KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR

The government of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on June 22 announced a grant of PKR 40 million for a gurdwara in Mardan district and compensation of PKR 1 million each for the families of a Sikh couple who were shot dead inside the place of worship. Provincial Minister for Religious and Minority Affairs Sahibzada Adnan Qadri visited the gurdwara, expressed solidarity with the Sikh community, and condemned the killings.

Police on June 18 arrested Sher Shah, the prime suspect in the double murder of a Sikh caretaker couple who were shot dead at a gurdwara in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan on June 17. According to police, investigations have so far found no evidence linking the accused to any banned outfit, terrorist organisation, or organised network.

A Sikh caretaker couple, Jagannath and his wife Asma Wanti, were shot dead inside a gurdwara in the Babu Mohallah area of Mardan, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan on June 17. According to Mardan District Police Officer Masood Ahmed, unidentified assailants opened fire inside the gurdwara, killing the couple. Police have launched an investigation and are working to determine the motive behind the attack and identify those responsible.

On April 29, marking the 40th year of the Khalistan Declaration, Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), speaking from the Karachi Press Club in Pakistan, announced the launch of Khalistan Referendum voter registration for Sikhs in India. The group issued a message reaffirming what it described as a global Sikh commitment to the “liberation of Punjab” and the establishment of Khalistan. SFJ chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun claimed that Pakistan’s response to India had enhanced its global standing, alleging that recent developments had positioned the country as a rising power. He also stated that Field Marshal Asim Munir had emerged as a voice for peace during the US-Iran tensions, and asserted that former US President Donald Trump had acknowledged his role on multiple occasions.

According to Canadian court sentencing records, three Indian nationals convicted for their roles in a February attack on a residence in South Surrey, British Columbia, were allegedly paid USD 1,000 each by a subcontractor linked to the Bishnoi gang. One of the accused reportedly told police that he and his associates had been hired by a man identified as Goldy Dhillon to throw Molotov cocktails and fire shots at the house. Dhillon has also been named in connection with other extortion investigations reported in Canada. Among the convicted individuals, Taranveer Singh was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to firing four shots at the residence during the night. His accomplices, Harjot Singh and Dayajeet Singh Billing, were each sentenced to two years’ imprisonment for throwing an explosive substance at the property. The case comes amid broader concerns among Canadian law enforcement agencies regarding alleged extortion and intimidation activities linked to the Bishnoi gang.

On June 23, Canada’s intelligence agency, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), explicitly attributed the 1985 bombing of Air India Flight 182 ‘Kanishka’ to Canada-based Khalistani extremists (CBKEs) in a statement marking the 41st anniversary of the country’s deadliest terrorist attack. The agency stated, “On June 23, 1985, a bomb planted by Canada-based Khalistani extremists destroyed the aircraft, killing everyone on board—most of them Canadians.” CSIS described the bombing as the deadliest terrorist attack in Canada’s history and a defining moment for the country’s national security community. The statement noted that CSIS was less than a year old at the time of the attack and that the Kanishka tragedy significantly shaped its evolution. While previous CSIS reports had identified CBKEs as a security concern, the agency had not, in recent years, publicly attributed the bombing to them in such explicit terms. Reaffirming its mandate, CSIS stated that it has remained committed over the past four decades to protecting Canadians from politically, religiously, and ideologically motivated violence.

On June 17, Canada enacted Bill C-9 after it received Royal Assent from the Governor General. The legislation amends the Criminal Code to strengthen measures against hate propaganda, hate crimes, and intimidation that obstructs access to religious and cultural institutions. The law creates new offences for intentionally provoking fear to impede a person's access to places of worship or facilities used by identifiable groups, as well as for obstructing or interfering with lawful access to such locations. The amendments have been welcomed by some community groups, who argue that they could help address incidents involving protests and intimidation outside religious sites. The legislation comes amid concerns over demonstrations by pro-Khalistan groups outside Hindu temples in Canada, including a recent protest at the Lakshmi Narayan Mandir in Surrey, British Columbia.

On June 11, gunshots were reportedly fired at a sweet shop in Brampton, Canada, with a purported video of the incident widely circulating on social media. The video allegedly shows an individual loading a firearm inside a vehicle before firing six to seven shots at the shop. Following the incident, a social media post from an account operating under the name Aarzoo Bishnoi claimed responsibility for the attack, alleging that it was carried out by Aarzoo Bishnoi, his younger brother Tyson Bishnoi, and Shubham Lokar. The post claimed that the shop owner had ignored their calls for several days and that the firing was intended to “teach him a lesson.” It also rejected rumours of a rift between the Bishnoi brothers, asserting that they remained united. Authorities had not independently verified the claim at the time of reporting.

According to reports, pro-Khalistan activists disrupted an outreach consular event organised by the Indian High Commission in Sutton, South London, United Kingdom (UK), last weekend. The activists reportedly entered the venue—a primary school building—waving Khalistan flags, confronted organisers, and objected to the event, arguing that Indian officials had no right to hold it there. They also raised pro-Khalistan slogans and demanded access to the visiting officials. The all-day event, organised by Indian Friends of Sutton, was intended to assist members of the Indian community with passport renewals, Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cards, and visa-related services. Approximately 500 people attended the programme. Reports further indicated that a Tamil-language class for children was underway in another part of the building when the disruption occurred.

Indian-origin restaurateur Harman Singh Kapoor has been arrested days after announcing the closure of his 16-year-old restaurant Rangrez in the United Kingdom (UK), citing threats from Pakistani individuals and a lack of support from the police. Responding to a post on social media, Kapoor confirmed his arrest but did not disclose the exact reason. He stated, “All I did was protect my family, yet I was the one arrested. Instead of protecting us, the police targeted my religion—my Sikh faith and my beliefs. This is deeply troubling.”

An Indian-origin drug dealer, Naginder Gill, was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment by Bolton Crown Court in northwest England, United Kingdom (UK) on January 29 for plotting multiple firearms and drug offences. Using the EncroChat handle “indianoceon,” Gill conspired with Carl Ian Jones and Harly Wise to trade military-grade weapons. Jones was sentenced to 30 years and Wise to 25 years in the same case, following an investigation by the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA).

According to reports, pro-Khalistani activist Paramjeet Singh Pamma was advised by United Kingdom (UK) police to install security cameras and reinforce door locks at his residence following alleged threats from Hindu nationalist elements, raising renewed concerns about transnational repression on British soil. Pamma stated that police had visited him and issued verbal security advisories based on intelligence inputs indicating potential threats to his safety. He further accused UK ministers of failing to take what he described as “relentless” transnational repression by India seriously.

According to Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), a Khalistan Referendum activist identified as Jassa, who disrupted Diljit Dosanjh’s concert at the Chase Center in San Francisco by reaching the stage with a Khalistan flag, has been released in the United States (US). The incident occurred during Dosanjh’s Aura World Tour performance, when the activist allegedly bypassed security and reached the stage carrying the flag before being removed by security personnel. Videos of the disruption subsequently circulated on social media. SFJ claimed that Dosanjh’s management team had filed a complaint alleging that Jassa made a threat during the incident. According to SFJ, its legal team intervened, following which the complaint was dismissed and the activist was released. SFJ General Counsel Gurpatwant Singh Pannun praised the activist's actions and announced financial support of USD 11,000, stating that the amount was being provided for raising the Khalistan flag and confronting Dosanjh during the performance.

A pro-Khalistan demonstrator was arrested after jumping onto the stage with a flag and disrupting a concert by Diljit Dosanjh in San Francisco, United States (US) on June 19. The incident briefly caused panic before venue security personnel and local police intervened, restrained the individual, and took him into custody. Dosanjh continued his performance during the disruption and resumed entertaining the audience after the protester was removed. The incident occurred amid reports of online threats and attempts by hardline pro-Khalistan elements, including supporters of Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), to target Dosanjh over his appearances in mainstream Indian media.

According to United States (US) court records, the sentencing of Indian national Nikhil Gupta, who pleaded guilty in February to charges related to a plot to assassinate Khalistani separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the US, has been postponed to September 25 from its original date of May 29. Gupta faces a potential prison sentence of 19 to 23 years. His legal team requested the delay to allow additional time to review case records and prepare arguments seeking the lowest possible sentence.

A Punjabi-origin man, Jashanpreet Singh, founder of the outlaw motorcycle club ‘Punjabi Devils’ in Stockton, California, was sentenced on May 12 to five years and four months in a United States (US) federal prison for illegal firearms trafficking and possession of a machine gun. The Stockton-based gang, reportedly linked to the ‘Hells Angels’, used patches featuring a map of Punjab and a turbaned skull, reflecting the group’s Punjabi identity. According to the US Department of Justice, Singh attempted to sell a cache of weapons, including assault rifles, machine gun conversion devices and a revolver, to an undercover officer on June 6, 2025. A search of his residence led to the seizure of additional firearms, explosives, a silencer, high-capacity magazines and a suspected Claymore mine. Singh was arrested at San Francisco International Airport on July 26, 2025, while allegedly attempting to flee to India after skipping a court appearance.

According to reports, French security forces on June 16 detained several individuals allegedly linked to the banned outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) near the G7 Summit venue in Évian-les-Bains, France. The suspects were reportedly intercepted following intelligence inputs indicating a plan to disrupt the movement of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's motorcade after his bilateral meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. French anti-terror and local police units secured the area and took the suspects into custody without any reported disruption to the summit proceedings. Reports further stated that the detained individuals are facing legal action for allegedly breaching security restrictions around a protected diplomatic convoy.

The Lawrence Bishnoi Gang has reportedly claimed responsibility for two shooting incidents targeting Indian nationals in Portugal. In a social media post, Rahul RK Meena, allegedly linked to the Sunil Meena Gang, claimed the attacks were carried out by an alliance of international criminal syndicates. The group claimed responsibility for a recent shooting at the residence of Gurpreet Singh Gill in Vila Nova de Milfontes and an earlier attack on Gurdeep Singh in Sintra on May 6. Describing the shootings as warning attacks, the post threatened further violence and asserted the syndicate's reach across multiple countries. The claims remain unverified, and authorities are reportedly investigating possible links to transnational criminal networks.

According to reports in sections of the Pakistan media, Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi faced protests by pro-Khalistan activists during his reported visit to Oslo, Norway, where he was said to be receiving the country’s “Grand Cross” award. Demonstrators allegedly gathered outside the venue, raising slogans against the Indian Prime Minister and accusing his government of promoting “Hindutva extremism.” Protesters reportedly displayed banners and chanted slogans targeting Modi, while heavy security arrangements were in place during the visit.

Investigators believe the April 17 shooting of two Punjabi-origin men outside a gurdwara in Covo, Bergamo province, Italy, was premeditated. Preliminary findings indicate that the main shooter, also of Indian origin, and his accomplices were known to frequent the gurdwara. Eyewitnesses reported that four suspects arrived in two cars and opened fire around 11:50 pm before fleeing the scene in their vehicles.