a year lingered on. SGPC chief secretary Harjinder Singh Dhami said the work got affected due to Covid-19 lockdown restrictions. In the backdrop, the idea was to have portraits of ‘militants’ and pilgrims, who lost lives during the Army ‘assault’ in June 1984. Banking on the compensation of Rs10,000 awarded to the kin of Sikh activists in 1984, the SGPC has in its possession a list of 743 persons. On the other hand, a survey was conducted by Dal Khalsa which was compiled in a directory titled ‘Martyrs of June 1984 holocaust’ in 2006. It carried a brief about the militants and was updated twice in 2007 and 2012. The Damdami Taksal, in collaboration with the SGPC, Dal Khalsa and a US-based organisation, has prepared two lists comprising 890 persons.
India 01-Jun-2021
Akal Takht announced a documentary on the Army’s Operation Bluestar in its thirty-seven years anniversary. For the purpose, officiating Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh has asked eyewitnesses and others to submit their experiences in a video format so that these could be compiled to recreate what happened inside the Golden Temple complex between June 1 and 10 in 1984. The idea is to have an authentic and credible account with the help of eyewitness’ interviews and interrogation reports of the Army. The Jathedar met an eyewitness, Harwinder Singh Khalsa, a ‘Panth Sewak’ awardee, to know about his experience.
India 02-Jun-2021
Police busted an interstate intoxicant tablet smuggling network with the arrest of two drug peddlers and recovered 1,15,350 tablets and 51 kg poppy husk from them in Fazilka district.
India 03-Jun-2021
According to officials, the banned terror organization, Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) planned to kill Dera Sacha Sauda follower Shakti Singh, who is an accused in three cases registered in connection with the Bargari sacrilege. However, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the 2015 sacrilege cases arrested him along with other accused before the KTF operatives could execute their plan, officials said. The two KTF operatives, who allegedly killed a Dera follower in Bathinda last year, were arrested by Moga police on May 22. It was revealed during the interrogation of four KTF operatives arrested by Moga police in connection with a murder case.
India 03-Jun-2021
Amritsar police will deploy more than 6,000 cops to keep a vigil in Amritsar on the 37th anniversary of Operation Bluestar, conducted by the army in 1984 to flush out militants hiding in the Golden Temple complex, on June 6. Since various Sikh bodies, including separatist outfits, have started organising programmes to observe the anniversary, a flag march was conducted by the police from Hall Gate to Heritage Street that leads to the Golden Temple on June 3.
India 03-Jun-2021
Thirty-seven years after Operation Bluestar, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has decided to put on display the bullet-riddled ‘saroop’ of Guru Granth Sahib and the gold-plated sheets of the Golden Temple that were damaged during the Army attack in June 1984. Besides, the original ‘khu’ (well), known as ‘Akalsar’, associated with the era of Guru Hargobind Singh, would also be made open for public view. The well also bore the brunt of the attack on its outer surface.
India 03-Jun-2021
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) informed that ‘Akhand Path’ would commence at Akal Takht from June 4 and bhog would be held on June 6.
India 04-Jun-2021
Police arrested three drug peddlers, identified as Hans Raj alias Hans, Balwindar Singh alias Gopi and Kulbir Singh alias Lakha along with 1 kilogram heroin, one pistol and a magazine in Shahkot in Jalandhar district.
India 04-Jun-2021
Akhand Path Sahib started to mark the annual martyrdom ceremony on June 6, to offer homage and respect to the martyrs including Sikh men, women, and children, who got martyred during the 1984 Operation Bluestar.
India 04-Jun-2021
In the wake of the Covid-19 threat, Akal Takht officiating Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh appealed to the Sikh community to stay indoors and remember those who laid down their lives during the June 1984 Operation Bluestar.
Pakistan 04-Jun-2021
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) said that Pakistan government, citing the second wave of Covid-19, has denied permission to a group of Sikh pilgrims from India who wanted to visit the historic Gurdwara Dera Sahib in Lahore to mark the martyrdom day Guru Arjan Dev, the fifth Sikh Guru.
India 04-Jun-2021
The Border Security Force (BSF) and police arrested two persons, identified as Roop Singh Valmiki and Harmesh Singh, who had allegedly gone to Khajuwala near the Sriganganagar-Bikaner highway to collect 54 packets of heroin that was pushed into India by Pakistan smugglers on the wee hour of June 4.
India 05-Jun-2021
Thirty-seven years since the Sikh Reference Library got destroyed in Operation Bluestar at the Golden Temple, confusion and ambiguities still prevail over the missing rare repository of manuscripts and other artifacts that were taken away by the army. Not only the Centre, the SGPC too has failed to come up with accurate details of the items that went missing and the ones returned by the Union government latter. And now, Punjab and Haryana high Court is hearing a petition filed last year by one Satinder Singh against the SGPC after former library director Anurag Singh questioned the integrity of the SGPC in preserving the rare repository. He claimed that the army had returned the items three months after the operation and the SGPC officials received them on September 29, 1984, but many items are missing from the library now. He also alleged that some of the rare ‘birs’ were sold.
India 05-Jun-2021
Ahead of the Operation Blue Star anniversary on June 6 which is also a lockdown day in Punjab, security in Amritsar has been tightened with the deployment of 6,000 policemen. Like every year, this year too several Sikh organisations have announced to reach Akal Takht to observe the anniversary.
India 05-Jun-2021
Punjabi movie actor-turned-farmer activist Deep Sidhu has given a call on his Facebook page to reach Akal Takht on Operation Bluestar anniversary .
India 05-Jun-2021
Dal Khalsa organised a Ghallughara Yadgaari Samagam on the eve of Operation Blue Star in the city during the day where family members of Sikh militants that include General Shubeg Singh, Sikh student federation leader Amrik Singh, and others were honored. Later, Dal Khalsa supporters, including women and children, took out a march calling it ‘Genocide Remembrance Parade’, displaying photographs of damaged Akal Takht and Sikhs who died during the operation in 1984.
India 06-Jun-2021
Flags, posters and placards of pro-Khalistani terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale were seen during an event inside Sri Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) in Amritsar in Punjab as the nation marked the 37th anniversary of the 1984 Operation Blue star. News reports shared several pictures where hundreds of people, who had gathered inside the Golden Temple, were seen with Khalistani flags and Bhindranwale's posters. Source claimed that the crowd were also seen raising pro-Khalistani slogans.
India 06-Jun-2021
While speaking during the 37th Operation Bluestar anniversary observed in the Golden Temple complex, Akal Takht officiating Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh emphasized maintaining unity among the Sikh community and tagged Operation Bluestar as “Chaurasi (84) Da Ghallughara (holocaust)”. Justifying the pro-Khalistan slogans, Giani Harpreet Singh said the event could never be forgotten by the Sikhs. “It is like an irretrievable wound and such slogans help them relieving their pain and anger against the atrocities of governments”, he said. Referring to blood-stained pages of the Sikh history, he said like the earlier massacres of the Sikhs in 1746 and 1762 by the Mughal empire that were termed ‘chhota ghallughara’ and ‘vadda ghallughara’ in which 7,000 and 35,000 Sikhs were killed, the 1984 Army attack was nothing short of “ghallughara”. The ‘parallel’ acting Jathedar of Akal Takht Dhyan Singh Mand, 2015 Sarbat Khalsa main organiser Jarnail Singh Sakhira, Shiromani Akali Dal - SAD (Amritsar) chief Simranjit Singh Mann and actor Deep Sidhu, who was charged for provoking the Red Fort violence, were also present.
India 06-Jun-2021
Senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Prem Singh Chandumajra demanded a probe by Supreme Court (SC) judges into Operation Bluestar. Chandumajra, who is a former MP, in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said guilty must be brought to book. “Here’s a request to order a high-level judicial probe, comprising at least three sitting or retired judges of the Supreme Court, into the Army attack on Golden Temple in June 1984,” he wrote. He said, “There continues to be a question mark on several aspects of this action, including the number of those killed in the shrine between June 3 and 7, 1984. The truth must prevail.”
United Kingdom 06-Jun-2021
According to reports, two Indian flags were set on fire and stamped on during a remembrance march and "freedom rally" by some Khalistani supporters in London, United Kingdom, held to mark the anniversary of 1984 Operation Blue Star. The report quoted the Indian High Commission in London as saying that it was "extremely concerned and distressed" by what happened and vowed it would take action against those who desecrated the national flag. The incident reportedly took place at Trafalgar Square and some bystanders shouted "Khalistan Zindabad". Pro-Khalistani British Sikhs marched in London city, which started from Wellington Arch, led by the Panj Pyare, the five beloveds with their swords drawn, passed through the iconic route of the Constitution Hill and The Mall to Trafalgar Square. Addressing the march, the Sikh leaders said the events of 1984 took place 37 years after India gained independence in 1947, but the horror memories of those events would live forever in the minds of millions of Sikhs around the world, who feel deeply aggrieved at the Indian atrocities during the genocide carried out by the Indian Army.
India 06-Jun-2021
On the occasion of 37th anniversary of Operation Blue Star, Delhi-based Sikh Forum has sent a resolution, signed by prominent Sikhs, including former IAS and defence forces officers, to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah, urging them to appoint a truth and reconciliation commission to record incidents of violence against innocents during 1980s. Mentioning the Army action on Darbar Sahib and 37 other gurdwaras, the resolution said, “The Indian state ordered this aggressive action against its own people. It resulted in the death of thousands of innocent men, women and children, who had gone to the shrine to pay their homage to Guru Arjan Dev. Many Sikhs were killed elsewhere in Punjab in the military operations in June 1984. The army action was followed, in November 1984, with the horrific pogrom against the Sikh community, when again thousands of innocent Sikhs were brutally murdered in Delhi and other parts of the country.”
India 06-Jun-2021
Various Sikh groups held a protest at the Guru Nanak Mission Chowk in Jalandhar district on the anniversary of the Operation Bluestar.
India 06-Jun-2021
Irate over the increasing number of deaths due to overdose of drugs, the panchayat of Shamkhera village in Lambi of Muktsar District has appealed to drug peddlers to mend their ways and passed a resolution in this regard.
India 06-Jun-2021
Harbhajan Singh posted a story on his official Instagram handle supporting the Khalistani terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. Posted on the 37th anniversary of Operation Bluestar, his post begins with the caption 'Salute to the martyrs'. The text in the image written in Punjabi reads, "Heartfelt tribute to those martyred in Operation inside Shri Harmandir Sahib on June 1- June 6, 1984". While Singh did not explicitly name Bhindranwale, his photo is featured prominently in the former's Instagram story.
India 06-Jun-2021
Twitter blocked access to four more accounts in India, including that of Indo-Canadian pop singer Jaswinder Singh Bains or JazzyB based on a request made by the government of India, under the Information Technology (IT) Act, the micro-blogging disclosed on Lumen Database. However, Twitter did not disclose as to why the access to these accounts were blocked in India.
Pakistan 06-Jun-2021
According to reports, Sikhs in Pakistan took out an anti-India rally in Nankana Sahib to condemn the attack on the Golden Temple by Indian forces in June 1984. Sources said that rally participants held placards and banners with anti-India slogans. The protesters led by pro-Khalistani leader Gopal Singh Chawla demanded of the United Nations to take action against Indian culprits involved in the massacre of Sikhs in 1984.
India 06-Jun-2021
Various Sikh organisations observed the anniversary of the 1984 Operation Bluestar in Jalandhar. Several speakers shared their views on the need for equality among minorities and also spoke about the historical importance of the day and the lives lost to operation. Key speakers on the occasion were Ambedakar Sena president Harbhajan Suman, Imam of the Jama Masjid Phagwara Owais-Ur-Rahman, Muslim leader Ghulam Sabba and historian and speaker on the incidents of June 1984 Alliance for Sikhs Coordinator Parmapal Singh Sabhran.
India 07-Jun-2021
Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh, in an apology and clarification note on Twitter, wrote, “I am a Sikh who will fight for India and not against India. This is my unconditional apology for hurting the sentiments of my Nation. In fact, any anti-national group against my people I do not support and never will."
India 08-Jun-2021
Police arrested a woman drug peddler, identified as Kulwinder Kaur and recovered 40 gm of heroin from her procession near Phagwara road, Mahilpur in Hoshiarpur district.
India 08-Jun-2021
Hajipur Police arrested a man, identified as Rahul and recovered 28 gm of intoxicating powder from him in Jhading village in Hoshiarpur district.
India 08-Jun-2021
Khalsa Aid CEO Ravinder Singh slammed former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh for apologising over his controversial tribute to Khalistani terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and took a dig at the Members of Parliament. Harbhajan Singh faced flak after he shared a poster of Bhindranwale and others killed inside the Golden Temple during 1984 Operation Blue Star, following which he issued an apology, claiming that it was a 'WhatsApp forward' and that he had posted it on social media in a haste.
India 08-Jun-2021
Backing Harbhajan Singh's post, the Khalsa Aid CEO asked how many times had 'trolls' tweeted against 'criminals' in the Indian Parliament. Ravinder Singh asked Harbhajan Singh to not apologise for 'his history' and claimed that there was an attempt to silence them after attacking the community.
India 09-Jun-2021
Taking exception to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC)’s plan of initiating talks with the Centre for out-of-court settlement of ₹1,000-crore damages suit related to the 1984 Operation Bluestar, Sikh seminary Damdami Taksal on June 9 warned the apex gurdwara body against taking any such risk. In a statement, Taksal chief Harnam Singh Khalsa said that “Taksal is the main organisation that fought the Indian army during military action on Sri Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) in June 1984. No settlement can be achieved without the consent of Sikh Sangat (community) and Taksal.”
India 09-Jun-2021
Government of India justified its request to Twitter to de-platform Jazzy B from Twitter, saying the rapper was glorifying Khalistan and Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, the secessionist leader. The government asserted that this handle was being used to post inflammatory posts provoking communal sentiments by glorifying Sikh militancy in Punjab and pro-Khalistan feelings on the anniversary of Operation Blue Star. His posts allegedly also used the images of Bhindrawale, who was about to declare the formation of Khalistan when he was killed in Operation Bluestar, to arouse communal sentiments that could pose threat to public order, government sources said.
India 09-Jun-2021
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has made it clear that, investigating a drugs case, end-to-end encrypted WhatsApp chats can be dug into and analysed by government agencies with the help of forensic specialists.
India 09-Jun-2021
Punjab’s most-wanted gangster and drug smuggling kingpin Jaipal Singh Bhullar and his accomplice were killed by Bengal police in a Kolkata flat in West Bengal on June 9, 25 days after the gang murdered two ASIs of Ludhiana rural police at the Jagraon grain market.
Canada 10-Jun-2021
In a response to Canada MP Jagmeet Singh’s politicism over Islamophobia in Canada, journalist and author Tarek Fatah stated that "Let me assure you Mr. Singh, both as a New Democrat and as a Muslim, it is only in Canada that I feel safe as a Muslim. Not in your imaginary Khalistan or in Iran, Turkey, or Pakistan that fuels much of the terrorism and hate around the world out of their consulates and embassies in Europe and North America."
India 10-Jun-2021
Police recovered a huge cache of foreign-made Pistols and arrested a weapons smuggler, identified as Jagjit Singh alias Jaggu, allegedly linked with Pakistan-based terrorist outfits and anti-India pro-Khalistani elements based in the USA, Canada and UK, and operating on the directions of a USA-based handler, from near Kathunangal in Amritsar district. The Police team recovered from his car two nylon bags containing 48 foreign-made pistols of different foreign makes and bores, along with magazines and ammunition. The cache included 19 Pistols 9 mm (Zigana-Made in Turkey), 37 Magazines and 45 rounds; 9 Pistols of .30 bore (Made in China) and 22 Magazines; 19 Pistols of .30 bore (Star mark), 38 Magazines and 148 rounds; and 1 Pistol of 9mm (Baretta-Italian) and 2 Magazines. DGP Dinkar Gupta disclosed that the weapons were meant for carrying out terrorist activities in various parts of India. Giving details of the weapons smuggling nexus, the DGP said preliminary investigations had revealed that Jagjit had been directed Darmanjit Singh aka Darman Kahlon, a former gangster criminal, to collect this weapon consignment. Jagjit Singh has been in touch with Darman, at present based in the USA. During his stay in Dubai from 2017 to December 2020, Jagjit had remained in touch with Darman Kahlon who motivated him to work for him.
India 11-Jun-2021
Police arrested two smugglers, identified as Rajwant singh alias Raju and Sameer Mohamad and recovered 50 grams of opium and intoxicant tablets from the accused in separate cases from police station Rawalpindi and Kotwali Kapurthala area in Kapurthala district.
India 12-Jun-2021
According to reports, police have learnt that slain gangsters, Jaipal Bhuller and Jaspreet Singh, used to receive monetary support and drugs from a terror outfit to keep the situation of the country unstable. Suspecting their Pakistan connection, a probe is being carried out.
India 12-Jun-2021
A day after the seizure of a huge quantity of automatic foreign-made weapons by the State Special Operation Cell (SSOC), the Punjab Police are trying to ascertain the route from where the weapons were smuggled into India. A preliminary probe pointed out that the weapons were smuggled from Pakistan for carrying out terrorist activities in Punjab.
India 12-Jun-2021
Representatives of various Sikh organisations unanimously decided to boycott parties using desecration cases for furthering their political cause in the next Assembly elections.
India 12-Jun-2021
Extending his government’s full support to a solar plant power project for the Darbar Sahib (the Golden Temple), Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder said he had directed the power department to accord approval to the Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) for installation, and to work proactively towards early completion.
India 12-Jun-2021
Police arrested six drug peddlers and recovered narcotics and a jeep from their possession from Kapurthala district on June 12. During the operation named "Siege and Search", police seized 260gm heroin from Rajvir Singh and 265gm heroin from Sukhjivan Singh, 450 intoxicant pills from Lakhwinder Singh, 510 intoxicant pills from Amarjit Singh, 270gm of Narcotics powder and one Scorpio car from accused Harpal Singh alias Pala and 150Kg of illicit liquor was also seized from accused Kulvir Singh.
India 12-Jun-2021
Bilga police arrested a drug peddler, identified as Balvir Singh alias Billa on the charge of selling poppy husk and recovered 2 kilograms of contraband in Nurmahal in Jalandhar district on June 12.
India 12-Jun-2021
Anti-narcotics cell of the district police arrested a man, identified as Satnam Singh along with 268 gm of heroin from Shekh Fatta village in Tarn Taran district on June 12.
India 13-Jun-2021
Police arrested a drug supplier, Mandeep Singh Mannu (26) who had been evading arrest for the past 10 months by taking shelter in different towns in Punjab.
India 13-Jun-2021
According to reports, two days after a major weapon haul in Amritsar district, Punjab Police will interrogate 10 persons arrested in November 2020, as part of its investigation. At the time, seven pistols were recovered from these accused, some of whom are in jails and would be brought on a production warrant.
India 14-Jun-2021
Amid the Covid-19 threat, the martyrdom day of Guru Arjan Dev was observed in a subdued manner in Punjab.
Pakistan 15-Jun-2021
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Bibi Jagir Kaur wrote a letter to the Pakistan government and urged to repair Gurdwara Nanaksar Sahib built in the memory of Sri Guru Nanak Dev situated in Chakk Fateh Bhinder village in Daska tehsil of Sialkot district in Punjab provinces of Pakistan. The SGPC president has urged the Pakistan government to pay special attention towards the maintenance of Gurdwara Nanaksar Sahib in Sialkot district, by getting the shrine repaired immediately. "If the Pakistan government has any difficulty in the Sikh shrine, then the service of this shrine should be handed over to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Sri Amritsar. The SGPC is ready to do Sewa (voluntary service) of this place," she said.
India 16-Jun-2021
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president, Jagir Kaur alleged that the land mafia in Patiala is trying to illegally acquire the land of the Khalsa College Trust.
Pakistan 16-Jun-2021
Pakistan, citing the covid-19 pandemic, denied permission to a Sikh jatha (group of pilgrims) that was scheduled to visit it via the Attari-Wagah border on June 21. The jatha was to stay in Pakistan for 10 days and was to commemorate the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh at Gurdwara Dehra Sahib in Lahore on June 29, besides visiting Sikh religious places.
India 17-Jun-2021
A sessions court in Mumbai rejected the temporary bail application of Sunderlal Parashar, retired police officer of Delhi Police, an accused in the Khalistani conspiracy case. Parashar, accused by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) of providing arms to an alleged member Mohinuddin Siddiqui of a pro-Khalistani group, was arrested on April 24, 2019.
India 18-Jun-2021
Jalandhar rural police busted an inter-city drug racket and arrested a drug smuggler, Lachman Singh along with 1 kg heroin and arms from Adampur in Jalandhar district. Police also recovered 1 kg heroin, two pistols (.32 bore), two pistols (.30 bore), six cartridges 7.65 (.32 bore) and another six cartridges (.30 bore) from him.
India 18-Jun-2021
A Pakistani drone was noticed by Border Security Force (BSF) troops in Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district at around 4:30 am on June 18. BSF fired upon the drone near BOP Aabad after which the Pakistani drone went back.
India 18-Jun-2021
The local court extended the police remand of alleged weapon smuggler Jagjit Singh. Jagjit was arrested by the State Special Operation Cell (SSOC) with 48 automatic foreign weapons believed to be smuggled from Pakistan a week ago.
India 19-Jun-2021
Shahkot police arrested two persons, identified as Karaj Singh and Gursab Singh who were carrying 1 kilogram and 300 grams opium in their vehicle from near River Sutlej bridge in Shahkot in Jalandhar district.
India 19-Jun-2021
The Interpol (International Criminal Police Organization) issued a red-corner notice (RCN) against fugitive gangster Lakhbir Singh alias Landa, who is wanted in the Patti shootout in which a Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) worker and his associate were shot dead in broad daylight on May 27. Lakhbir, a native of Harike town who faces 11 criminal cases, including three of attempt to murder, had fled to Canada in 2017.
India 20-Jun-2021
Police arrested notorious gangster, Hardeep Singh alias Suraj Raunta, an accomplice of Canada-based Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) operative Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh Dala, and recovered three weapons, including a.315 bore pistol, a .32 bore pistol and a .32 bore revolver, along with live cartridges from his possession from Moga district. According to police, following inputs from three persons arrested by the Samalsar police, the police arrested Raunta.
Australia 20-Jun-2021
A video gets viral all over the internet where a young aged boy holds an Indian flag amidst the thousands of crowds and supports his country but later, it grows as a serious fight between the boy and the rest of the crowds. After that around hundreds of supporters have inferred in Sydney, Australia, for supporting Vishal Jood, who is an Indian who is arrested by Australian officials over an allegation of infiltrating Khalistani agitators in Sydney. As per the latest reports of our sources, on 16th April, the Indian student Vishal Jood got arrested by the Australian police for including in an offence in Sydney and it has been two months since his arrest, and Australian police have not freed him on pledge neither permitted them to converse to him.
India 21-Jul-2021
The banned Khalistani organization Sikh for Justice (SFJ) threatened the Delhi Police to stay away from the farmers' movement. SFJ leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in an audio message said that “the farmers of Punjab are going to capture the Parliament on July 22. If Delhi Police tries to stop them, the result will be bad.”
India 30-Jul-2021
The pro-Khalistan outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) issued a threat that Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister (CM) Jai Ram Thakur will not be allowed to hoist the national flag on the occasion of Independence Day on August 15. The threat was made through a recorded phone call to a majority of Shimla-based journalists, and the caller identified himself as the general counsel for SFJ, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. In the audio message the person said, “Himachal Pradesh was part of Punjab and we are seeking a referendum in there. We will liberate Punjab, and make sure that we take over Himachal which was part of Punjab". He then, sought the support of pro-Khalistan Sikhs, and the farmers and said, "We will not allow Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur to hoist Indian Tricolour."
India 02-Aug-2021
Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun through recorded phone calls, threatened Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president Jagat Prakash Nadda. The pre-recorded audio calls were received on the phones of journalists based in Una, Hamirpur, Kullu and Solan districts of Himachal Pradesh. The caller, introduced himself as Pannun, said that JP Nadda is personally responsible for the death of thousands of farmers in the country and JP Nadda is associated with the BJP and because of the BJP, no hearing is being given to the agitating farmers.
India 06-Aug-2021
The pro-Khalistan outfit, Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), in an audio message, threatened Uttar Pradesh (UP) Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath that he will not be allowed to hoist the national flag on Independence Day. According to reports, an audio message in the name of SFJ's Gurpatwant Singh Pannun from an international phone number (+6478079192) has been received by UP Police which not only warned CM Adityanath against hosting the national flag on August 15 but also said that thermal plants will be shut down on the same say. It also warned that western areas in Uttar Pradesh i.e., from Saharanpur to Rampur will be taken over by Khalistan.
India 07-Aug-2021
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, leader of the pro-Khalistan outfit Sikh for Justice (SFJ), in an audio message, threatened Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Captain Amarinder Singh and Governor VP Singh Badnore of their political death if they hoist the Indian tricolour on the occasion of Independence Day on August 15. In this audio message, Pannun was discussing about the farmers' movement and it has been said that 'Our farmers are dying, in such a situation the hoisting of the tricolour on August 15 will not be tolerated.'
India 09-Aug-2021
The Punjab Police on August 9 recovered arms and ammunition including, an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), hand grenades and other ammunition packed in a bag from near the Indo-Pak border in Daleke village in Amritsar District. Police said, the package was delivered using a drone and contains five hand grenades, a hundred 9mm cartridges along with a tiffin bomb and three detonators. The IED was made using two kilograms of Royal Demolition Explosive (RDX) with a switch on it. Director General of Police (DGP), Punjab, Dinkar Gupta, said that terrorist groups were planning a bomb blast during the upcoming Independence Day celebrations on August 15.
India 10-Aug-2021
The Border Security Force (BSF) troops spotted a drone in the Mullankot border outpost area of Amritsar District in Punjab on August 10. The border outpost is a few kilometres from Bachwind village, where the explosives were dropped by a drone on the intervening night of August 7-8.
India 15-Aug-2021
Police on August 15 arrested two suspected Khalistani terrorists, identified as Amritpal and Sammy with two hand grenades and a pistol and later their interrogation led to seizure of four hand grenades and three pistols in Amritsar District. A tiffin bomb was also recovered from Gurnam Singh Brar alias GB, a resident of Hardyal Nagar (Kapurthala), and Gagandeep Singh. The explosives and weapons were allegedly part of larger consignment dropped by drones from across Pakistan-based notorious elements. The Police have been trying to find a link between all the recent seizures.
India 20-Aug-2021
Punjab Police busted a terror module by arresting two persons, including former Akal Takht Jathedar Jasbir Singh Rode’s son Gurmukh Singh from his house in New Hardial Nagar in Jalandhar District on August 20. The other person arrested was identified as Gagandeep Singh of Phagwara in Kapurthala District. According to a Punjab Police spokesperson, the Kapurthala Police recovered two hand-grenades, a box of detonators, two tubes suspected to containing RDX, a roll of wire used in explosives, INR 375,000 Indian currency, a licensed pistol, 14 Indian passports, a .30-calibre pistol and two magazines from Gurmukh’s house. Also, Police seized a tiffin bomb, three hand-grenades, four Glock pistol magazines and packaging material from the Gurmukh’s office near Jalandhar bus stand.
India 22-Aug-2021
Amritpal Singh, an alleged operative of the banned militant outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), met the UK-based Gurpreet Singh Khalsa, when he went to New Zealand in 2015, this revelation came to light during the interrogation of Amritpal and Sammy on August 22, who are currently in the Police custody. The duo was arrested by the Amritsar (rural) Police on August 15 with two hand grenades and a pistol.
India 27-Aug-2021
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) special court in Mohali District in Punjab on August 27 framed charges against nine members of the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) in a September 2019 arms drop case from across the Pakistan border using drone. Special NIA judge Karunesh Kumar framed charges against KLF activists. According to the NIA, KLF ‘chief’ Ranjit Singh and Gurmeet Singh alias Baga, are the main accused in the case. The arms and ammunition dropped by drone was received on the Indian side by the nine accused against whom the charges have been framed. Before the NIA took over the case, the case was being handled by Punjab Police special operations cell.
India 31-Aug-2021
The Punjab police on August 31 registered a First Information Report (FIR) against the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)-backed Khalistan ideologue Sikh for Justice (SFJ) ‘chief’ Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and other members for their continued attempts to promote violence in the State and the recent assassination threat against Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Captain Amarinder Singh. The Director general of Police (DGP), Dinkar Gupta, said that Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and his associates had been found promoting violent extremist action and threatening assassination of the Chief Minister, an elected constitutional Head of government of the State of Punjab.
India 31-Aug-2021
A special court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Mohali District in Punjab on August 31, framed charges against eight militants of Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) in the killing of Balwinder Singh Sandhu, a Shaurya Chakra awardee, by two unidentified persons at his residence-cum-school on October 16, 2020, in Bhikhiwind in Tarn Taran District of Punjab. "(The) Investigation has revealed that the charge-sheeted accused were part of the conspiracy hatched by Pakistan based leadership of proscribed terrorist organization Khalistan Liberation Force for assassinating comrade Balwinder Singh who was awarded Shaurya Chakra for his brave fight against terrorists at the peak of militancy in Punjab," a statement by the NIA read. The court framed charges against Sukhraj Singh, Ravinder Singh, Akashdeep Arora, Jagroop Singh, Sukhdeep Singh, Gurjit Singh, Inderjit Singh and Sukhmeet Pal Singh for various offences under different sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC), including Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and Arms Act, 1959.
India 03-Sep-2021
The Sadar Police had lodged a First Information Report (FIR) against unidentified persons for issuing death threats to Gursimran Singh Mand, joint co-coordinator, Kisan Congress, a wing of the All-India Congress Committee, in Ludhiana District of Punjab on September 3. Mand alleged that he had been receiving threats from pro-Khalistan supporters on social media and WhatsApp. On September 1, he received threatening voice messages and videos on his WhatsApp number, claiming that 88 men were following him and will kill him. They sent him the video of a severed head, threatening to kill him in the same manner, Mand said. He also said he had been raising voice against terrorism and Khalistan, following which he started receiving threats from extremists, and sought security cover for him and his family.
India 04-Sep-2021
The Border Security Force (BSF) fired upon a drone flying into Indian Territory along the border with Pakistan near Rajoke village under Bhikhiwind sub-division in Tarn Taran District. BSF said that alert personnel of the 103 Battalion heard a humming and buzzing sound in the air near Rajoke Border out Post (BoP) at 2am. They fired towards the flying object though a search of the area did not yield anything suspicious.
India 07-Sep-2021
The court of National Investigation Agency (NIA) on September 7 framed charges against seven Khalistani operatives in the hand grenades seizure case in Mohali District. The charges have been framed against seven Khalistani operatives Jajbir Singh Samra alias Judge alias Jass resident of Tarn Taran, Varinder Singh Chahal resident of Amritsar, Kulbir Singh resident of Nawan Shahar, Manjit Kaur resident of Ludhiana, Taranbir Singh alias Khanpuria resident of Amritsar, under various sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC), Explosive Substances Act and Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), Kulwinderjit Singh alias Khanpuria an operative of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), and Harmeet Singh alias PhD, Pakistan based self-styled ‘chief’ of Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF), Act- UAPA, for their alleged involvement in a case pertaining to recovery of two Hand Grenades and one Samsung mobile phone from a bag in Amritsar on June 2, 2019.
India 11-Sep-2021
The US-based Pro-Khalistan organisation Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) issued a statement targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Government over violence against farmers who are protesting against the three controversial farm laws. The group said that it is “gearing up to chase PM Modi from White House to UN to raise a ruckus over India’s use of brutal force against protesting farmers of Punjab in which several hundred have already died”. Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, General Counsel to SFJ, in a statement said, “SFJ is planning to lobby with the White House and US Congress to “Hold Modi Accountable” for: (a) using violence against farmers; (b) suppressing the freedom of speech of the US Citizens by filing criminal charges in India for holding pro-farmer rallies at Indian Consulates; (c) and for filing sedition charges against Khalistan Referendum campaigners based in India and abroad.” Also, in a video message, Pannun said, “Modi will face legal consequences for ordering violence against protesting farmers and Khalistan Referendum activists”.
India 15-Sep-2021
Punjab Police arrested one International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) militant, identified as Rubal from Ambala District of Haryana on September 15. He was reportedly working under the directions of ISYF ‘chief’ Lakhbir Singh Rode. Rubal was staying in a Gurudwara run by Kar Sewaks at Shahbad Markanda and used to go with the Kar Sewaks at Gurudwara Mardonpur Bhanokhheri daily. During his stay at Mardonpur, Rubal had reportedly visited the IOC station Ambala Cantonment to observe the feasibility of installing a tiffin bomb in an oil tanker parked in front of the station. It is also learnt that ISYF Chief Rode had promised to pay Rs two lakh to the terrorist module.
India 15-Sep-2021
Punjab Chief Minister (CM), Captain Amarinder Singh ordered a high alert in the State following the arrest of four militants of an Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)-backed terrorist module involved in a bid to blow up an oil tanker with an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) tiffin bomb in August, being busted. Two Pakistan-based terrorists, including a Pakistani Intelligence Officer, have also been identified and nominated in the case in which one person was arrested earlier, the Director General of Police (DGP), Dinkar Gupta disclosed on September 15.
India 17-Sep-2021
Punjab Police busted a secessionist module of the banned outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) and arrested three SFJ members during a raid at Rampur village in Khanna in Ludhiana District on September 17. Those arrested are identified as Gurwinder Singh, Jagwinder Singh, and Sukhdev Singh. Police have recovered over 2.8 lakh pamphlets carrying propaganda material related to ‘Referendum 2020’ from their possession during the raid conducted at Rampur village in Khanna. A printer, spray pump and spray bottles for writing secessionist graffiti on walls, one laptop, three mobile phones and one Honda City car were also recovered. During investigation, it has been found that the accused Gurwinder Singh was radicalised and motivated over a YouTube channel, US Media International, being operated by JS Dhaliwal, who introduced him to Pannun. A Police spokesperson added that on Pannun’s instructions, Gurwinder hoisted Khalistani flags on the premises of the Government school in Rampur village. Police claimed that Gurwinder had enrolled 20-25 persons to promote ‘Referendum 2020’ by distributing pamphlets for different groups in the vicinity of Doraha in Ludhiana. All these persons were paid for their service at the behest of Pannun.
India 19-Sep-2021
The Ludhiana Police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, legal advisor for US-based pro-Khalistan organisation Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), and two local youths after some pro-Khalistan slogans were painted on the walls at Gill village in Dehlon area in Ludhiana District.
India 23-Sep-2021
Punjab Police busted a militant module backed by Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) with the arrest of its three militants from Bhagwanpur village in the Bhikhiwind area in Tarn Taran District of Punjab on September 23. The Police also recovered two boxes packed in foam (which appeared to be Tiffin Bombs), two hand grenades (86P) and three 9mm pistols from their possession. This is the 6th Tiffin bomb recovered from the border State of Punjab in one and a half months. Those arrested have been identified as Kanwarpal Singh, Kulwinder Singh and Kamalpreet Singh - all residents of Moga. Kanwarpal disclosed that he had returned from Canada two weeks back.
India 01-Oct-2021
The Police claimed to have foiled a plan to kill Dera Sacha Sauda follower Shakti Singh, who is an accused in three Bargari sacrilege cases of 2015, with the arrest of a person, identified as Bhola Singh alias Khalsa, allegedly carrying two weapons in Faridkot District. Shakti Singh is believed to be on the target list of banned Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF). Bhola, of Jeon Wala village in Faridkot District, is facing as many as five criminal cases, including murder and extortion.
India 01-Oct-2021
Four aides of Canada-based Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) operative Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh Dala, were arrested with three sophisticated weapons, 14 live cartridges, and 300 grams of heroin, from Mehna Police Station area in Moga District on October 1. The arrestees have been identified as Amandeep Singh alias Machher, Jaswinder Singh alias Jassu, Balraj Singh, and Arun Sarwan. Moga District Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Dhruman H Nimbale said they arrested Amandeep with a Beretta M9 pistol, four live cartridges and 300gm of heroin.
India 05-Oct-2021
Three drones purportedly from Pakistani retreated on October 5 night after the Border Security Force (BSF) troopers opened fire to prevent their entry into the Indian territory in Gurdaspur and Pathankot Districts.
India 06-Oct-2021
A team of National Investigation Agency (NIA) reached a village in Meerut District of Uttar Pradesh in search of two suspects of Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), who it suspected supplied illegal arms to an extortion racket which was busted in Moga District of Punjab in May 2021. The gang was allegedly being run by Khalistan separatists settled abroad. The anti-terror federal probe agency returned after handing over notice to their families which asked the two suspects to appear at their office in Chandigarh on October 8 for questioning.
India 17-Oct-2021
According to reports, the Border Security Force (BSF) and Punjab Police have started involving the Panchayats (village-level local self-Government institutions) in border villages of Punjab to tackle the issue of drones.
India 20-Oct-2021
In a joint operation, the Border Security Force (BSF) and the counter intelligence wing of Punjab Police recovered a cache of arms and ammunition along the barbed wire fence on the Indo-Pak border near Khemkaran village in Tarn Taran District on October 20. Counter intelligence wing inspector Inderdeep Singh said the seizure included 22 foreign-made pistols, 100 rounds of ammunition, 44 magazines, and one kilogram of heroin and 72 grams of opium. Officials suspect that the consignment may have been smuggled with drones.
United Kingdom 31-Oct-2021
According to reports, the Khalistan referendum, which was held in London on October 31, turned out to be a damp squib. According to UK watchers, the claims of high turnout in the voting to decide whether Khalistan should be carved out of Punjab is being projected by Pakistani media. A majority of the voters were backed by Pakistan, the sources said, adding that the total number was less than 2,000. The Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), which organised the referendum, failed to get even 100-150 voters in the first half and various outfits associated with the Khalistan movement - like Federation of Sikh organization (FSO) and World Sikh Parliament (WSP) - pressed their workers to come and vote, said UK watchers. The organisers had pressed into service buses to ferry people from different parts of the UK, but even they could not bring a large number of people, said the source.
India 06-Nov-2021
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has formally requested the Canadian Government to declare Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) as a "terrorist entity" in the country. The SFJ was banned by the Government of India in July 2019 under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for its involvement in promoting secession and violent extremism in Punjab. Top officials of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) have confirmed the visit of NIA officers to Canada, and a senior officer said," A formal request to this effect has been made. A two-member NIA team led by an IG rank officer had begun their visit beginning November 4." Sources said the purpose of the visit was to press Canadian authorities for faster execution of requests made under the mutual legal assistance treaty (MLAT). “The visit is for better coordination of investigation against entities and individuals suspected of terrorism and to discuss other criminal matters," a release issued by the Indian High Commission in Ottawa had said.
India 20-Nov-2021
A hand grenade kept in a tiffin box was found at Sekhwan village in Zira sub-division in Firozpur District, on November 20.
India 21-Nov-2021
A grenade blast occurred outside Triveni Gate of the Army cantonment near Dheerapul in Pathankot District of Punjab on November 21. Police said that some unidentified motorcyclists lobbed the grenade in front of Triveni gate of the military cantonment. However, no casualty was reported in the blast.
India 25-Nov-2021
On November 25, the National Investigating Agency (NIA) filed a chargesheet against Hardeep Singh Nijjar of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) in a case of conspiracy to commit terrorist acts against India. Nijjar, from Jalandhar in Punjab, is currently based in Surrey, Canada. The NIA said in a statement. “He used to send funds to India…for developing a network of sympathisers for targeted killings in Punjab and was trying to arrange ammunition from his Pakistan-based associates for his nefarious plans.”
United Kingdom 09-Dec-2021
The high court in England on December 9 rejected an appeal by Indian authorities seeking permission to appeal against a magistrates’ court order turning down the extradition on human rights grounds of Kuldeep Singh alias Keepa Sidhu (44), wanted in India as an alleged senior member of the banned terrorist organisation Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF). Singh, is charged with conspiring with others to commit terror activities in Punjab dating back to 2015-16, including a plot to assassinate then chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal. Singh is also accused of recruiting youths in Punjab to the banned KZF organisation by offering them money and organising a meeting of separatists in a gurdwara.
India 17-Dec-2021
The Border Security Force (BSF) on December 17 shot down a drone along the India-Pakistan border in Punjab.
India 23-Dec-2021
A man was killed and five others injured in a blast at the District Courts Complex in Ludhiana District. The man killed in the blast, identified as former policeman Gagandeep Singh, was carrying the explosion. Director General of Police (DGP), Siddharth Chattopadhyaya said that they suspect Pakistan’s role but cannot conclude anything as the investigation is underway. However, the accused was in “touch with other conspirators in jail and outside. The deceased person, former policeman Gagandeep Singh, was carrying the explosion. He was dismissed from service in 2019 and spent two years in jail following his arrest in a drug-trafficking case." The injured have been identified as: Sandeep Kaur (31), a photostat machine operator and resident of Raikot, Ludhiana, Manish Kumar (32), a Policeman and resident of Police Colony Jamalpur, Ludhiana, Kuldeep Singh Mand (50) an advocate of Bindra Ban Road, Ludhiana, while, Sharanjit Kaur (25), resident of Jamalpur, Ludhiana, Krishan Khanna (75) of Phase 1, Dugri, Ludhiana and Gurpreet Kaur (35), were visitors to the court complex. While terming it as an unfortunate incident, Punjab Chief Minister (CM), Charanjit Singh Channi said that prima facie, it seems that the deceased person was the perpetrator of this crime.
Germany 27-Dec-2021
The German Police detained Sikh for Justice (SFJ) militant Jaswinder Singh Multani (45) in Germany, for his alleged involvement in the blast at a Ludhiana court on December 23 and planning to target Delhi and Mumbai. Jaswinder is a close associate of SFJ founder Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and is reportedly involved in separatist activities. According to media reports, Multani was picked up by the Federal Police from Erfurt after the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Government requested the German authorities to arrest the pro-Khalistan radical who has links to Pakistani, and has been involved in smuggling of arms and ammunition from across the border into Punjab.
India 30-Dec-2021
A high alert has been sounded in Mumbai after intelligence agencies received inputs regarding terror activities planned by pro-Khalistan groups. A senior officer said that after Jaswinder Singh Multani, a member of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) who was allegedly linked to Ludhiana court blast, was detained and questioned in Germany, they have received inputs regarding planned terror activities in Mumbai and other big cities. The officer said, "We have received inputs that apart from SFJ, other banned pro-Khalistan groups are in contact with Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to execute terror activity in Mumbai, Delhi and other cities."
India 30-Dec-2021
According to officials, in the wake of intelligence inputs that Khalistani elements may carry out a terror attack in Mumbai on the eve of New Year, the city police have beefed up security at prominent railway stations and other public places. Police also cancelled the weekly offs and holidays of its personnel so that its entire strength remains available for duty. "Police had received an input that Khalistani elements may carry out a terror attack in Mumbai on the eve of New Year," a police official said. Hence, in order to maintain the law-and-order situation, police are on alert and will be keeping a strict vigil across the city on December 31. Considering the possibility of people gathering at prominent places like the Gateway of India and Marine Drive to ring in the New Year, a large number of personnel, will be deployed in the city, he said.
India 30-Dec-2021
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has registered a case against banned Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) radical Jaswinder Singh Multani for his involvement in the December 23 Ludhiana court blast, and others for hatching a conspiracy to target Indian cities. Multani was picked up by Federal Police from Erfurt in central Germany after India government requested German authorities to arrest the pro-Khalistan radical who has links to Pakistan, and has been involved in smuggling of arms and ammunition from across the border into Punjab. According to NIA’s first information report (FIR) filed on December 30, the 45-year-old has been booked under sections related to criminal conspiracy and waging war against India, among others, of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). Earlier on December 23, one person was killed and six others were injured after a bomb went off in the district court’s complex in Ludhiana, triggering a high alert in the state. Police said the deceased was the alleged bomber and dismissed head constable Gagandeep Singh. Preliminary probe revealed that 1.5 kg of explosives were assembled in a plastic container to carry out the blast in the court premises.
India 31-Dec-2021
The Border Security Force (BSF) recovered 0.95 Kg of heroin, which was pushed from Pakistan through the river Satluj in Punjab. BSF Punjab spokesperson said, “On 31st Dec' 2021, vigilant Border Security Force troops, deployed along the River Sutlej bank in the area of responsibility of Ferozepur Sector observed some suspicious item floating in River Sutlej from Pakistan to India side. Thereafter, troops dragged the suspected item towards the bank and when it was searched, they recovered and seized 01 Pkt of contraband (weight appx 0.950 Kg) suspected to be Heroin”.
India 31-Dec-2021
Ludhiana Special Task Force arrested two accused and seized 1.7 kg heroin from them. Acting on a tip off, police stopped three accused. Two of them were nabbed while the third escaped from the spot.
India 31-Dec-2021
The Border Security Force (BSF) arrested an Indian national, identified as Jagdish Singh and recovered one 32 bore pistol and seven live cartridges from his possession near the Indo-Pakistan border in Ferozepur. BSF officials said, “We are also checking whether the weapon recovered from him was smuggled from across the border.”
United Kingdom 31-Dec-2021
According to Pakistani newspapers, the British Sikh community held voting on the Khalistan Referendum at four locations, with thousands of people, including a 95-year-old Sikh woman, turning out to vote in the non-binding referendum on December 31. Gurdwaras Singh Sabha in Hounslow, Gurdwaras Singh Sabha in Slough, Guru Nanak Gurdwaras in Wednesfield, and Guru Nanak Gurdwara in Smethwick held Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) sponsored voting on December 31, 2021.