KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
12-Jun-2024
Punjab Police's initiative to establish dedicated financial investigation units has yielded significant results, leading to the attachment and freezing of properties worth INR 188 crore acquired through illegal drug activities since 2022. With the addition of 60 financial domain experts recruited to assist in tracking drug money and other financial crimes, the force aims to strengthen its capabilities further. These units, comprising trained officials and civilian support staff, play a crucial role in identifying and seizing assets linked to drug dealers and other criminal activities, thereby contributing to the state's efforts to combat drug trafficking and financial fraud.
12-Jun-2024
Police on June 12 arrested a woman, identified as Mohan Kaur for attempting to smuggle 10 grams of drug powder to her grandson, Jaswant Singh, during a meeting at Central Jail in Faridkot district.
11-Jun-2024
Police on June 11 busted a trans-border narcotic smuggling network and arrested three drug smugglers, identified as Gursahib Singh, Sajan Singh, and Satnam Singhand seized 8 kg of heroin, one .30 bore pistol, 26 live cartridges of .30 bore, a Splendor motorcycle, and a Maruti Swift car from their possession at a checkpoint near Adda Khusro Tahli in Amritsar district. The smugglers were linked to a Pakistan-based network using drones to deliver heroin across the Indo-Pak border in Punjab. The case is registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and the Arms Act.
11-Jun-2024
On June 11, a Sikh man identified as Sukhwindar Singh was attacked and called a “Khalistani” by two youths while heading home on his scooter in Kaithal district in Haryana. Preliminary investigation revealed the man had consumed alcohol, and a case of assault was registered by the police against two unknown individuals. Despite no evidence of the slur being used, the incident drew condemnation from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Congress, and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders, who demanded swift action against the culprits.
11-Jun-2024
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) in Amritsar on June 11 condemned the assault on a Sikh man, Sukhwinder Singh, in Kaithal, Haryana, and demanded immediate legal action against the culprits. SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami expressed shock and emphasized that the incident reflects growing hate against the Sikh community. He called on the Haryana and central governments to urgently address these illegal activities.
11-Jun-2024
The Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) of the Punjab Police on June 11 arrested two more operatives of a terror module being run by foreign-based mastermind Iqbalpreet Singh alias Buchi, identified as Simarjot Singh and Arshpreet Singh alias Arsh, along with two pistols — one .30 calibre and one .32 calibre — and 11 cartridges in Ludhiana district. The arrests follow the earlier capture of four module members, including key operative Gurwinder Singh alias Shera, on May 14, 2024. The accused have criminal backgrounds and have cases registered in Punjab and Rajasthan.
10-Jun-2024
India’s External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar recently criticized Canada for allowing space for separatists and extremists who advocate violence, stating that it harms bilateral relations and is detrimental to Canada.
10-Jun-2024
Canada’s High Commissioner in India, Cameron MacKay, condemned the display in Brampton celebrating the assassination of former Prime Minister (PM) Indira Gandhi. He stated that there is no place in Canada for hate or the glorification of violence.
10-Jun-2024
Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann, on June 10, responded to the incident involving a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) constable slapping actress and Member of Parliament (MP) Kangana Ranaut. He stated that the constable's anger was likely fuelled by Kangana's remarks on the farmers' protest. He also criticized Kangana for labelling Punjab as a 'terrorist' state and highlighted Punjab's historical contributions and agricultural importance.
10-Jun-2024
Jalandhar Commissionerate Police, on June 10, arrested three criminals associated with the Canada-based terrorist Lakhbir Singh Landa’s gang: Gurpreet Singh alias Gopy, Bhupinder Singh alias Bunty, and Jagroop Singh alias Joopa, in Jalandhar district. The arrests followed an attempted murder case reported by a security officer on June 3, leading to the suspects' confession of involvement in serious crimes, including robbery, extortion, and illegal arms dealing. The police also revealed that the accused were engaged in cross-border smuggling of weapons and drugs, with further investigations ongoing under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
10-Jun-2024
The Border Security Force (BSF) troops, On June 10, in a joint operation with Punjab Police, recovered 536 grams of heroin near Rajatal village in Amritsar district.
10-Jun-2024
The Border Security Force (BSF) troops on June 10 recovered a broken drone from the fields adjacent to Naushera Dhalla village in Tarn Taran district.
10-Jun-2024
Commandants stationed at Frontier Headquarters in Jalandhar on June 10 convened to deliberate and strategize essential operational, administrative, and logistical matters. In addition to enhancing operational readiness, they assessed the current security landscape, ensuring comprehensive preparedness to address potential threats effectively.
09-Jun-2024
The Border Security Force (BSF) troops on June 9 intercepted a drone and subsequently recovered a packet of heroin weighing 530 grams along with the drone near Rattankhurd village in in Amritsar district.
09-Jun-2024
On June 9, Ravneet Singh Bittu, a three-time Member of Parliament (MP) from Punjab and a vocal critic of pro-Khalistan hardliners, was inducted into Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi's council of ministers in New Delhi. Bittu, the grandson of assassinated former Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Beant Singh, is known for his tough stance against the Khalistan movement and high parliamentary engagement.
09-Jun-2024
According to sources, Canadian intelligence chief David Vigneault made two unannounced visits to India in February and March 2024 to discuss the killing of Khalistan terrorist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Vigneault provided Indian officials with intercepted communications and other information related to the case. This occurred before Canada arrested four Indian nationals in connection with Nijjar's murder.
09-Jun-2024
A three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to investigate the alleged incident where Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament (MP) Kangana Ranaut was slapped by Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) woman constable Kulwinder Kaur.
09-Jun-2024
On June 9, several farmer organizations, including the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), participated in a protest march demanding a fair investigation in the case involving Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) woman constable Kulwinder Kaur, who was booked for slapping Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament-elect Kangana Ranaut in Mohali, Sahibzada Ajit Singh (SAS) Nagar district, Punjab.
09-Jun-2024
Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on June 9 directed all senior police officers, from Additional Director Generals of Police (ADGP) to Station House Officers (SHOs), to be present in their offices from 11 am to 1 pm on working days to address public grievances. At the Punjab Police Headquarters (PPHQ) in Chandigarh, senior officers have designated days to meet with citizens: Special DGP (Welfare) Ishwar Singh on Monday, ADGP Security SS Srivastava on Tuesday, ADGP Traffic AS Rai on Wednesday, ADGP Provisioning G Nageswara Rao on Thursday, and Special DGP Law and Order Arpit Shukla on Friday.
08-Jun-2024
According to sources, tensions in Punjab have escalated as Khalistani sympathizers scored election victories, with pro-Khalistan slogans heard at the Golden Temple in Amritsar during the 40th anniversary of Operation Blue Star. Security measures around the temple have been heightened. Notably, Khalistani preacher Amritpal Singh clinched the Khadoor Sahib seat and is linked to violent activities. The Punjab Police are cracking down on his emerging militia, Anandpur Khalsa Fauj (AKF), confiscating firearms and apprehending associates. This renewed pro-Khalistan agitation underscores the enduring impact of Operation Blue Star and ongoing separatist sentiments.
08-Jun-2024
Khalistani preacher and Member of Parliament (MP) from Khadoor Sahib, Amritpal Singh, was visited on June 8 by his parents, Tarsem Singh and Balwinder Kaur, at Dibrugarh Central Jail in Assam, where he has been detained since April 2023 under the National Security Act (NSA). His mother brought sweets and new clothes for his upcoming oath-taking ceremony. They also appealed to the central government to drop all charges against him to enable him to fulfil his duties in the Lok Sabha.
08-Jun-2024
Border Security Force (BSF) troops, on June 8 recovered a packet containing 500 grams of heroin, near the Attari joint check post, near Attari village in Amritsar district.
08-Jun-2024
On June 8, hundreds of activists from the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) (Doaba) staged a protest against the suspension of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) constable Kulwinder Kaur, who had slapped Bollywood actor and newly-elected Member of Parliament (MP) Kangana Ranaut at Chandigarh Airport. The protest took place at Bus Stand Chowk in Goraya, Jalandhar district, Punjab, where slogans were raised against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government and an effigy of Kangana was burnt. BKU (Doaba) leaders warned of escalating their agitation against the BJP and Kangana unless the First Information Report (FIR) against Kaur was withdrawn, asserting that the protest would continue until their demand was met.
07-Jun-2024
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on June 7 filed charges against seven more accused in the high-profile case involving a narcotics haul of over 100 kilograms in Attari, at the Patiala House Court in New Delhi. These individuals were identified as key operatives in an international drug syndicate. Earlier, the NIA had charged four others and established connections to Afghanistan-based Nazir Ahmed Qani and Dubai-based Shahid Ahmed in the smuggling operation. The investigation unveiled the intricate smuggling and distribution network, resulting in multiple arrests.
07-Jun-2024
According to a senior official, India formally raised the issue with Canada on June 7, concerning a float depicting the assassination of former Prime Minister (PM) Indira Gandhi during a pro-Khalistan protest outside its consulate in Vancouver. A formal diplomatic complaint was conveyed to Global Affairs Canada, highlighting concerns over the promotion of violence and anti-India sentiment.