KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
27-Dec-2024
On December 27, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) announced that former Prime Minister (PM) Dr. Manmohan Singh would be accorded a State funeral with full military honours at Nigambodh Ghat in New Delhi. The Congress party criticised the decision, arguing that the site was unsuitable for India’s first Sikh Prime Minister and called for a location where a permanent memorial could be established. In response, the government assured that a separate memorial site would be designated in the coming days to honour Dr. Singh's legacy.
27-Dec-2024
Police, on December 27, arrested one individual identified as Lakhwinder Singh alias Lakhi Kabutranwala, and seized 170 intoxicating pills from his possession in Abohar in Fazilka district.
27-Dec-2024
Police on December 27 arrested one individual, identified as Bohad Singh and seized 5 grams of heroin, 300 sedative tablets, and INR 6,800 in cash from his possession, in Abohar in Fazilka district.
26-Dec-2024
Ferozepur Police on December 26 arrested three drug smugglers, identified as Parmjeet Singh alias Pamma, Manish alias Saleem and Sukhwinder Singh alias Sukhha, and seized 400 grams of heroin, three illegal country-made pistols, seven cartridges, and two motorcycles from their possession, in Ferozepur in Ferozepur district.
26-Dec-2024
Uttar Pradesh (UP) Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on December 26 confirmed the detention of two suspects who aided three alleged Khalistani terrorists in Pilibhit. The agencies disclosed that the suspects helped the terrorists with fake identities and facilitated their movement using local networks. Investigators are also tracking a bus operator who allegedly assisted the trio's travel from Punjab to Pilibhit via Delhi. Authorities are intensifying efforts to uncover a potential pro-Khalistan network in the Terai region, which has been identified as a safe haven for extremists.
26-Dec-2024
According to sources, Arshdeep Singh Gill alias Arsh Dala and Lawrence Bishnoi share similar criminal origins but have diverged significantly in their operations. Dala (27), based in Canada, allegedly runs his syndicate in collaboration with the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), focusing on extortion, targeted killings, and arms smuggling. On the other hand, Bishnoi (31) has expanded his criminal empire from jail, forging alliances with local and international gangs. Both syndicates reportedly use social media to glorify their crimes, recruit new members, and establish ties with pro-Khalistan groups for weapons and funding. This pattern has drawn comparisons to the notorious underworld operations in Mumbai during the 1990s.
26-Dec-2024
Rakesh Singh, the Inspector-General (IG) of Bareilly Range, on December 26, stated that Uttar Pradesh (UP) Police is strengthening security along the Nepal border following the killing of three Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) terrorists in Pilibhit. Singh confirmed that investigations are ongoing and emphasized the implementation of enhanced security measures in border regions to prevent the infiltration of terror elements. He also assured that action would be taken against anyone found aiding the terrorists, signaling a firm stance in addressing security threats in the area.
26-Dec-2024
Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad president Mahant Ravindra Puri on December 26 condemned the threats issued by Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun to disrupt Mahakumbh and dismissed Pannun’s threats as “delusional” in Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh (UP). He emphasised that the Mela is a symbol of unity, where both communities come together and criticised Pannun for attempting to create division between the Sikh and Hindu communities. Puri further warned that Pannun would be “beaten and driven out” if he dared to enter the Mahakumbh, calling the threats baseless and irrelevant.
26-Dec-2024
Amarjeet Singh, the owner of Gill Enterprises, voiced concerns on December 26 about inadequate background verification processes after the arrest of his employee, Jatinder Singh alias Jyoti, by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Jatinder, a crane operator at the Mankhurd Metro construction site, was apprehended for alleged links to the Khalistani terror outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI). Singh stated that Jatinder had been hired based on his purported experience with Metro projects in Delhi, Lucknow, and Mumbai and noted that there were no prior complaints regarding his behaviour.
26-Dec-2024
Punjab's Director General of Police (DGP), Gaurav Yadav, emphasized in an interview with Hindustan Times that the majority of Punjabis are non-radical, with only a small number being influenced by Pakistan's divisive agenda. He affirmed that Punjab's law and order situation remains among the best in India, despite challenges posed by external threats. Yadav highlighted the Punjab Police's consistent efforts to dismantle terror modules, curb organized crime, and combat the drug problem. He acknowledged ongoing attempts by Pakistan to revive militancy and disrupt peace in the state but assured that the police force remains vigilant and dedicated to maintaining public safety.
26-Dec-2024
Punjab Police on December 26 arrested three associates of a gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria gang, identified as Manjit Singh, Amandeep Singh and Davinderpal Singh, following a brief encounter, and seized a 9 mm pistol, five .32-bore pistols and eight rounds of ammunition from their possession, in Jalandhar in Jalandhar district.
26-Dec-2024
Fazilka district police reported that in 2024, they registered 231 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, arrested 348 individuals, and seized over 48 kilograms of heroin, 86 kilograms of opium, and other narcotics valued in crores. Authorities also attached assets worth INR 7.46 crore, recovered stolen weapons, and intensified efforts to counter smuggling from Pakistan and Rajasthan, underscoring the region’s role as a critical transit route.
25-Dec-2024
Chheharta police on December 25 arrested a drug peddler, Aniket Verma, and seized 192 grams of heroin, INR 10,150 in drug money, and a computer scale from his possession in Chheharta, Amritsar district.
25-Dec-2024
According to sources, following the killing of three Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) terrorists—Gurvinder Singh, Jasanpreet Singh, and Varinder Singh—in Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh (UP), security agencies have intensified their search for local accomplices in the Terai region of UP.
25-Dec-2024
According to sources, Jatinder Singh alias Jyoti, arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with the Punjab terror conspiracy, had been living in Mumbai, Maharashtra, for four years and working as a crane operator at a metro construction site. Singh, an aide of the banned Khalistani terror outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), is accused of supplying weapons to operatives linked to the group. Investigations have revealed that Singh was receiving cash payments from Khalistani sympathisers and maintaining contacts with known terrorists in Mumbai. Security agencies are probing his network and connections in Maharashtra, particularly in Navi Mumbai, where he had been hiding.
25-Dec-2024
Punjab has experienced a significant rise in militant activity since November 2024, marked by grenade and Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attacks targeting police establishments. Investigations have uncovered a nexus between pro-Khalistan groups such as Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and criminal gangs, many of which operate from abroad. Key figures, including Harwinder Singh Rinda and Arshdeep Singh, have been implicated in orchestrating these attacks, underscoring connections with international operatives and Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
25-Dec-2024
Pilibhit Police on December 25 disclosed that three pro-Khalistan operatives killed in an encounter had stayed at a local hotel in Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh (UP), using fake Aadhaar cards. Their movements were tracked during an extensive search operation, with efforts underway to identify a fourth individual captured on CCTV with them. Authorities are also probing their possible stay at a local gurdwara and with a relative in Lakhimpur, Lakhimpur Kheri district, UP. Autopsy reports are awaited to further the investigation.
25-Dec-2024
According to sources, security forces have intensified operations to counter attempts to revive the Khalistan movement, driven by Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)-backed groups like the Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF). Intelligence reports indicate that the ISI is exploiting unrest along the Bangladesh and Jammu and Kashmir borders to divert India’s security focus while strengthening Khalistan-related activities in Punjab. Under the leadership of Ranjeet Singh Neeta, the KZF is actively recruiting youth with support from operatives in countries like Germany, the United States, and Canada. The group reportedly plans targeted attacks in Punjab, prompting a coordinated effort by police across states to neutralize the threat.
25-Dec-2024
According to sources, in response to eight blasts targeting police stations, posts, and check posts last month, the Punjab Police is enhancing security measures around its establishments in Amritsar and Gurdaspur districts. The measures include raising wall heights, constructing sentry posts, and installing nets on rooftops and boundary walls to mitigate the risk of grenade attacks.
25-Dec-2024
The Border Security Force (BSF) on December 25 recovered a China-made DJI Mavic 3 Classic drone from fields near Dhariwal village in Ajnala, Amritsar district.
24-Dec-2024
The Border Security Force (BSF), in a joint operation with the Punjab Police, on December 24, recovered a packet of heroin weighing 460 grams from fields near Bachiwind village in Ajnala, Amritsar district.
24-Dec-2024
The Border Security Force (BSF), in a joint operation with the Punjab Police, on December 24, recovered a damaged DJI Mavic 3 Classic drone from fields near Khemkaran village in Patti, Tarn Taran district.
24-Dec-2024
The Punjab Police on December 24 revealed that Jagjit Singh alias Fateh Singh Baagi, a Khalistani terrorist and former British Army soldier, was operating his own terror outfit, the Akaljot Khalistan Force (AKF), while also collaborating with the Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF). Singh, originally from Mianpur village in Tarn Taran, Punjab, had reportedly engaged in radical activities under the pseudonym "Fateh Singh Baagi." However, his father, Joginder Singh, an ex-serviceman, refuted the allegations, stating that his son had no involvement in terrorism and emphasizing the family's history of serving the nation.
24-Dec-2024
A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on December 24 sentenced three former police officers—Gurbachan Singh, the former Station House Officer (SHO) of Tarn Taran Police Station, Sub-Inspector Resham Singh, and Sub-Inspector Hans Raj—to life imprisonment in connection with the 1992 case of kidnapping and a fake encounter in Mohali, Sahibzada Ajit Singh (SAS) Nagar district. In addition to the life sentences, the officers were also fined and ordered to pay INR 2 lakh each in compensation to the families of the deceased.
24-Dec-2024
According to Indian intelligence sources, the December 20 attack at a Christmas market in Germany underscores the dangers of granting asylum to fugitives under the guise of activism. Taleb Abdulmohsen, a Saudi Arabian fugitive, exploited Germany's asylum system before orchestrating the attack. Officials compare this pattern to Khalistani terrorists like Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who misuse asylum protections to advance anti-India agendas. Experts caution that Europe’s liberal immigration policies risk enabling similar incidents, urging stricter vetting measures to prevent misuse by individuals posing national security threats.