KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
20-Apr-2024
The Border Security Force (BSF) troops on April 20 recovered 2.710 kg of heroin along with a drone from fields near Jangir Singh ki Dhani village in Ferozepur district.
19-Apr-2024
Police on April 19 arrested a youth, identified as Akashdeep Singh and seized 20 grams of opium and INR 25,000 drug money from his possession, near Balongi barrier in Mohali in Sahibzada Ajit Singh (SAS) Nagar district.
19-Apr-2024
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on April 19 froze the immovable assets of key aide of Pakistan-based Sikh separatists involved in a 2021 motorcycle-borne explosion in Punjab, identified as Surat Singh, in Mahatam Nagar village in Fazilka district. The blast took place on September 15, 2021 in a Bajaj Platina bike in Jalalabad. Singh, designated as a key associate of Habib Khan and the terrorist Lakhveer Singh, had a significant role in a narco-terror racket aimed at destabilizing the region. He utilized encrypted communication channels and fake IDs to facilitate logistical and financial aspects of terrorist activities, leading to his indictment along with Khan and Lakhveer Singh by the NIA.
19-Apr-2024
The Border Security Force (BSF) on April 19 recovered a packet containing about 500 grams of heroin along with a China-made drone, near Neshta village in Amritsar district.
19-Apr-2024
The Jalandhar Police Commissionerate on April 19 thwarted planned target killings by apprehending two gangsters from the Bambiha gang, identified as Anil Kumar (alias Rocky) and Mukesh Sharma (alias Munna) and seized 1 kg of opium, three pistols, five magazines, and nine cartridges from the duo in Kabir Nagar area, Jalandhar district. Rocky was caught with a pistol, a magazine, and three live cartridges, leading to Munna's arrest in Delhi's Karol Bagh area. Munna was found with 1 kg of opium, two pistols, four magazines, and six cartridges during his apprehension.
19-Apr-2024
On April 19, for the third consecutive day, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) organized a 'rail roko' protest near Shambhu railway station in Patiala district, Punjab. A panchayat is scheduled in Jind district on April 22 to address the arrests of three farmers and alleged police atrocities during previous protests, leading to an open debate invitation extended to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders on April 23 at Kisan Bhawan in Chandigarh.
19-Apr-2024
On April 19, two inmates of Sangrur District Jail, identified as Harsh and Dharminder Singh, lost their lives and two others, identified as Gagandeep Singh and Mohammad Sehbag, sustained serious injuries after an alleged altercation among inmates broke out at the Sangrur District Jail in Sangrur. The police could not ascertain the cause of the fight, and investigations are ongoing to determine the circumstances leading to the incident.
19-Apr-2024
The Punjab and Haryana High Court responded to a petition by Punjabi singer Jaskaran Singh Grewal on April 19, directing the police to provide two security personnel to him, citing threats allegedly received from unknown individuals on Instagram in Chandigarh. The court's directive will remain effective until at least May 16, which is the next hearing date. In his petition, Grewal emphasized the seriousness of the threats, citing his brotherly bond with Subhdeep Singh alias Sidhu Moose Wala and suggesting a potential link to Moose Wala's status and their association.
19-Apr-2024
The Border Security Force (BSF) on April 19 recovered a pistol without a magazine, from the fields near the International Border (IB), on the outskirts of Bharopal village in Amritsar district.
19-Apr-2024
Police on April 19 arrested a sharpshooter of the Lawrence Bishnoi-Goldy Brar gangster syndicate, identified as Sachin alias Chichad, and seized one semi-automatic sophisticated pistol of .32 bore with four live cartridges from his possession, near Mangolpuri Industrial Area in North West Delhi district in Delhi. Sachin was wanted in a recent firing incident in Kurukshetra in Haryana where he was allegedly tasked to intimidate witnesses by setting fire to the victim's house, had come to Delhi on the syndicate's orders.
18-Apr-2024
In a significant breakthrough, the police recently dismantled a complex global drug smuggling network originating from Punjab to Himachal Pradesh (HP), led by a Delhi-based interstate drug smuggler and software engineer identified as Sandeep Shah, by arresting two individuals, identified as Veer Singh and Santosh Kumar alias Gappa with large quantities of chitta (heroin) in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh (HP). The operation utilized WhatsApp for communication and coordination, taking advantage of the platform’s anonymity and encryption. The network’s modus operandi involved discreetly ordering potent narcotics like heroin on WhatsApp and dispatching them through courier services disguised within innocuous parcels.
18-Apr-2024
The police and the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) on April 18 arrested two individuals associated with the Bambiha gang, identified as Anmoldeep Singh and Gurmeet Singh and seized two pistols, 10 cartridges, and a car in Sri Muktsar Sahib district in Punjab.
18-Apr-2024
According to sources, the recent arrest of two shooters allegedly involved in firing outside actor Salman Khan’s residence and linked to gangster Lawrence Bishnoi’s syndicate has revealed a new modus operandi. Traditionally targeting vulnerable minors, the syndicate has now turned to luring unsuspecting labourers with promises of lucrative rewards. Operating from abroad, the gang coordinates its activities, with individuals overseas instructing recruits to carry out orders. Utilizing internet-based services and international coordination, the syndicate engages in various criminal activities, including extortion and smuggling, with Bishnoi orchestrating operations from prison and channelling funds abroad.
18-Apr-2024
Noida Police on April 18 arrested three members of the Bawariya Gang identified as Sher Singh alias Sheru, Sunny Sharma alias Rampal, and Daya Sagar and seized three pistols, cartridges, ten chains weighing approximately 100 grams and valued at INR 8 to 9 lakh, a stolen motorcycle, and a car from their possession in Noida, Gautam Buddha Nagar district, Uttar Pradesh (UP). The suspects were involved in crimes across multiple cities, including Jaipur, Haridwar, Sitapur, and the National Capital Region (NCR).
17-Apr-2024
Malerkotla Police recently attached movable and immovable properties belonging to three drug peddlers identified as Khushi Mohammad, Mohammad Nazir, and Mohammad Sehbaz, with a total value of INR 1,78,77,000, in Malerkotla district, Punjab. The police seized these properties located in Chamrian Wala Khoo, Abbaspura, and Jamalpura villages in Malerkotla district, following approval from competent authorities in Delhi. These properties, constructed between 2021 and 2023, were acquired using proceeds from illegal drug trafficking activities. Furthermore, the police have identified eight additional cases involving properties worth crores for potential attachment.
17-Apr-2024
Police on April 17 arrested one suspect, identified as Dildar Singh and seized one pistol, along with ammunition and INR 9,80,000 from his possession, in Jethuwal Village in Amritsar district in Punjab. During interrogation, Dildar Singh disclosed that he obtained the pistol from Vishal, who was detained in Kurukshetra District Jail, Haryana. Vishal admitted to possessing a .32 bore pistol and a country-made pistol, which he acquired due to his affiliation with the Bambiha gang and involvement in arms procurement from Madhya Pradesh (MP). Acting on this information, the police recovered the pistols from Vishal's residence.
17-Apr-2024
Punjab Police on April 17 dismantled an interstate drug cartel operating from Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), arresting three individuals, Gurjant Singh alias Ravi, Simarjit Singh alias Nikka Bath, and Jaspreet Singh along with 8 kg of heroin and INR 5 lakh in drug money near Madhopur in Pathankot district, Punjab. Gurjant and Simarjit were apprehended on April 17, while Jaspreet was detained on April 22. Further investigations revealed Harpal Singh alias Bittu Bhalwan, a UK-based B-category gangster, as the alleged mastermind orchestrating the network remotely.
16-Apr-2024
Police on April 16 revealed that the two men arrested for the murder of Vishva Hindu Parishad's (VHP's) Nangal unit president Vikas Prabhakar alias Vikas Bagga, identified as Mandeep Kumar alias Mangi, and Surinder Kumar alias Rikka were jobless, and they were lured by money to serve as foot soldiers for a terror module backed by a Pakistan-based organization.
16-Apr-2024
Punjab Police on April 16 solved the murder case of Vishva Hindu Parishad’s (VHP’s) Nangal unit president Vikas Prabhakar alias Vikas Bagga, by arresting two accused individuals identified as Mandeep Kumar alias Mangi, and Surinder Kumar alias Rikka and recovering two 32-bore pistols, 16 live cartridges, one empty used cartridge, and a TVS Jupiter scooty used in the crime from their possession in Rupnagar district. Additionally, the police uncovered the suspects’ involvement in a terror module supported by Pakistan-based masterminds. The investigation further revealed that the murder was planned with the involvement of foreign entities based in Pakistan and Portugal.
16-Apr-2024
A Special Task Force (STF) of the Police on April 16 arrested four drug peddlers, including three women, identified as Jhony Kumar, his wife Parjeta, his mother Neelam Khosla and Sonia Rani, and seized 800 grams of heroin, INR 2 lakh drug money and a Ford Endeavour from their possession, at Hambran road near Ludhiana in Ludhiana district. Acting on a tip-off, the STF intercepted the accused as they were transporting heroin from Shahkot to Ludhiana via Hambran Road in the Ford Endeavour, leading to their arrest.
16-Apr-2024
Punjab and Kaushambi Police on April 16 arrested a member of an international crime syndicate identified as Ghanshyam Vishwakarma, for his involvement in firing at a trader's establishment in Hoshiarpur, Punjab, with the intention of extorting INR 5 crore, in Baiskati village in Kaushambi district in Uttar Pradesh (UP). Vishwakarma, who is a rival of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, is affiliated with the Kaushal Chaudhary gang, known for its global criminal activities. He faces charges in multiple states.
16-Apr-2024
Police on April 16 froze properties worth INR 76.55 lakh belonging to a drug smuggler named Sukhchain Singh alias Sonu, in Bhakhra village in Ferozepur district. Singh was charged under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in 2012 when 500 grams of heroin were seized from him. As a result of the operation, his residential property valued at INR 72.48 lakh, a pickup van worth INR 3.52 lakh, and a bank account containing INR 55,375 were seized.
16-Apr-2024
The police on April 16 arrested a member of the notorious Jitender Gogi syndicate, identified as Piyush Barela alias Sunny, and seized an illegal semi-automatic sophisticated pistol loaded with three bullets from the Manglapuri area in South West Delhi, Delhi. According to the police, Sunny was apprehended while en route to assassinate a rival gang member and had been recruited for this task by gangsters Rohit and Monu Dagar.
15-Apr-2024
Recent intelligence reports indicate a leadership vacuum within pro-Khalistani entities, leading to a dilemma, with only a few advocating violence. Several meetings have been held in the United States (US) and Canada to identify new leaders, including Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the chief of the banned Khalistani terror outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ). Disunity among Khalistani sympathizers is evident, with Pakistan-backed groups intensifying efforts in the United Kingdom (UK) and Canada. Indian agencies are closely monitoring these activities, warning against violent protests outside Indian consulates, and expressing concerns over human trafficking by pro-Khalistani elements.
15-Apr-2024
On April 15, India and the United Kingdom (UK) discussed expediting action under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty and prioritizing extradition requests at the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) headquarters in New Delhi. Notable fugitives sought by Indian agencies, such as Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi, and Sanjay Bhandari, along with Khalistani separatists and terrorist sympathizers, are based in the UK. CBI Director Praveen Sood and UK representatives, including Acting High Commissioner Christina Scott, along with Interpol Secretary-General candidate Stephen Kavanagh, discussed enhancing operational collaboration, criminal intelligence sharing, and combating financial crimes, terrorism, cybercrime, and transnational threats.