KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
26-Oct-2024
Border Security Force (BSF) troops on October 26 recovered a packet of heroin weighing around 510 grams and a drone, near Roranwala Khurd village in Amritsar district. The recovered drone was a China-made DJI Mavic 3 Classic model.
26-Oct-2024
Border Security Force (BSF), in a joint operation with Punjab Police on October 26 recovered a drone from fields near Wan village in Patti in Tarn Taran district. The recovered drone was a China-made DJI Mavic 3 Classic model.
25-Oct-2024
Fazilka police, In the past week, arrested five individuals allegedly involved in supplying arms to Lawrence Bishnoi gang members, identified as Manpreet Singh, Sandeep Singh, Akash, Jaspreet, and Avinash (alias Gagan), and seized four .32 bore pistols, 13 cartridges, and three magazines from their possession in Fazilka district. The arrests took place sequentially, with Manpreet Singh apprehended on October 15, followed by Sandeep Singh on October 18, Akash and Jaspreet on October 19, and Avinash on October 25.
25-Oct-2024
The Punjab state Home Department on October 25 suspended seven Punjab Police personnel—Deputy Superintendents (DSPs) Gursher Singh Sandhu and Sammer Vaneet, Sub-Inspectors Reena, Jagatpal Jangu, Shaganjit Singh, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Mukhtiar Singh, and Head Constable Om Parkash—for allegedly facilitating a televised interview with gangster Lawrence Bishnoi while in custody.
25-Oct-2024
The Punjab state Home Department on October 25 suspended seven Punjab Police personnel—Deputy Superintendents (DSPs) Gursher Singh Sandhu and Sammer Vaneet, Sub-Inspectors Reena, Jagatpal Jangu, Shaganjit Singh, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Mukhtiar Singh, and Head Constable Om Parkash—for allegedly facilitating a televised interview with gangster Lawrence Bishnoi while in custody.
25-Oct-2024
Kapurthala police on October 25 arrested two members of the Kaushal Chaudhary gang, identified as Munish alias Mani, and Lalit Kumar, in connection with a firing incident at a mobile phone store in Kapurthala on October 7, seizing two country-made pistols and seven live rounds from them in Dudholo village, Palwal district, Haryana.
25-Oct-2024
India’s recalled High Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma, recently asserted in an interview with ANI that only a small fraction of Canadian Sikhs support Khalistani separatism. He urged that if Canada sympathizes with such individuals, it should allocate land within Canada for a “Khalistan.” Verma emphasized that while these extremists represent a Canadian domestic issue, any attempts to threaten India’s territorial integrity would prompt intervention from Indian authorities. He also clarified that the broader Sikh diaspora in Canada largely seeks a peaceful, family-oriented life and contributes positively to society.
25-Oct-2024
Former Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Amarinder Singh, while addressing reporters in Ludhiana on October 25, criticized Canadian Prime Minister (PM) Justin Trudeau for “ruining” India-Canada relations, alleging that Trudeau’s focus is solely on securing Sikh votes by aligning with Khalistani supporters. Singh recounted Trudeau’s 2018 India visit, during which he reluctantly met Singh, highlighting Trudeau’s support for figures linked to Khalistani sympathies.
25-Oct-2024
India’s recalled High Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Verma, recently recounted an alarming incident in Alberta during an interview with ANI, where Khalistani assailants came within inches of harming him with a sword, rather than a kirpan, while he attended a business event with his wife. Verma condemned the Khalistani agitators for threatening peace-loving Indo-Canadians, noting the intervention of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Despite the strained India-Canada relations, Verma emphasized his hope for restoring ties between the two countries.
25-Oct-2024
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has announced a reward of INR 10 lakh for information leading to the arrest of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi's brother, Anmol Bishnoi, who has been named in two chargesheets under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Anmol is wanted for his involvement in criminal networks, including incidents linked to a political party and a shooting outside Bollywood actor Salman Khan’s residence. The NIA believes his arrest could expose broader “Gangster-Terror” connections and has appealed to the public for assistance in its crackdown on organized crime and terror activities across India.
25-Oct-2024
The Delhi Police's Special Cell on October 25 arrested seven shooters associated with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, identified as Ritesh Kumar, Sukhram Singh, Sahil Bishnoi, Amar Singh, Badal, Parmod, and Sandeep, and seized six firearms and 24 cartridges from their possession across four states: Delhi, Rajasthan, Punjab, and Haryana. The arrests follow the National Investigation Agency's (NIA) recent announcement of an INR 10 lakh reward for information leading to the capture of Bishnoi’s brother, Anmol, implicated in a shooting outside actor Salman Khan’s Mumbai residence. Lawrence Bishnoi, currently imprisoned in Sabarmati Jail, Gujarat, is also a prime suspect in the high-profile Sidhu Moose Wala murder case.
25-Oct-2024
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) President Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami on October 25 in Amritsar expressed gratitude upon being announced as a candidate for the position of president in the annual election of office-bearers. Dhami also strongly condemned what he described as "mischievous conspiracies" by anti-Panth forces attempting to take control of the Sikh body under government influence
25-Oct-2024
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is currently investigating six cases involving designated Khalistani terrorist and Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. As part of its crackdown, the NIA has attached three of Pannun's properties in Chandigarh and seized multiple land parcels in Amritsar linked to him. This investigation underscores the agency's focus on dismantling terror networks, with the NIA maintaining a conviction rate of 95.13 percent. Recently, searches at four locations in Punjab resulted in the seizure of various incriminating materials, including digital devices. Pannun, designated a terrorist in India, holds both United States (US) and Canadian citizenship.
25-Oct-2024
The Border Security Force (BSF) troops on October 25 arrested three unidentified persons and recovered 3.16 kg of heroin along with two pistols and an empty magazine from his possession near Naushera Dhalla village in Tarn Taran district.
25-Oct-2024
The Border Security Force (BSF), in a joint operation with Punjab Police on October 25 recovered a packet of heroin weighing 279.8 grams from near Wan village in Tarn Taran district.
25-Oct-2024
The Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) and the Gurdaspur police in a joint operation on October 25 arrested notorious smuggler Avtar Singh Tari under the Preventive Detention of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, from Shahoor Kalan village in Kalanaur in Gurdaspur district.
25-Oct-2024
The Mumbai crime branch, in collaboration with the Ludhiana crime branch, on October 25 arrested Sujit Kumar, an associate of Lawrence Bishnoi, in connection with the Baba Siddiqui murder case in Ludhiana district. A joint team conducted the raid, and following his arrest, Kumar was taken to the Jamalpur police station before being flown to Mumbai for further investigation.
24-Oct-2024
The Ludhiana court of Additional Sessions Judge Shiv Mohan Garg on October 24 acquitted drug lord Ranjit Singh alias Raja Kandola, and his accomplice Gurnam Singh in a 2017 drug case in Ludhiana district. The Punjab Police had alleged that Kandola facilitated heroin smuggling while in custody; however, the court cited insufficient evidence to support these claims.
24-Oct-2024
Punjab Police on October 24 arrested two unidentified individuals following an encounter in the Diamond Avenue area of Amritsar. Gunshots were exchanged during the encounter, injuring one of the accused. The police revealed that the arrests were linked to an inter-gang rivalry incident involving gunfire on October 18-19, during which two pistols, including a Glock 9mm and a .32 bore pistol with 13 rounds, were seized. Two additional suspects from the same gang are still being pursued.
24-Oct-2024
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on October 24 arrested Baljeet Singh alias Baljeet Maur, an absconding close associate of designated terrorist Arshdeep Singh Dalla alias Arsh Dalla of the Khalistan Terrorist Force (KTF), at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in New Delhi. Singh, who had arrived from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), was wanted in connection with terror activities linked to the proscribed KTF and had a non-bailable warrant against him since June 2024. NIA investigations revealed that he played a significant role in providing logistical support, identifying extortion targets, and recruiting new members for the KTF's conspiracy to instigate terror in Punjab.
24-Oct-2024
India’s recalled High Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma, on October 24 criticized Canada’s handling of bilateral relations, describing it as "the pits" and highly unprofessional. He expressed disappointment over Canada’s tolerance toward a small but vocal Khalistani faction, which he described as being involved in criminal activities like gun-running and human trafficking. Verma emphasized that Canada’s actions felt like a “backstab” in an otherwise productive relationship, stressing the need for professionalism given the significant Indo-Canadian diaspora and shared democratic values.
24-Oct-2024
India’s recalled High Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma, revealed in an interview on October 24 that Canada had unexpectedly removed notorious gangster Goldy Brar from its wanted list. Verma explained that India had previously shared the names of Brar and Lawrence Bishnoi with Canadian authorities, who initially placed Brar on the list but later removed him without prior notice.
24-Oct-2024
India’s recalled High Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma, on October 24 advised Indian students in Canada to stay vigilant against potential radicalization efforts by Khalistani extremists. Verma highlighted that these groups offer financial incentives to students, encouraging them to join protests or seek asylum under false pretexts. He also urged parents to maintain close communication with their children in Canada to help guide them away from such influences.
24-Oct-2024
Geostrategist Brahma Chellaney, in an interview with India Today on October 24, criticized Canada’s role as a hub for the Khalistan militant movement, pointing to its lenient asylum policies toward Indian militants despite repeated warnings. Chellaney also condemned Canada’s inaction in the Air India bombing case, describing it as a significant failure of international justice.
24-Oct-2024
Jathedar of the Akal Takht, Giani Raghbir Singh, stated in Amritsar that Sukhbir Singh Badal, president of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), has been barred from participating in any political activities, including campaigning for the upcoming assembly by-elections. This decision, based on Sukhbir's designation as 'tankhaiya' for past misconduct, prevents him from contesting the Gidderbaha by-election, with the nomination deadline set for October 25.