KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
05-Jun-2024
In the 2024 parliamentary elections in Punjab, the Congress emerged victorious, securing seven out of 13 seats, including Amritsar (GS Aujla), Jalandhar (Charanjit Singh Channi), and Patiala (Dr. Dharamvira Gandhi). Two notable radicals who won include Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa from Faridkot and Khalistani preacher Amritpal Singh from Khadoor Sahib, both advocating for justice regarding sacrilege incidents. The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) secured only three seats, while the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) managed to win Bathinda (Harsimrat Kaur Badal). Despite being lodged in Dibrugarh Jail in Assam under the National Security Act (NSA), Amritpal Singh's victory raises concerns due to his pro-Khalistan stance. The elections also saw voters electing the Congress alongside radical leaders, reflecting a complex political landscape in Punjab.
05-Jun-2024
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a charge sheet on June 5 before the NIA Special Court in Jaipur, Rajasthan, against Canada-based gangster Satwinder Singh alias Goldy Brar and 11 others for their alleged involvement in the killing of Karni Sena chief Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi in 2023. Accused Rohit Godara was identified as the mastermind behind the murder conspiracy, along with Goldy Brar and others. Two assailants, Rohit Rathore and Nitin, were provided with pistols along with several rounds and magazines to carry out the attack as part of the conspiracy. Brar, a deputy of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, is wanted for organizing various criminal activities, including targeted killings and smuggling weapons and drugs. The probe uncovered a terrorist gangster syndicate behind Gogamedi's killing, with two others also killed on the same day and Gogamedi's gunman injured. Eight persons have been arrested in connection with the conspiracy, while four others, including gangsters Mahendra Kumar, Ravataram Swami alias Rohit Godara, and Virendra Charan, remain absconding.
05-Jun-2024
On June 5, 2024, the Sikh Sangat and the Gurdwara Management Committee of Gurdwara Attari Sahib Sultanwind held a Panthic Diwan in Amritsar, Punjab, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Teeja Ghallughara. Sikhs gathered to honor the martyrs and reflect on the future of the Panth.
04-Jun-2024
Jailed Khalistani preacher and chief of Waris Punjab De (WPD), Amritpal Singh, won the Khadoor Sahib constituency in Punjab by a margin of 197,120 votes. Singh, who contested as an Independent candidate from jail, received 404,430 votes, defeating Congress leader Kulbir Singh Zira, who garnered 207,310 votes. Amritpal’s father, Tarsem Singh, expressed gratitude for the support and hopes for his son's release, emphasizing that the victory brings blessings and a potential return home.
04-Jun-2024
According to reports, the victory of jailed Khalistani preacher and chief of Waris Punjab De (WPD), Amritpal Singh, in the Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha constituency has brought relief to him and his 41 jailed aides. Despite his previous Khalistani activism, his election campaign focused on drug addiction and the release of Sikh prisoners, avoiding separatist rhetoric. His parents led the campaign, garnering support, especially among the youth, without invoking Khalistan. Singh remains jailed under the National Security Act (NSA) with 12 pending cases.
04-Jun-2024
The Lok Sabha elections in Punjab resulted in two surprising wins: jailed Khalistani preacher and chief of Waris Punjab De (WPD), Amritpal Singh from Khadoor Sahib, and the elder son of Beant Singh, one of former Prime Minister (PM) Indira Gandhi’s assassins, Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa from Faridkot. Both won as independent candidates, with Amritpal defeating Congress's Kulbir Singh Zira by 1,97,120 votes and Khalsa beating Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP’s) Karamjit Singh Anmol by 70,053 votes. Their campaigns focused on local grievances and justice issues, resonating strongly with voters.
04-Jun-2024
The likely wins of Independents—jailed Khalistani preacher and chief of Waris Punjab De (WPD), Amritpal Singh, and the elder son of Beant Singh, one of Prime Minister (PM) Indira Gandhi’s assassins, Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa—in Punjab's Lok Sabha elections reflect deep-rooted issues such as unresolved grievances, economic distress, and discontent with traditional parties. Both candidates' campaigns focused on pressing local issues like drug addiction and historical injustices, resonating with voters seeking change and justice.
04-Jun-2024
Though Punjab voted against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), farmer groups are worried about societal polarization due to the victory of independents Amritpal Singh and Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa. Farmers believe that decisive action on issues like drug abuse and price rise by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) could have led to victories for Congress and AAP. Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Pavel Kussa suggested that the fundamentalists’ wins benefit the BJP's Hindutva agenda, while dissatisfaction with AAP's inaction drove votes toward fundamentalists.
03-Jun-2024
The Bareilly police on June 3 booked five members of two gurdwara management committees—identified as Malik Singh Kalra, Gurdeep Singh Bagga, Harnam Singh, Rajendra Singh Jani, and Hardeep Singh Nimma—after posters of Khalistani militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, along with Amrik Singh and General Subeg Singh, were put up at the Sikh shrines at Model Town and Janakpuri gurdwaras in Bareilly, in Bareilly district, Uttar Pradesh, during the ongoing Balidan Diwas (Martyr’s Day) of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots being observed from June 1-6. The posters were removed following police intervention, and the investigation is ongoing.
03-Jun-2024
2024 marks the 40th anniversary of Operation Blue Star, a military operation carried out in June 1984 to flush out Sikh militants from the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab. The operation led to significant civilian and soldier casualties, extensive damage to the Golden Temple, and triggered a series of political repercussions, including the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and the subsequent anti-Sikh riots, deeply affecting India's political landscape and relations with the Sikh community.
03-Jun-2024
Meta recently exposed a China-operated network promoting Khalistan sentiments among Sikh communities across several countries, revealing the use of fake accounts and manipulated content to amplify their message. The operation, linked to misinformation activities in 2023, highlights the ongoing China-Pakistan collaboration to destabilize India. This underscores the importance of robust cybersecurity measures and vigilant monitoring of social media platforms to counteract such foreign interference and misinformation campaigns.
03-Jun-2024
In a recent viral audio clip allegedly featuring gangster and Khalistani terrorist Goldy Brar, he accuses the late singer Sidhu Moose Wala and his family of being anti-Sikh and supporters of the Congress party. Brar claims they killed Moose Wala to prevent his June 5, 2022, show in Delhi, as it coincided with the anniversary of Operation Bluestar, a period of mourning for Sikhs. Brar also mentions his troubled past, attributing his turn to criminal behavior to personal tragedies, including the loss of his brother in 2020.
03-Jun-2024
The Border Security Force (BSF) troops on June 3 intercepted and recovered a drone from near the International Border (IB) fence near Attari village in Amritsar district. The recovered drone was identified as a China-made DJI Mavic 3 Classic.
03-Jun-2024
The Border Security Force (BSF) troops on June 3 recovered a packet containing 440 grams of heroin in a partially burnt condition, from the outskirts of Daoke village in Amritsar district.
03-Jun-2024
The Border Security Force (BSF) troops on June 3 recovered a packet containing 537 grams of heroin and a drone near the zero line on the outskirts of Mastgarh village in Tarn Taran district. The operation was carried out after the BSF were alerted by a local villager about a drone.
03-Jun-2024
The Navi Mumbai Police recently uncovered a plot to kill actor Salman Khan involving the Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar gangs, who allegedly considered using minors for the task. During the investigation, police discovered a video call between gang member Ajay Kashyap and a Pakistan-based individual named Dogar, where Dogar showed Kashyap four to five weapons, including AK-47s. Sharpshooters Anmol Bishnoi and Rohit Godara were stationed at various locations under Goldy Brar's orders, with John allegedly providing the vehicle for the operation. Based on specific information, a case was registered against 17 accused, including Lawrence Bishnoi, his brother Anmol, gang member Sampat Nehra, Goldy Brar, Ajay Kashyap, Sukha Shooter, Sandeep Bishnoi, Wasim China, and Dogar, among others, revealing detailed reconnaissance and weapon procurement discussions.
03-Jun-2024
In anticipation of the 40th anniversary of Operation Blue Star, the Punjab Police have heightened security measures, particularly in Amritsar. Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar and Amritsar (Rural) Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Satinder Singh have overseen security arrangements due to concerns over potential unrest from calls for an Amritsar Bandh by Dal Khalsa on June 6 and a march on June 5. With recent developments, including actions by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and political campaigning, intelligence officials remain vigilant to maintain peace during the commemoration. Bhullar assured that elaborate security measures, including the deployment of 4,000 police officers and paramilitary forces, are in place to prevent any disturbances in the holy city.
02-Jun-2024
The 77th birth anniversary of Sikh militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, former head of the Sikh seminary Damdami Taksal, was commemorated on a large scale in Rode village in Bagha Purana Tehsil, Moga district, on June 2. Leaders from various Sikh organizations attended the event to pay tribute.
02-Jun-2024
In a joint operation on June 2, the Bhiwani police and the Navi Mumbai police arrested one member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang who was allegedly involved in the plot to kill Bollywood star Salman Khan, identified as Deepak alias Johnny from Bhiwani in Bhiwani district in Haryana. Deepak, who had been living in Mumbai for about two decades, was arrested in Bhiwani, Haryana, where he had returned apparently to evade police scrutiny. He was reportedly assigned the task of providing a vehicle to execute the plot. The Navi Mumbai police will further interrogate him in connection with the case.
02-Jun-2024
Following the conclusion of the Lok Sabha elections, on June 2, Punjab farmers resumed their "Kisan Andolan 2.0" by marching back towards the Shambhu interstate border between Punjab and Haryana on their tractor-trailers, near Shambhu village in Patiala district, Punjab.
01-Jun-2024
The Navi Mumbai police on June 1 arrested four members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang for allegedly plotting an attack on actor Salman Khan at his Panvel farmhouse, identified as Dhananjay Tapesingh alias Ajay Kashyap, Gaurav Bhatia alias Nahvi, Vaspi Khan alias Waseem Chikna, and Rizwan Khan alias Javed Khan, in Navi Mumbai in Maharashtra. The police revealed the four were in touch with jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his brother Anmol Bishnoi.
01-Jun-2024
Punjab witnessed largely peaceful polling for its 13 Lok Sabha seats on June 1, recording a 61.32% turnout compared to 70.63% in 2014 and 65.94% in 2019. The election saw no alliances between major parties, resulting in four-cornered contests, with the presence of radical leaders making some contests five-cornered.
31-May-2024
The Meta quarterly report of May 2024 revealed China's interference in Indian and Sikh affairs, leading to the removal of 37 Facebook accounts, 13 pages, five groups, and nine Instagram accounts linked to coordinated inauthentic behaviour targeting the global Sikh community, including in Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, the United Kingdom, and Nigeria. This network also targeted platforms like Telegram and X (formerly Twitter) with fake accounts posting manipulated content about Sikh issues and criticism of the Indian government. Indian security agencies suggest this may involve a joint China-Pakistan operation.
31-May-2024
Simranjit Singh Mann, a hard-line member of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) (SAD-A) and Lok Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) for Sangrur in Punjab, has been campaigning for the 2024 elections with a focus on Sikh identity, Khalistan, and the release of Bandi Sikhs. His platform includes addressing the drug menace, opening trade routes with Pakistan, and tackling gangster culture, while invoking the legacy of figures like Sikh militant leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and Sidhu Moosewala. Mann, a former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, resigned in protest of Operation Blue Star and has been an advocate for Sikh separatism and identity.
31-May-2024
Punjab's Lok Sabha elections coincide with the 40th anniversary of Operation Blue Star, underscoring the state's search for a strong Sikh leader following the tenures of Amarinder Singh and Parkash Singh Badal. Candidates with pro-separatist views, such as Simranjit Singh Mann from Sangrur and jailed Khalistani preacher Amritpal Singh from Khadoor Sahib, are gaining traction amid rising anti-establishment sentiments, especially after the farmers' protests. The inability of mainstream parties to address the drug menace has also fuelled support for these radical figures.