KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
15-Apr-2026
Two individuals, Pradeep Singh and Ashish, allegedly linked to the Neeraj Bawana gang, were arrested with a foreign-made pistol and ammunition, in Dwarka, New Delhi on April 15.
14-Apr-2026
On April 14, the 84th day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangsters Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahaar—the police conducted 566 raids, arrested 311 persons and recovered six weapons from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 92 individuals, while 126 persons were verified and released after questioning. Two proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
14-Apr-2026
On April 14, Punjab Police, on day 409 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 126 drug smugglers, and seized 1.4 kg of heroin, 5.4 kg of opium, 69 kg of poppy husk, 558 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 4.91 lakhs drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
14-Apr-2026
A 21-year-old gun supplier was arrested after a shootout with the Haryana Police Special Task Force (STF) near Bandhwari in Gurugram district of Haryana on April 14. The accused supplied foreign-made pistols, suspected to have been smuggled through the Punjab international border, to three shooters linked to gangster Deepak Nandal, who had opened fire outside a fashion designer’s office in Sector 26A on February 18 as part of an extortion attempt.
13-Apr-2026
On April 13, the 83rd day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangsters Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahaar—the police conducted 475 raids, arrested 223 persons. Preventive action was taken against 78 individuals, while 81 persons were verified and released after questioning. Five proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
13-Apr-2026
On April 13, Punjab Police, on day 408 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 97 drug smugglers, and seized 8.3 kg of heroin, 5528 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 9300 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
13-Apr-2026
Punjab Police on April 13 arrested six individuals and recovered two pistols from them in connection with the March 30 grenade attack on Bhindi Saida police station in Amritsar district. The arrests followed a joint operation by Amritsar Rural and Faridkot police. In the first incident, Baljit Singh and Prabh Singh were arrested along with two pistols from Faridkot in an intelligence-based operation and the remaining four, Rajbir Singh, Sukhpreet Singh, Ajaydeep Singh alias Ajay alias Gazni, and Sahib Singh alias Saba were arrested from Amritsar. Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said preliminary investigations point to an Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)-backed module operating under a Pakistan-based handler. The accused were allegedly radicalized and lured with financial incentives to target police establishments. On the night of the attack, they retrieved hand grenades, conducted reconnaissance of the police station, and then carried out the assault.
13-Apr-2026
Police on April 13 arrested a woman, Swaran Kaur and recovered two Glock pistols (9 mm), six magazines, and 23 live rounds from her possession, in Ferozepur district. According to police, Gurwinder Singh—lodged in Ferozepur Central Jail—had instructed his mother to collect the weapons from their home and deliver them to a contact on the Ismail Khan–Dullewala link road. Acting on this input, police intercepted and arrested her, seizing the arms and ammunition.
13-Apr-2026
According to reports, the six accused arrested in the March 30 grenade attack on Bhindi Saida police station were promised INR 4 lakh by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)--backed handlers but received only a small amount before being arrested. Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said preliminary investigations revealed that the accused were in regular contact with a Pakistan-based handler directing terror activities. The module members were allegedly radicalized and motivated to target police establishments. Baljit Singh and Prabh Singh retrieved two hand grenades from a hideout near Gharinda in Amritsar district on the intervening night of March 29–30. They, along with Rajbir Singh, then rode a motorcycle to within 1–2 kilometers of the police station and executed the attack.
12-Apr-2026
According to official sources, the Border Security Force (BSF) seized 331 kg of heroin along the Punjab border with Pakistan in the first quarter of the year, marking a sharp rise compared to 414 kg in 2025 and 283 kg in 2024. A total of 47 drones have also been recovered so far, against 272 in 2025. Seizures of synthetic drugs have increased as well, with 5.5 kg of ICE and 10.5 kg of opium recovered in multiple operations. Arms recoveries have also risen, with 58 weapons, 654 rounds, 93 magazines, and a grenade seized, indicating sustained efforts to fuel illegal activities and terror modules. In 2025, 201 weapons were recovered, up from 36 in 2024. Additionally, 110 Indian smugglers and 34 suspects have been arrested this year. Five Pakistani intruders and one Egyptian national were apprehended, while three Pakistani intruders were killed during border operations.
12-Apr-2026
On April 12, the 82nd day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangsters Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahaar—the police conducted 522 raids, arrested 225 persons and recovered two weapons from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 78 individuals, while 89 persons were verified and released after questioning. Nine proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
12-Apr-2026
On April 12, Punjab Police, on day 407 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 91 drug smugglers, and seized 7.2 kg of heroin, 256 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 2020 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
12-Apr-2026
Police on April 12 arrested a man, identified as Tarun Kumar alias Navi and recovered 7 grams of heroin from his possession during a routine patrol near the old Civil Hospital in Phagwara, Kapurthala district.
11-Apr-2026
The Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) staff of Moga Police on April 11 arrested two proclaimed offenders, identified as Akashdeep Singh alias Nikku and Jaswinder Singh alias Liaqat and recovered five pistols, four magazines, and 10 cartridges, in Moga district. Akashdeep faces 11 FIRs, including multiple cases under the NDPS Act and Arms Act, while Jaswinder has five FIRs registered against him.
11-Apr-2026
Batala Police on April 11 arrested three operatives of a cross-border drug and illegal arms smuggling network, including Nishan Singh, Ravipal Singh, and a juvenile, and recovered 6.5 kg of heroin, a .30-calibre pistol with six cartridges, and INR 1 lakh in drug money, in Gurdaspur district. The operation followed an investigation into an extortion-linked firing incident on March 30 under the Civil Lines police station in Batala, in which two accused—Vansh and Sukhchain—were earlier arrested, leading to the seizure of two .30-bore pistols.
10-Apr-2026
On April 10, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA), extradited fugitive Sahil Chauhan from Bangkok, Thailand. He arrived at Delhi International Airport, where he was taken into custody by a Haryana Police team. Chauhan is wanted in multiple cases involving murder, attempt to murder, dacoity, and illegal arms use. He is a key member of the Bhuppi Rana gang operating across Haryana, Punjab, and Chandigarh.
10-Apr-2026
According to report, five police personnel have been booked for allegedly facilitating the release of an impounded passport of Batala-born international drug lord Shehnaz Singh alias Shawn Bhinder by issuing a no-objection certificate (NOC) and preparing a biased report, in Tarn Taran district. Bhinder, wanted by the United States (US) Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), managed to flee the country after the suspension of his passport was revoked, raising allegations of police collusion. A native of Mandiala village, he was arrested in March 2025 during the state’s anti-drug drive ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ after returning to India following an FBI crackdown. His passport had been impounded by the Regional Passport Office in Amritsar on police request. After securing bail from the Punjab and Haryana High Court in October 2025, he applied for revocation of the suspension, which was cleared by Tarn Taran CIA in charge Prabhjeet Singh, who has since been suspended.
10-Apr-2026
Officials claimed on April 10 that Delhi Police Special Cell unearthed an ISI-backed espionage module and arrested 11 operatives linked to the banned outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI). The accused were installing CCTV cameras at multiple locations to monitor sensitive sites, including Army-linked establishments, with cameras found at nine locations nationwide. In the first operation, six accused—three each from Punjab and Delhi—were arrested, and three PX5 pistols, one country-made firearm, and 24 cartridges were seized. Police also recovered nine solar-powered CCTV cameras installed near sensitive defence establishments, with live feeds transmitted to Pakistan-based handlers via mobile applications. Investigations revealed the module was funded through UPI transactions, partly sourced from illegal arms smuggling. In a second operation, based on Military Intelligence inputs, five more accused from Punjab were arrested for espionage activities. They conducted reconnaissance of Army and paramilitary installations, shared photos and videos with handlers in Pakistan, and assisted in setting up surveillance networks. Police said the module was part of a larger nexus involving Pakistan-based handlers, gangsters, and terror operatives.
10-Apr-2026
Deported from the UAE, Amritpal Singh Mehron—alleged mastermind in the murder of social media influencer Kanchan Kumari alias Kamal Kaur Bhabhi—was brought to Bathinda and produced before a local court on April 10, which remanded him to five-day police custody. Head of the self-styled radical outfit “Qaum De Rakhe” and a resident of Mehron village in Moga district, he was taken into custody by Bathinda Police at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi.
10-Apr-2026
On April 10, the Punjab Government announced cash rewards for 28 proclaimed offenders involved in extortion, targeted killings, and cross-border smuggling of arms and drugs under the “Gangster-Free Punjab” campaign. The rewards range from INR 5 lakh to INR 10 lakh, with full-page newspaper advertisements issued to seek public assistance. Officials said these fugitive gangsters are linked to hundreds of cases across Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Delhi, and continue to operate from abroad, including the United States (US), Canada, the United Kingdom (UK), the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Brazil, and Pakistan. Among those with the highest reward are Lakhbir Singh alias Landa, based in Canada, and Harwinder Singh alias Rinda, allegedly operating from Pakistan.
09-Apr-2026
The Madhya Pradesh Police’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) on April 9 arrested Pradip Shukla, a key operative of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, in Morena district. Carrying a INR 20,000 reward, Shukla is suspected to be among the masterminds behind extortion threats issued to businessmen in the name of overseas handler Harry Boxer. Active across Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi, he played a crucial role in coordinating the extortion network. He is currently in SIT custody, and his interrogation is expected to reveal further details about the gang’s operations, including links to overseas operatives and associates such as Ritik Boxer lodged in other states. Originally from Agra district in Uttar Pradesh, Shukla is accused in over 12 cases, including murder, attempted murder, and extortion.
09-Apr-2026
On April 9, the 79th day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangsters Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahaar—the police conducted 567 raids, arrested 252 persons and recovered one weapon from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 80 individuals, while 72 persons were verified and released after questioning. 10 proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
09-Apr-2026
On April 9, Punjab Police, on day 404 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 129 drug smugglers, and seized 2.9 kg of heroin, 40,507 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 27,299 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
09-Apr-2026
Police on April 9 arrested two operatives of an ISI-sponsored Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terror module, Akash Masih and Jablaun and recovered five hand grenades, two detonators, a push-to-talk (PTT) timer with coder and decoder, a 9V battery, around 1 kg of IED material packed with nails, and a Baofeng walkie-talkie with cable and trigger mechanism were recovered from their possession, in Gurdaspur district. Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said the seizure indicated preparations for high-impact terror attacks aimed at disturbing peace and security in the state.
09-Apr-2026
Police on April 9 arrested two persons, identified as Anit and Harpreet Singh alias Lavi and recovered 106 grams of heroin, INR 1.17 lakh in drug money, a mobile phone, and a motorcycle, near a canal bridge on the Sarawa link road in Faridkot district.