KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
13-Sep-2024
On September 13, during the hearing of the Sidhu Moose Wala murder case, the AK-47 used by the killers and Moose Wala’s Thar vehicle were presented as evidence in a Mansa court in Mansa district, Punjab.
13-Sep-2024
The Punjab and Haryana High Court (HC) issued a notice to radical Khalistani preacher and Member of Parliament (MP) Amritpal Singh in response to a petition challenging his election. The petitioner, Vikramjit Singh, alleges that Singh concealed details in his nomination affidavit, violated election expenditure rules, and engaged in corrupt practices by using religious venues and seeking votes on religious grounds. The petition argues that Singh's actions breach the Representation of the People Act.
12-Sep-2024
According to data obtained by The Tribune, between January 1 and August 31, 2024, the Punjab Police took action against 10 officers for lapses in drug-related cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, which led to the grant of default bail to 15 drug peddlers. These officers, from districts such as Faridkot, Jalandhar, and Hoshiarpur, failed to appear in court as witnesses or for cross-examination. The state government had previously directed strict action against officials neglecting court appearances in NDPS cases, with a district-level committee now monitoring trial progress and reporting failures to the government.
12-Sep-2024
In a Facebook post on September 12, US-based terrorist Harpreet Singh alias Happy Passian, claimed responsibility for the September 11 blast in Chandigarh. Passian is known to be associated with Pakistan-based Khalistani terrorist Harwinder Singh Sandhu alias Rinda. CCTV footage identified Rohan Masih, who has a criminal record, as one of the suspects. The attack is believed to be revenge for the 1986 Nakodar firing, in which retired Punjab Police Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Jaskirat Singh Chahal was involved. Chahal had previously lived in the targeted house but moved out after surviving an assassination plot in 2023.
12-Sep-2024
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Information Technology (IT) Chief Amit Malviya, via the social media site X on September 12, linked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's recent comments in the United States (US) to a grenade blast in Chandigarh, accusing Gandhi of making 'false and misleading' statements about Sikhs' rights in India. The explosion, caused by a grenade thrown at a house in Chandigarh, is under investigation, with suspected involvement from Pakistan-based Khalistani terrorist Harwinder Singh Sandhu alias Rinda.
12-Sep-2024
On September 12, during a raid by the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) staff of the Police, drug smugglers identified as Madan Lal, Vijay, and Rohit opened fire on the police but were later arrested, and the .32 bore weapon used in the crime was recovered from their possession near Dhandran village in Ludhiana district. Two people, constable Sandeep and suspect Rohit, were injured during the raid. The operation was conducted after the police received information about a drug nexus in nearby Mehmoodpur village in Ludhiana West tehsil, Ludhiana district.
12-Sep-2024
The recovery of 11 Glock pistols among 29 illegal firearms seized by Punjab Police in August 2024 has raised concerns over sophisticated, foreign-made weapons reaching criminals in the state. The Punjab Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), in collaboration with central agencies, busted Pakistan-backed arms smuggling networks, recovering several Glock pistols, including one marked 'Made for NATO Army.' Between January and July 2023, Punjab Police recovered 2,608 illegal weapons, including 1,515 pistols, underscoring the growing challenge of cross-border weapon smuggling via drones.
11-Sep-2024
According to reports, Punjab, once known for its vibrancy and resilience, has faced a troubling surge in extortion threats and violence linked to gangsters operating from abroad. Kalwinder Singh, a vocal critic of Canadian-based gangsters, received intimidating calls for two years, forcing him to remove critical videos from Facebook. Since January 2024, the Punjab Police’s Anti-Gangster Task Force (ATGF) has received over 200 complaints related to extortion calls, mostly traced to gang leaders in Canada, resulting in 172 First Information Reports (FIRs) and 174 arrests. Notable incidents include a shooting in Amritsar and attacks in Vancouver, Canada, and Ferozepur, Punjab. Despite measures like deportations and extraditions, the number of extortion calls in Punjab has sharply risen since the assassination of singer Sidhu Moose Wala in May 2022, with local recruitment by criminals further complicating law enforcement efforts.
11-Sep-2024
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD-Delhi) president Paramjit Singh Sarna on September 11 met with Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh in Amritsar, Punjab, to address the ongoing crisis within the SAD. Sarna urged the Jathedar to hold former Akali leaders accountable for switching to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and supporting the controversial Dera Sirsa cult. He also expressed support for Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on protecting religious rights in India, citing issues such as Sikh students being forced to remove religious symbols.
11-Sep-2024
Two unidentified men on an autorickshaw hurled an explosive at a house in the Sector 10 area of Chandigarh on September 11. No injuries were reported, but the explosion caused minor damage to the property. Police suspect the target was former Punjab Police Superintendent of Police (SP) Jaskirat Singh, with potential involvement from Pakistan-based Khalistan terrorist Harwinder Singh Sandhu alias Rinda. A National Investigation Agency (NIA) team has also joined the investigation.
11-Sep-2024
Simranjit Singh Mann, chief of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD-Amritsar) and former Member of Parliament (MP), on September 11 in Chandigarh, accused the Narendra Modi-led government of stifling democracy in India and blamed the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) under Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD-Badal) for a lack of transparency. He highlighted the killings of Khalistani terrorists Hardeep Singh Nijjar and Paramjit Singh Panjwar and criticized the SGPC for not holding general elections in years and for the mismanagement of 328 swaroops of Guru Granth Sahib.
11-Sep-2024
The Border Security Force (BSF), in a joint operation with Punjab Police on September 11, intercepted and neutralized a drone, recovering one packet of heroin weighing 6.23 kg along with the drone on the outskirts of Gilpan village in Tarn Taran district. The recovered drone was an assembled quadcopter.
11-Sep-2024
Border Security Force (BSF) troops on September 11 recovered a packet of heroin weighing 520 grams from near Daoke village in Amritsar district.
11-Sep-2024
Border Security Force (BSF) troops on September 11 recovered a China made drone- DJI Mavic 3 Classic model, from the outskirts of Kahangarh village in Amritsar district.
11-Sep-2024
The Kendri Singh Sabha, a central body of Singh Sabha Gurdwara, on September 11 in Chandigarh, praised Rahul Gandhi for supporting the Sikh community's right to uphold their religious and cultural freedoms in India.
10-Sep-2024
On September 10, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh in Amritsar condemned the growing trend of creating social media accounts, particularly on TikTok, under Sikh and Muslim disguises to spread hateful propaganda and incite religious conflicts. He stated that such actions are part of a conspiracy by anti-social elements and urged Sikhs to remain vigilant and respect other religions.
10-Sep-2024
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami, on September 10 in New Delhi, urged the Akal Takht Jathedar to take strict action against Iqbal Singh Lalpura, chairman of the National Commission for Minorities, for his recent remarks in which he distorted Sikh principles by calling Guru Nanak an avatar of Vishnu. Dhami called the statement disrespectful to Sikh ideology and demanded action in accordance with Panthic traditions.
10-Sep-2024
The Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) staff of the Jalandhar Commissionerate Police on September 10 arrested an individual identified as Shinda Singh and seized 1 kg of heroin and INR 4 lakh in cash from his possession near the Green Park area in Jalandhar district. The police are interrogating him to trace the source of the heroin and uncover details of his drug trafficking network.
10-Sep-2024
Uttarakhand Police on September 10 detained a youth for writing "Pakke Khalistani" on his bike's number plate, in Rudrapur in Uttarakhand. The youth, a resident of Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh (UP), was interrogated by both the police and the Intelligence Bureau (IB). After being issued a challan, he was counselled and released.
10-Sep-2024
Khalistani terrorist and chief of the banned outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, on September 10 endorsed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's statement that 'the fight in India is whether a Sikh will be allowed to wear a turban, kada, or go to a gurdwara.' Pannun called Rahul's remark on the 'existential threat to Sikhs in India' bold and pioneering, claiming it was grounded in the factual history of Sikh struggles since 1947. He further stated that Gandhi’s comments aligned with SFJ's stance on the Punjab Independence Referendum for the creation of an independent Khalistan.
10-Sep-2024
Bathinda Member of Parliament (MP) and senior Shiromani Akali Dal leader Harsimrat Badal, on September 10, via social media platform X, criticized Rahul Gandhi for his remarks about Sikhs feeling unsafe in India. She asserted that both the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are guilty of crimes against Sikhs and demanded that Rahul apologize for his grandmother Indira Gandhi’s actions in 1984, including the attack on Shri Harmandar Sahib and the Akal Takht. Without such an apology, Badal questioned his moral right to speak on Sikh issues.
10-Sep-2024
In Mansa district, Punjab, vigilante groups and self-appointed drug-monitoring committees, such as the Nasha Roko Committee, are combating the growing misuse of pregabalin, a painkiller commonly abused for its euphoric effects. Pregabalin, also known as 'Signature,' has replaced heroin as a popular drug among the youth. These vigilantes search vehicles, seize drugs, and dispense their own form of justice, reflecting public frustration with the government’s slow response. Despite bans and police crackdowns, pregabalin addiction continues to rise, impacting families and communities, with local figures like Parminder Singh 'Jhotha' leading the fight.
09-Sep-2024
The Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) of the Punjab Police on September 9 announced that it has dismantled 505 gangs and modules in the state over the past two-and-a-half years (2022–2024). During this period, they neutralized 16 gangsters in 107 encounters, recovering 1,332 weapons and 293 vehicles. Additionally, 81 gangsters were injured in encounters, while three police personnel lost their lives and 26 others were injured. The AGTF also blocked 203 social media accounts promoting gang-related content.
09-Sep-2024
Police on September 9 arrested three persons, identified as Gurmeet Singh, Roshan Lal and Ajay Kumar and seized five pistols and two magazines from their possession, in Faridkot in Faridkot district. The accused were involved in smuggling weapons from Madhya Pradesh (MP). Roshan Lal had 14 prior cases, Ajay Kumar faced charges of snatching and weapon possession, and Gurmeet Singh had pending cases related to drug and weapon smuggling. The arrests followed the recovery of weapons abandoned in a briefcase after a police chase near Tehna village in Faridkot district last week.
09-Sep-2024
Amritsar City Police on September 9 arrested five individuals linked to gangster Goldy Brar, identified as Harshdeep Singh, Gursharanpreet Singh, Dharampreet Singh, Manga Singh, and Avtar Singh, in Amritsar in Amritsar district. The arrests revealed that the gang, operating under Goldy Brar’s instructions, was involved in extortion and ransom demands. The police discovered that Brar’s associates, Deva and Pritam Singh, are currently abroad using forged documents. Investigations are ongoing, including raids in Haryana to apprehend additional suspects.