KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
09-Sep-2024
According to sources in Central Intelligence agencies, Canada-based Khalistani terrorist Lakhbir Singh Sandhu alias Landa, and Pakistan-based gangster-turned-terrorist Harvinder Singh Sandhu alias Rinda, have parted ways. Rinda has now partnered with Harpreet Singh alias Happy Passia, who operates from the United States (US), to raise terror modules in Punjab. Between August 2023 and August 30, 2024, Punjab Police busted eight terror modules and arrested 35 individuals linked to the Rinda-Passia network. Landa, residing in Edmonton, Canada, is wanted for his involvement in the 2022 Rocket Propelled Grenade attack on the Punjab State Intelligence Headquarters in Mohali. Rinda, associated with the terrorist organization Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), is currently based in Lahore, Pakistan, under the patronage of cross-border agencies and has been involved in various terrorist activities, particularly in Punjab. Officials noted that Landa and Rinda are no longer collaborating due to differing motives—Landa is more focused on supporting pro-Khalistani activities in India, while Rinda is primarily involved in drug peddling and arms distribution.
09-Sep-2024
Punjab Police on September 9 conducted a special operation, ‘OPS Seal-VIII,’ across ten inter-state border districts, including Pathankot, Muktsar, Fazilka, Ropar, Sahibzada Ajit Singh (SAS) Nagar, Patiala, Sangrur, Mansa, Hoshiarpur, and Bathinda, aimed at cracking down on drug trafficking and liquor smuggling. The operation led to the recovery of over 71 kg of narcotics, including 1.1 kg of opium, 29 kg of poppy husk, 42 kg of intoxicant powder, and 1,070 intoxicating tablets, along with a significant amount of illicit liquor. A total of 4,245 vehicles were checked, 293 fined, 16 impounded, 26 First Information Reports (FIRs) registered, and 27 individuals arrested.
09-Sep-2024
The Border Security Force (BSF) troops on September 9 recovered two packets of heroin weighing 1.180 kg, from farming fields near Daoke village in Amritsar district.
08-Sep-2024
The Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) staff of Amritsar rural police on September 8 arrested five cross-border smugglers, identified as Sukhchain Singh, Sukhpal Singh, Navdeep Singh, Sukhbir Singh, and Rahul, alias Nikku and seized 160 grams of heroin, two pistols—a .32 bore pistol without a magazine and a .30 bore pistol without a magazine and barrel—along with INR 8.5 lakh in drug money, a car, and a bike from their possession near Khurmania village in Amritsar district. According to police, most of the heroin smuggled from Pakistan via drones had already been sold prior to the arrests.
08-Sep-2024
On September 8, Amritsar Rural Police were put on alert following a bomb threat targeting the Tarsikka police station in Tarsikka village, Amritsar district. The caller, later identified as a jail inmate, made the threat from inside prison. Police stated that a case has been registered, and the inmate will be brought on a production warrant for further investigation. Jail authorities have also been alerted to recover the phone used for the call.
08-Sep-2024
According to sources, Kangana Ranaut's film Emergency received a U/A certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) after making a few cuts and adding disclaimers, though the release date remains unfinalized. The film, which portrays former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and the 1975 Emergency, has faced backlash from Sikh organizations.
08-Sep-2024
Police on September 8 arrested two members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, identified as Rohit Kumar and Sukhpal Singh, and seized four .32-bore pistols and 26 live cartridges from their possession near Sanouri Adda in Patiala district.
08-Sep-2024
The Patiala Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) staff on September 8 arrested a member of the Rajiv Raja gang, identified as Yashraj alias Kaka and seized two .32-bore pistols and 14 live cartridges from his possession, near Deer Park on Patiala-Dakala Road in Patiala in Patiala district.
07-Sep-2024
Police on September 7 arrested a close aide of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, identified as Javed Jhinjha alias Rativ, in Abohar in Fazilka district. Jhinjha, who had studied with Bishnoi and was wanted in multiple cases across Punjab, Rajasthan, and Chandigarh.
07-Sep-2024
Police on September 7 arrested an individual, identified as Paramjit Singh and seized 50 grams of heroin from his possession, near Mardkhera village in Sangrur district.
07-Sep-2024
According to sources, nearly five months after the firing outside Salman Khan’s Bandra residence, Mumbai police have yet to gain access to gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who is currently held at Sabarmati prison in Gujarat. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs’ (UMHA) restriction on his movement under Section 268 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) has prevented the police from obtaining his custody. The police aim to interrogate Bishnoi to understand his gang's operations, as he remains a key suspect in the attack claimed by his gang. Attempts to secure his custody have been unsuccessful so far, with restrictions set to lift in August 2024.
07-Sep-2024
Raj Singh, founder of Sikh Helpline, raised concerns in a letter to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) on September 7 about the upcoming film Emergency, directed by Kangana Ranaut. He criticized the film's portrayal of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale as historically inaccurate and offensive, claiming it falsely depicts him as colluding with Indira Gandhi for political gain. Singh urged the CBFC to review the film with Sikh experts, edit the offensive content, and ensure future films accurately represent all communities to maintain peace and harmony in society.
07-Sep-2024
The Haryana Sikh Ekta Dal (HSED) is set to convene on September 8 in Chandigarh to unite Sikhs across political and caste lines, advocating for a law against sacrilege, the release of Bandi Singhs, and improved representation of Sikhs in Haryana's electoral process. They will also call for the removal of political interference in the state's Gurdwara body, elections for the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC), and the formation of SITs to investigate religious hate crimes. The group has urged political parties to address these issues in their manifestos ahead of the assembly polls.
07-Sep-2024
In a joint operation with Border Security Force (BSF) troops, Punjab Police on September 7 busted a trans-border drug module by arresting four smugglers, identified as Kuldeep Singh, Kirpal Singh, Jatinder Singh, and Gurpreet Singh, and seized 5.54 kg of heroin from their possession in Sahowal village, Ajnala, Amritsar district. The arrests followed a BSF tip-off about a suspected drone drop from Pakistan.
06-Sep-2024
According to a report by The Print, two-thirds of Afghan Sikhs who fled to India after the Taliban takeover in 2021 have now resettled in Canada, with private sponsors and Sikh foundations assisting in their relocation. Out of 350 refugees, approximately 230 have successfully moved to Canada, while others await their visas. The Khalsa Diwan Welfare Society in Delhi has coordinated this process, and organizations like the Manmeet Singh Bhullar Foundation have provided support through stipends and amenities for one year. Many Afghan Sikhs continue to work menial jobs in India while awaiting resettlement.
06-Sep-2024
Punjabi actor Gippy Grewal called for a Sikh representative on the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to ensure accurate depictions of the Sikh community and its religious aspects in films. This appeal follows the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee's (SGPC) push for Sikh representation, particularly after delays in clearing Kangana Ranaut's controversial film Emergency. Gippy emphasized the need for specialized knowledge to review religious nuances in films and shared his own practice of obtaining a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from religious authorities for his projects.
06-Sep-2024
The Sikh Research Institute (SikhRI) recently released its tenth report in the "State of the Panth" series, titled Caste & Race, which explores caste and race issues from a Sikh perspective. Based on a global survey of Sikhs, the report highlights that the majority view Sikhism as inherently anti-caste and anti-racist. In an interview with Hindustan Times, Harinder Singh, SikhRI’s Senior Fellow, stated that the report emphasizes the disconnect between Sikh ideals and practices regarding caste and race. He called for renewed efforts within the Sikh community to align more closely with the Gurus' teachings on equality, stressing the importance of both individual and institutional action to address these social issues.
06-Sep-2024
The Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) staff of the Mohali police on September 6 arrested two men, identified as Channpreet Singh and Harpal Singh, and seized 30 grams of heroin from their possession in Kharar, Sahibzada Ajit Singh (SAS) Nagar district.
06-Sep-2024
Amritsar (Rural) Police on September 6 arrested three drug peddlers, identified as Lovepreet Singh, Jasbir Singh, and Jaskaran Singh, and seized 2.7 kg of heroin from their possession in Dhariwal village, Ajnala, Amritsar district. The police stated that the heroin was likely smuggled via drones from Pakistan, and shifting police checkpoints led to the recovery. The suspects are currently under police remand, and their properties will be identified and frozen.
06-Sep-2024
Amritsar (Rural) Police on September 6 launched a probe into an extortion case involving Portugal-based gangster Manpreet Singh alias Mann Ghanshampuria, and his accomplice Jobanjit Singh, who demanded INR 50 lakh from a local resident with threats of violence in Amritsar district, Punjab. This case is part of a broader pattern of intimidation by the gang, which includes recent extortion threats and shootings. Earlier arrests related to the gang led to the seizure of weapons, mobile phones, a vehicle, and INR 18,000 in cash. The gang is also wanted for various criminal activities, including a fatal shooting in Lakhowal village, Ajnala, Amritsar district.
05-Sep-2024
The Crime Investigating Agency (CIA) staff of Mohali police on September 5 arrested three individuals, identified as Amandeep Singh, Harmandeep Singh, and Gursevak Singh, and seized 80 grams of heroin from their possession in Kharar in Sahibzada Ajit Singh (SAS) Nagar district.
05-Sep-2024
Police on September 5 arrested one person, identified as Rama Singh and seized 200 grams of heroin from his possession, in Janta Colony in Ludhiana in Ludhiana district.
05-Sep-2024
Ludhiana police on September 5 arrested an individual, identified as Mohit and seized 150 grams of heroin from his possession, in Vijay Nagar in Ludhiana in Ludhiana district.
05-Sep-2024
The Indian government on September 5 repatriated 14 Pakistani prisoners, including two juveniles, after they completed their sentences, at the Attari-Wagah border in Amritsar district, Punjab. Six were released from Central Jail Amritsar, while eight were freed from a jail in Gujarat. Most of the prisoners were fishermen who had inadvertently crossed into Indian waters, with some urging both governments to expedite the release of detained fishermen. Among those repatriated were four cross-border smugglers arrested for drug and arms possession.
05-Sep-2024
Mandeep Singh Sidhu, brother of the late Waris Punjab De (WPD) founder Deep Sidhu, may contest the Gidderbaha Assembly bypoll following the announcement by Faridkot Member of Parliament (MP) Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa of his candidacy on August 30. Sidhu is currently in discussions with Panthic organizations to consolidate support behind a unified candidate and prevent vote division. The family of radical Khalistani preacher and jailed MP Amritpal Singh also supports Sidhu's potential candidacy.