KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
25-Jul-2024
The Mohali Police on July 25 arrested three members of an armed robbery gang, identified as Jaspreet Singh alias Jassi, Gurpreet Singh and Balkaran Singh, and seized one pistol, two cartridges, five mobile phones, two motorcycles along with other stolen items, from their possession, in Mohali in Sahibzada Ajit Singh (SAS) Nagar district.
25-Jul-2024
Police on July 25 arrested an active member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, identified as Dinesh Singh Rawat, in Gopalganj in Gopalganj district in Bihar. This follows the July 21 arrest of two other gang members, Shantanu Shivam and Kamal Rawat, at the Bihar-Uttar Pradesh (UP) border, where authorities seized Austrian pistols. Rawat, identified during their interrogation, was arrested with the assistance of Rajasthan police and admitted his gang affiliation.
25-Jul-2024
Member of Parliament (MP) Charanjit Singh Channi on July 25 caused controversy by expressing support for radical Khalistani preacher and MP Amritpal Singh, currently imprisoned under the National Security Act (NSA), during a Lok Sabha speech in New Delhi. This remark stirred significant political tension. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Union Minister Giriraj Singh criticized Channi's remarks, calling it an attack on India's integrity and questioning Congress's stance on Khalistan sympathizers. Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann and BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla demanded the Congress clarify its position on Amritpal Singh. The Congress distanced itself from Channi's views, clarifying they do not reflect the party's stance.
24-Jul-2024
Actor Manjot Singh, known for his comedic roles in films like Fukrey and Dream Girl, expressed his desire to break stereotypes about Sikh actors in the industry. Highlighting the success of Diljit Dosanjh, Singh emphasized that Sikhs should not be typecast into light-hearted roles and can portray serious characters as well. He shared his personal journey of challenging the industry's perceptions and his satisfaction with the positive reception of his recent authoritative role in Wild Wild Punjab.
24-Jul-2024
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on July 24 submitted a written explanation to Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh, addressing allegations made by rebel SAD leaders, in person at the Akal Takht in Amritsar, Punjab. The rebel SAD leaders had accused Badal of various failures during his tenure as Deputy Chief Minister, including mishandling the 2007 blasphemy case against Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the Bargari sacrilege case, and police firings in Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan. The Akal Takht had summoned Badal for clarification, asserting that he did not represent Panthic sentiments.
24-Jul-2024
Punjab Police and Army personnel conducted a search operation in Pathankot district on July 24 after a woman reported seeing seven suspicious men in Fangtoli village. A sketch of one suspect was released, and authorities maintained a high alert.
24-Jul-2024
Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit announced cash prizes for drug-free villages on July 24 in Amritsar, while emphasizing the need for strict action against drug smugglers and peddlers following his visit to the state's border districts. Purohit also addressed the issue of drug and weapon smuggling from Pakistan, urging public vigilance and cooperation. He highlighted the importance of securing border districts, including Pathankot, Gurdaspur, and Amritsar, and praised the coordination between security agencies in combating the drug menace.
24-Jul-2024
A team from the Wahabwala police station on July 24 arrested a drug peddler identified as Navneet Garg and seized 20 kg of poppy husk from his possession in Abohar, Fazilka district. The police revealed that the poppy husk was smuggled from Sadulshehar in Sriganganagar district, Rajasthan.
24-Jul-2024
The Crime Investigation Agency (CIA-1) of the Police on July 24 arrested three drug peddlers, identified as Gurpreet Singh alias Gopi, Kuljinder Singh and Jodhbir Singh alias Jodha, and seized 500 grams of heroin and .32 bore pistol from their possession, in Amritsar in Amritsar district.
24-Jul-2024
Gate Hakima police on July 24 arrested a drug peddler, identified as Abhishek Kumar and seized 508 grams of heroin from his possession in Amritsar in Amritsar district.
24-Jul-2024
The Police on July 24 arrested a drug peddler, identified as Sukhdev Singh alias Manga and seized 567 grams of heroin from his possession in Chheharta Sahib in Amritsar district.
24-Jul-2024
According to reports, Bollywood actor Salman Khan has informed the police that he believes the Lawrence Bishnoi gang was responsible for a firing incident at his residence in April, which was intended to kill him and his family. In his statement, Khan recounted hearing a gunshot-like sound and learning from his bodyguard about the attack. The gang later confessed to the attack on social media, and Khan noted previous threats and attempts against his family. The Mumbai Police's charge sheet, now under court review, includes six accused: Vickykumar Gupta, Sagarkumar Pal, Sonukumar Bishnoi, Anujkumar Thapan (now deceased), Mohd Rafiq Choudhary, and Harpal Singh, with Anujkumar having committed suicide in custody.
24-Jul-2024
Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit, on July 24 in Amritsar, expressed concern over frequent drone intrusions from across the border used for drug and arms smuggling and announced that anti-drone technology will be deployed along the Pakistan border within a year. Additionally, he proposed setting up a special panel of lawyers for drug cases and offered rewards for those who assist in capturing drones.
23-Jul-2024
Member of Parliament (MP) from Faridkot and son of Beant Singh, one of the assassins of the late Prime Minister (PM) Indira Gandhi, Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa, called for the creation of a new Panthic outfit in Punjab on July 23 in New Delhi. He plans to discuss this initiative with radical Khalistani preacher and Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh, who is currently jailed under the National Security Act (NSA) in Assam. Citing voter support for himself and Amritpal, Khalsa criticized existing Sikh political groups like the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) for failing to provide effective leadership and intends to contest the upcoming Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) elections.
23-Jul-2024
Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit met with members of Village Defence Committees (VDC) and residents of the border area in the Bamyal sector of Pathankot district on July 23. During his visit, he praised the VDC's dedication and stressed the need for enhanced vigilance to tackle the drug crisis and bolster border security.
22-Jul-2024
Radical Khalistani preacher and jailed Member of Parliament (MP) Amritpal Singh's election from the Khadoor Sahib parliamentary constituency was challenged on July 22 by petitioner Vikramjit Singh in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The challenge was based on grounds of concealment of required particulars in the affidavit, violation of election expenditure rules, and corrupt practices, including seeking votes on religious grounds and using religious places for campaigning.
22-Jul-2024
Police on July 22 arrested one unidentified person with sulfa drug, in Sangrur in Sangrur district.
22-Jul-2024
Police on July 22 arrested a person identified as Bhinderpal and seized an envelope containing 5 grams of heroin from his possession in Lehal Kalan village in Sangrur district.
22-Jul-2024
Akali Sudhar Lehar leaders Gurpartap Wadala and Jagir Kaur criticized the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government on July 22 for failing to deliver justice in the 2018 sacrilege cases of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. They accused the government of not making timely appeals in the Supreme Court and not prosecuting the Dera Sacha Sauda leader. They announced a series of seminars on Sikh Rehat Maryada, starting on August 5 in Chandigarh, to address these issues and raise awareness.
22-Jul-2024
Police on July 22 froze illegal property worth INR 1.7 crores belonging to six drug smugglers in Jalandhar in Jalandhar district.
22-Jul-2024
Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Singh Mann on July 22 requested a special package of INR 1,32,247 crore from the 16th Finance Commission for the state's holistic development. He highlighted Punjab's contributions to food production and national defense and detailed the need for funds across various sectors, including agriculture, industry revitalization, and tackling drug abuse. Mann emphasized the state's unique challenges, such as narco-terrorism and water depletion, and urged the Commission to support Punjab's economic growth and sustainability initiatives.
21-Jul-2024
Gopalganj police on July 21 arrested two shooters of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, identified as Kamal Rawat and Shantanu Shivam, and seized four Austrian pistols from their possession near the Bihar-Uttar Pradesh border close to Belthari village in Gopalganj district, Bihar. During interrogation, the shooters confessed to committing murders in Rajasthan and revealed the names of their handlers. They also had plans to target individuals in Muzaffarpur and Motihari. The police are conducting further interrogations and will present them in court for remand.
21-Jul-2024
Member of Parliament (MP) from Faridkot Sarabjit Singh Khalsa on July 21 announced that he would form a new party with jailed radical Khalistani preacher and fellow MP from Khadoor Sahib Amritpal Singh once Amritpal is released from jail. Khalsa also expressed confidence in securing at least nine seats in future elections. He criticized the current state of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and indicated potential support from its members, aiming to address key issues and unify diverse groups in Punjab.
21-Jul-2024
Speakers at a discussion chaired by National Minority Commission chairperson and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Iqbal Singh Lalpura on July 21 in Chandigarh called for a more inclusive Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and the need for reforms. Organized by the NCM in collaboration with the Global Punjabi Association, the event emphasized including Sehajdhari Sikhs in SGPC voting rights and focused on enhancing Dharam Parchar (religious discourse).
21-Jul-2024
Rajya Sabha (Upper house of Parliament) Members of Parliament (MPs) V Sivadasan and AA Rahim received a threat call on July 21 at the lounge of Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi from a person claiming to be with the banned Khalistani outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ). The caller threatened to "bombard" areas of Delhi with the Khalistan referendum message. They informed Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar and lodged an official complaint with the Delhi Police.