KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
05-Oct-2024
The Border Security Force (BSF), on October 5, following a tip-off, recovered a packet containing 568 grams of heroin from farming fields near Dal Village in Tarn Taran district.
04-Oct-2024
On October 4, Kultar Singh Sandhwan, Speaker of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, emphasized the urgent need to combat the drug menace in Punjab while presiding over a function celebrating Bhai Lalo Ji’s birth anniversary at Gurdwara Sri Vishwakarma Bhavan in Sirhind, Fatehgarh Sahib district.
04-Oct-2024
Punjab Police on October 4 arrested two operatives, identified as Sukhdeep Singh alias Raja and Krishan, while busting an international drug trafficking syndicate and seized 1.5 kg of heroin along with a Hyundai Aura (HR 12 AT 7091) car from their possession in Derabassi, Sahibzada Ajit Singh (SAS) Nagar district. The accused were part of a network smuggling heroin in jackets, sourced from an Afghan national based in Delhi. The police are currently seeking to arrest Lakhwinder Singh, the key figure in the syndicate, and further investigations are ongoing.
04-Oct-2024
Rahul Gandhi's recent statements during his United States (US) visit have been seized upon by designated Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun to further his Khalistani agenda. Pannun has repeatedly cited Gandhi's comments regarding Sikh identity and alleged persecution in India to justify his calls for a Khalistan referendum. These remarks have sparked controversy, with Pannun portraying them as an endorsement of secessionist movements.
04-Oct-2024
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) President, Harjinder Singh Dhami, in Amritsar on October 4, objected to the online sale of Sikh scriptures, including Gutka Sahib, by Amazon, stating that it violates Sikh maryada (conduct).
03-Oct-2024
On October 3, Sikh activists from various organizations, including the Baba Makhan Shah Lubana Foundation and Society, approached the Akal Takht in Amritsar and urged Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh to withdraw the notice served to former SGPC president Bibi Jagir Kaur. The notice, issued on September 26, related to a decades-old murder case and alleged 'roma di beadbi' (dishonoring of hair). The activists argued that the notice was based on personal and baseless allegations and should be revoked.
03-Oct-2024
According to reports, the India-United States (US) relationship has seen progress, but two key issues—Bangladesh's regime change and the Khalistan movement—are causing tensions. India’s security concerns and political sensitivities regarding Bangladesh conflict with the US's positive view of the regime change. Similarly, the US's approach to Khalistani elements, based on its democratic principles, has strained trust, particularly given India’s painful history with Punjab's insurgency. Resolving these issues will require deeper dialogue and cooperation to address mutual concerns and prevent further mistrust between India and the US.
03-Oct-2024
Lakhwinder Kaur, the wife of Badal Singh, one of the victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, testified in court in New Delhi on October 3 that an eyewitness had informed her that Congress leader Jagdish Tytler incited the mob that killed her husband at Gurdwara Pul Bangash. She cited Granthi Surender Singh as the source of this information, stating that Tytler had provoked the mob to attack Sikhs and set fire to the gurdwara. The next hearing is scheduled for October 15.
03-Oct-2024
Assam Chief Minister (CM) Himanta Biswa Sarma, while speaking at a rally in Sonipat, Haryana, on October 3, addressed the issue of drug trafficking, emphasizing that drugs such as heroin and ganja, frequently recovered in Assam, were being transported to Punjab and Haryana. He mentioned that over the past three and a half years, Assam police had arrested more than 200 individuals involved in drug-related activities and urged the public to prevent such individuals from entering politics.
03-Oct-2024
The Border Security Force (BSF) troops, in a joint operation with Punjab Police on October 3 recovered one packet of heroin weighing 550 grams from fields adjacent to Daoke village in Amritsar district.
02-Oct-2024
The Delhi Police's Special Cell arrested Jatinderpal Singh alias Jassi, an individual based in the United Kingdom (UK), at Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport in Amritsar district on October 2, in connection with the largest-ever drug bust involving 560 kg of cocaine and 40 kg of hydroponic marijuana.
02-Oct-2024
Amritsar Police on October 2 dismantled an interstate weapon smuggling gang with the arrest of five individuals identified as Mohammad Akbar, Javed Khan, Qasim, Mukesh Kumar, and Allmin, seizing three .32 bore pistols and 30 live bullets from their possession in Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) Nagar, Amritsar district. During interrogation, it was revealed that Mukesh and Allmin were responsible for supplying illegal weapons, with Mukesh procuring them from Rajasthan and distributing them across other parts of Punjab through his network.
02-Oct-2024
Gurdaspur Member of Parliament (MP) Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, in Amritsar on October 2, expressed concerns over the deteriorating law and order situation in Punjab, claiming that gangsters were influencing voters during the panchayat polls under the patronage of the state government. Randhawa highlighted incidents involving gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria’s family being honored by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) officials and the free movement of gangster Gopi Goli in Kalanaur, which has terrorized villagers.
02-Oct-2024
Police on October 2 busted an interstate arms smuggling gang and arrested its kingpin, Sunil Kumar alias Jeona, seizing five .32-bore pistols and eight live cartridges from his possession near Adda Nijharan in Jalandhar district. Preliminary investigations revealed that Sunil Kumar was smuggling arms from Madhya Pradesh (MP) to Punjab and had links to high-profile criminals abroad, including members of the Landa Harika gang.
02-Oct-2024
Border Security Force (BSF) troops on October 2 recovered three packets of heroin weighing 1.823 kg from fields near Wan village in Tarn Taran district. Although the suspects escaped before the troops arrived, the heroin, suspected to have been dropped by a drone, was found wrapped in yellow tape with an improvised copper wire loop attached.
02-Oct-2024
In the past week, the Jalandhar police disposed of seized drugs, including 62.3 kg of poppy husk, 932 grams of heroin, 270 grams of intoxicating powder, 10 grams of ganja, 850 grams of charas, along with 290 tablets and 14 injections, across 68 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, in Jalandhar district. The disposal was carried out at an authorised facility.
02-Oct-2024
According to official data, in the first nine months of 2024 (January-September), the Border Security Force (BSF) seized 153 Pakistani drones, 190 kg of heroin, 29 weapons, and 400 rounds of ammunition along the International Border (IB) in Punjab. Additionally, 153 individuals, including 25 Pakistani nationals, were apprehended for smuggling or infiltration. The BSF has intensified efforts to dismantle cross-border drug and arms smuggling operations.
01-Oct-2024
Police on October 1 arrested four members of a criminal gang, identified as Anwar Singh alias Jambu, Gurpreet Singh alias Kaka, Akashdeep, and Suraj Singh and seized a 12-bore double-barrel gun and a .32-bore pistol from their possession, near Vallah Bridge in Amritsar district. Their accomplice, Sandeep Singh alias Ladi, will be brought from jail on a production warrant.
01-Oct-2024
Punjab Police Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav, while chairing a state-level Law and Order review meeting at the PAP Complex in Jalandhar on October 1, announced intensified efforts to curb petty crimes and drug trafficking by increasing CCTV surveillance at crime hotspots across the state. He stated that real-time monitoring would be conducted through newly established control rooms at district and sub-divisional levels and emphasised strict action against drug suppliers, property seizures, and enhanced vigilance ahead of upcoming elections and festivals.
01-Oct-2024
Police on October 1 arrested three drug smugglers identified as Sukhchain Singh alias Kala Suro, Amritpal Singh alias Pal, and Harman Singh, seizing 175 grams of heroin, INR 1.2 lakh in drug money, a Swift car, and a Scorpio car from their possession near the Mor Kale Ghanupur bypass near Chheharta in Amritsar district.
01-Oct-2024
The Chheharta police on October 1 arrested a drug smuggler identified as Narinder Singh, and seized 100 grams of heroin and INR 2,690 in drug money from his possession in Chheharta, Amritsar district.
01-Oct-2024
The police recently took strict action against a drug peddler identified as Meena Saini, sealing a house valued at INR 30,12,500 in the Satnampur locality of Phagwara, Kapurthala district. This followed the arrest of Ram Pal in April 2024, who was caught with 3 kg of opium and implicated Meena during interrogation. The property has been frozen, preventing any sale or transfer.
01-Oct-2024
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami, in Amritsar on October 1, appealed to the Canadian government, Sikh leaders, and India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to address the challenges faced by Indian students, particularly those from Punjab, in Canada. Citing a recent protest by Indian students in Brampton, he urged Canadian Sikh Members of Parliament (MPs) and officials to engage with the government to resolve their grievances.
01-Oct-2024
The Jalandhar rural police on October 1 arrested a man identified as Gurjit Singh and seized a .32 bore pistol along with four live cartridges from his possession after he brandished the weapon and obstructed traffic near a government office in Phillaur, Jalandhar district. The police stated that Gurjit had parked his Scorpio in the middle of the road, causing a disruption, and threatened a local resident when confronted. A case was registered, and the police recommended the cancellation of his arms license.
30-Sep-2024
The Police on September 30 arrested two operatives of the Lawrence Bishnoi- Goldy Brar gang, identified as Nitish Kumar alias Nikku Rana, and Gurqirat Singh Bedi, and seized two pistols, nine live cartridges and a jeep from their possession, in Mohali in Sahibzada Ajit Singh (SAS) Nagar district.