KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
22-Feb-2025
Police on February 22, in a crackdown against unorganised miscreants supplying drugs and narcotics to addicts visiting outpatient opioid assisted treatment (OOAT) centres and civil hospitals, arrested 13 unidentified persons, in Malerkotla in Malerkotla district. The operation was conducted following concerns raised by social activists and chemists' associations. Investigations revealed the illegal supply of banned pregabalin 300 mg to addicts, while legally permitted pregabalin 75 mg was used to evade action.
22-Feb-2025
The Punjab and Haryana High Court is set to hear a petition on February 25 filed by radical Khalistani preacher and jailed Khadoor Sahib Member of Parliament (MP) Amritpal Singh, currently detained in Dibrugarh Central Jail, Assam, under the National Security Act (NSA). Singh seeks permission to attend parliamentary sessions, arguing that his prolonged absence violates his constitutional rights and leaves nearly 19 lakh constituents unrepresented. He has also requested authorisation to meet officials regarding the Members of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) Scheme. The petition will be heard by Chief Justice Sheel Nago and Justice Sumeet Goel.
22-Feb-2025
Khalistani terrorist outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) on February 22 claimed responsibility for a grenade attack near the Border Security Force (BSF) campus at the Attari border in Punjab via a social media post. The claim, similar to previous ones by gangsters Happy Passia and Gopi Navashaharpuria, alleged the attack was in response to the imposition of President’s Rule in Manipur. However, both the BSF and Punjab Police dismissed the claim as fake, stating that no such incident had occurred.
22-Feb-2025
The appointment of Rajouri Garden Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) Manjinder Singh Sirsa as a Cabinet Minister in Delhi is seen as the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) move to consolidate Sikh support in Punjab. Punjab Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira criticised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for not appointing a Sikh minister during its decade-long rule. While BJP leaders highlighted the party’s initiatives for Sikhs, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) dismissed claims that the move would have any significant impact in Punjab. Sirsa, who previously belonged to SAD, joined the BJP in 2021, leading to a shift in SAD’s leadership in Delhi. Organisational changes are expected in Punjab BJP following state president Sunil Jakhar’s resignation.
22-Feb-2025
Amritsar Police on February 22 recovered 2 kg of heroin concealed near a canal in Boparai Baj Singh village in Ajnala, Amritsar district, based on a disclosure statement by accused Harmandeep Singh, who was arrested on February 19. This seizure follows the earlier recovery of 13 kg of heroin, bringing the total to 15 kg. Police stated that investigations are ongoing to identify and apprehend other associates involved in the drug network.
21-Feb-2025
Punjab Police on February 21 arrested two key operatives of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) with direct links to Pakistan-based BKI terrorist Harwinder Singh Rinda and US-based Happy Passia, identified as Jagdish Singh alias Jagga and Shubhdeep Singh Aulakh alias Shubh alias Sunny and seized two .32 bore pistols and five rounds from their possession in Kharar, Sahibzada Ajit Singh (SAS) Nagar district. Authorities claimed that the duo was involved in the February 10 attack in Nanded, Maharashtra, and was planning targeted killings in Punjab. Further investigations are ongoing.
21-Feb-2025
Police on February 21 busted a trans-border drug cartel, arresting four traffickers identified as Gurjant, Jagjit Singh, Sahil Kumar, and Rinku, and seizing 5.06 kg of heroin from their possession in Amritsar district. Jagjit Singh, who had recently returned from Italy, was already wanted in a January 14 heroin seizure case. Police stated that the accused were in contact with Pakistan-based smugglers using drones to transport the contraband.
21-Feb-2025
Patiala Police busted a target-killing module linked to foreign-based gangster Goldy Dhillon, arresting two operatives, Malkit Singh alias Max and Sandeep Singh alias Deep, and seizing five pistols—three .32 calibre, one .30 calibre, and one .315 calibre country-made pistol—along with 15 cartridges, 1,300 intoxicating tablets, and an Activa scooter (PB 23 AA 0795) from their possession in Rajpura, Patiala district. The accused were allegedly tasked with carrying out target killings in Mohali and Rajpura under Dhillon’s orders.
21-Feb-2025
From February 24, forty-one Sikh devotees from Sarojininagar in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh (UP), will embark on a special pilgrimage to Kartarpur Sahib, organized by Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) Rajeshwar Singh. They will fly from Amausi Airport to Amritsar, offer prayers at the Golden Temple, and then cross the Wagah border to visit Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara. The devotees will return to Lucknow by air on February 26.
21-Feb-2025
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on February 21 in Amritsar decided not to accept the resignation of its president, Harjinder Singh Dhami, and urged him to reconsider. Dhami had resigned on February 17, citing moral grounds, amid internal conflicts within the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) over the removal of Giani Harpreet Singh as Jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib. SGPC Senior Vice-President Raghujit Singh Virk stated that a delegation would meet Dhami to persuade him to withdraw his resignation.
21-Feb-2025
On February 21, in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, the complainant’s counsel argued for the death penalty for former Congress Member of Parliament (MP) Sajjan Kumar, calling the mass killings a “state-assisted massacre,” during a hearing at the Rose Avenue court in New Delhi. Senior Advocate HS Phoolka highlighted the systematic nature of the violence, citing the murder of 2,733 Sikhs in Delhi and 3,350 across India. Comparing the killings to other mass crimes, he stressed the need to strengthen legal provisions against genocide and argued that Kumar instigated armed mobs to target Sikh men for elimination.
20-Feb-2025
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on February 20 in Chandigarh obtained production warrants for accused Rohan Masih and Vishal Masih in the Chandigarh Sector 10 grenade blast case. The Special NIA court granted the agency's request to interrogate them to identify an associate involved in reconnaissance before the attack. The NIA stated that the accused, linked to foreign-based Khalistani terrorists Harwinder Singh alias Rinda and Harpreet Singh alias Happy Passia, were provided with weapons and funds for terror acts in Punjab and Chandigarh. The court ordered their production on February 25.
20-Feb-2025
According to sources, the Batala Police have approached the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) to issue a Red Corner Notice against U.S.-based gangster Happy Passia, allegedly responsible for multiple bomb blasts in Punjab. The move follows a grenade attack on the home of Punjab Police Constable Jatinder Singh, for which Passia claimed responsibility. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Suhail Qasim Mir confirmed that the request was made through the Bureau of Investigation and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Meanwhile, Gurdaspur Member of Parliament (MP) Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa criticised the delay in initiating the process.
20-Feb-2025
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on February 20 filed a chargesheet against two aides of Canada-based Khalistani terrorist and gangster Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh Dala, identified as Anil Singh and Neeraj Pandit alias Neeraj, in Patiala House Court, New Delhi. The two were part of a terror-gangster syndicate funded by Dala and linked to the Bambiha gang. They were allegedly involved in the murder conspiracy of Jasveer Deeghot in Palwal, Haryana. Anil Singh was arrested on September 5, 2024, while Neeraj remains at large.
20-Feb-2025
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on February 20 in New Delhi charge-sheeted two aides of Canada-based Khalistani terrorist Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh Dala in the terror-gangster syndicate case, identified as Neeraj Pandit alias Neeraj Faridpuria and Anil Singh. NIA's probe revealed their links with the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) and the Bambiha gang, as well as their role in the murder conspiracy of Jasveer Deeghot in Palwal, Haryana. While Anil was arrested in September 2024, Neeraj remains at large.
20-Feb-2025
Khalistani radical preacher and jailed Khadoor Sahib Member of Parliament (MP) Amritpal Singh recently moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court, fearing disqualification due to his prolonged absence from Parliament. Detained under the National Security Act (NSA) since April 2023, he has missed 46 sittings. As per Article 101(4) of the Constitution, an MP’s seat may be declared vacant if they are absent for 60 consecutive sittings without permission. MPs can seek leave through the Committee on Members’ Absence, which has previously granted leave to jailed MPs.
20-Feb-2025
On February 20, newly elected Rajouri Garden Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) Manjinder Singh Sirsa was sworn in as a Cabinet Minister in the ninth Legislative Assembly of Delhi. He is the first Sikh to hold a ministerial position in the Delhi Government after a decade of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) rule. A former president of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), Sirsa has won the Rajouri Garden Assembly seat three times. Having joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2021, he is expected to play a key role in the party’s strategy for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.
20-Feb-2025
The Delhi High Court on February 20 disposed of a plea challenging the bail granted to former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, as he was convicted in the matter. The trial court found him guilty on February 12 for the murders of two individuals in Delhi’s Saraswati Vihar. Kumar, already serving a life sentence in another riots-related case, was formally taken into custody. His appeal against a previous conviction in the killings of five Sikhs is pending before the Supreme Court.
20-Feb-2025
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Chandigarh on February 20 informed the court that the accused in the Sector 10 grenade blast case, Rohan Masih and Vishal Masih, received funds, weapons, and explosives from foreign-based entities to carry out terror acts in Punjab and Chandigarh. The agency revealed their links to foreign-based terrorists Harwinder Singh alias Rinda and Harpreet Singh alias Happy Passia, who conspired to assassinate a retired Punjab Police officer. The NIA is probing cross-border smuggling of weapons and explosives, along with the accused’s involvement in other criminal activities.
19-Feb-2025
The police on February 19 arrested a smuggler, identified as Lovepreet Singh, and seized 3 kg of heroin from his possession near the bus stand in Khasa village, Amritsar district. The arrest followed the interrogation of Harmandeep Singh, from whom 10 kg of heroin had been recovered earlier.
19-Feb-2025
The police on February 19 arrested a Bambiha gang shooter, identified as Aman Kumar alias Golden, and seized two 30-bore pistols along with 10 cartridges from his possession in Liddaran village, Jalandhar district. Authorities revealed that Aman was linked to Bambiha gang leader Harmandar Singh, who is currently lodged in Rohini Jail, Delhi.
19-Feb-2025
All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) Chairman Jagmohan Singh Raina, on February 19, alleged that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah continues to ignore the issues faced by the Sikh community in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). He expressed disappointment over the community not being recognized as a minority despite meeting the necessary criteria. Raina also urged both majority and minority communities to maintain peace and expose extremist elements. A joint APSCC meeting of members from Kashmir and Jammu divisions was held to discuss these concerns.
19-Feb-2025
Delhi-based Sikh leader Manjit Singh GK, on February 19, urged Sikh leaders and influencers in Canada, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (US) to break their silence over the humiliation of Sikh deportees in the US, who were forcibly stripped of their turbans before deportation. He criticized Sikh political figures in the diaspora, including Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, for their silence, particularly as the incident occurred under the Trump administration, which Pannun has previously supported. GK also condemned the Indian government for not arranging its own aircraft to bring back the deportees and called on the global Sikh community to stand united in defending Sikh identity.
19-Feb-2025
Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav, on February 19 in Chandigarh, ridiculed Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, stating that he falsely claims responsibility for attacks in Punjab, sometimes even when no incident has occurred. Yadav emphasized that intelligence agencies from a neighboring country aim to destabilize Punjab but asserted that the police have successfully traced all 12 blast incidents using scientific methods. He dismissed Pannun’s claims as baseless and reaffirmed that Punjab remains safe, with law enforcement determined to counter any threats.
19-Feb-2025
Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on February 19 in Chandigarh announced that 52 police officials, ranging from constables to inspectors, had been dismissed from service on corruption charges. The dismissals were part of a statewide crackdown following directions from Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann to curb corruption and misuse of power within the police department. The action was taken after complaints emerged regarding police officials allegedly registering fake First Information Reports (FIRs) to extort money.