KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
12-Aug-2023
Ludhiana Police Range Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kaustubh Sharma on August 12 stated that, over the past seven months, the Khanna police, under the leadership of Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Amneet Kondal, have successfully dismantled four major criminal modules and arrested key members of notorious gangs involved in heinous crimes. The individuals arrested include kingpins and active members of gangs led by notorious criminals like Amrit Bal, Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, Lovejeet Kang, and Gagandeep Singh. These operations have resulted in the recovery of a significant cache of arms and ammunition, thwarting potential criminal activities. Additionally, the police have disrupted several interstate weapons supply modules through arrests and seizures.
11-Aug-2023
The Punjab and Haryana High Court (HC) on August 11 acknowledged the growing issue of drug trafficking and consumption in Punjab, emphasizing the need to address the drug menace and peddlers firmly.
11-Aug-2023
The Kapurthala police on August 11 registered a case against singer Manpreet Singh alias Singga, producer BK Singh, director Amandeep Singh, Virun Verma, Sonu Gill and song editor Jatin Arora, for promoting obscenity and gun culture in his 2022 song ‘Still Alive’ at the Kapurthala city police station under Sections 294 (obscenity) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The case has been filed based on a complaint by Bhim Rao Force president Amandeep Sahota who has alleged that through his songs, the singer incited the youth of Punjab to take the wrong path by promoting weapons.
11-Aug-2023
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on August 11 arrested two close associates of Khalistani terrorist Arshdeep Singh Dala alias Arsh Dala, identified as Manpreet Singh alias Peeta and Mandeep Singh, from Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, following their arrival from Manila, Philippines. They were wanted for terror activities, including funding and threats for the banned group Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF). The duo had been involved in arms smuggling, extortion, and recruitment for the KTF, operating from Canada.
11-Aug-2023
The Additional Sessions Court in Chandigarh on August 11 framed charges against Jagtar Singh Hawara in two cases registered against him. The charges include waging war against the government, conspiracy, arms collection, and doing acts for the revival of terrorism and the formation of Khalistan. Hawara is currently serving a life term for assassinating former Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Beant Singh in Tihar Jail in New Delhi.
11-Aug-2023
A group of activists, led by Gursimran Singh Mand on August 11, attempted to hoist the Tricolour (Indian National Flag) at a house linked to the chief of the banned Khalistani terror outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, in Sector 15 of Chandigarh. The group also raised slogans against Khalistan and Pannun; however, Chandigarh Police intervened, citing concerns about law and order.
11-Aug-2023
Representatives of Qaumi Insaaf Morcha on August 11 stated that around 50 Sikh leaders plan to lead a peaceful protest march towards Chandigarh on August 15. Despite seeking permission for the march route, they have not received a response from the Chandigarh administration. The protesters have been demonstrating since January 7 at YPS Chowk, Mohali, demanding the release of Sikh prisoners who have completed their jail sentences. The high court warned the police to remove the protesters by force if necessary, deferring the hearing for August 17.
11-Aug-2023
A Delhi court on August 11 provided a 10-day period to senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Jagdish Tytler to review the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) charge sheet and accompanying documents concerning the Pul Bangash killings case connected to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The court will reconvene on August 21. The charge sheet accuses Tytler of inciting a mob that burned a gurdwara and resulted in the deaths of three Sikhs.
11-Aug-2023
A Pakistani infiltrator was shot dead by the Border Security Forces (BSF) on August 11 near the international border near Thekalan village in Tarn Taran District. Despite being challenged by the troops, the intruder ignored commands to halt and continued advancing. Consequently, the BSF personnel fired shots, resulting in the immediate death of the individual.
11-Aug-2023
Punjab Police on August 11 arrested a suspected smuggler, identified as Harpal Singh alias Bhala and recovered five kilograms of heroin from his possession at a checkpoint near Wan Tara Singh village in Tarn Taran district. According to Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav, Singh was actively participating in trans-border drug smuggling, with the narcotics being transported via drones, and investigations are ongoing to uncover Pakistan-based smugglers and intended recipients of the drugs.
11-Aug-2023
Punjab Police's Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), in a joint operation with Moga police on August 11, arrested gangster Gurpreet Singh alias Gopi Dallewalia and recovered a pistol and five cartridges from his possession in Moga in Moga district. Gopi Dallewalia, along with Gaurav Sharma alias Goru Bacha are the alleged mastermind behind the murder of a rival gang member's father, Santokh Singh, who was shot dead by four assailants in his house on July 16, 2023. The killing was part of an ongoing gang war between the Bishnoi and Bambiha gangs in Moga, with Gopi Dallewalia being linked to the Bishnoi gang.
10-Aug-2023
The Jagraon city police on August 10 arrested an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Pahara Singh and his two accomplices for allegedly extorting a couple who were facing charges in multiple drug peddling cases in Ludhiana district. The case was filed based on a complaint and audio recordings submitted by Inderjit Kaur alias Indu.
10-Aug-2023
According to sources, Indian authorities are working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the United States (US) to extradite international arms dealer Dharmanjot Singh Kahlon who was recently detained in California, US. Kahlon is accused of smuggling weapons for various gangs, including AK-47 rifles, and for supplying weapons allegedly used in Sidhu Moose Wala murder. Kahlon is also a close associate of gangsters Goldy Brar and Lawrence Bishnoi.
10-Aug-2023
On August 10, Jagtar Singh Hawara, a convict in former Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Beant Singh’s assassination case, appeared via video conferencing in Mohali district court for terrorism and sedition related cases. The court had received a letter from Delhi Police, stating that due to Independence Day security measures, they couldn't bring him to court in person. The court scheduled his in-person appearance on August 28 to present charge sheets.
10-Aug-2023
The Border Security Force (BSF) in a joint search operation with Punjab Police on August 10, recovered a packet of heroin weighing 360 grams in Pallopati village in Tarn Taran district.
10-Aug-2023
The Punjab Police on August 10 busted a cross-border drug smuggling racket by arresting three smugglers, identified as Bhindar Singh alias Bhinda, Dilbag Singh alias Manu, and Manipal Singh alias Mani, and seized 12 kg heroin and a car from their possession, near Beharwal village in Amritsar district. The arrested individuals, connected to Pakistan-based smugglers, had criminal records and were part of a wider investigation to uncover the recipients of the consignment, according to Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav.
10-Aug-2023
Senior Congress leader and accused in the 1984 Pul Bangash killings case, Jagdish Tytler, on August 10 requested permission to appear before a Delhi court through video conferencing due to security concerns. Tytler's lawyer sought this remote appearance after a Sikh community protest during his previous court appearance on August 5.
10-Aug-2023
On August 10, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Talbir Gill posted a video on Facebook criticizing Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami for his apparent silence regarding the appointment of a non-Sikh director-principal at Sri Guru Ram Das Institute of Medical Sciences and Research.
10-Aug-2023
The Minister of State for Security, United Kingdom (UK), Thomas Georg John Tugendhat, on August 10 announced an investment of £95,000 (approximately INR 1 crore) to counter the threat posed by pro-Khalistan extremism, during a meeting with India's External Affairs Minister (EAM), S Jaishankar, in New Delhi. He also met with National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval. The UK and India are already collaborating through the Joint Extremism Task Force (JETF) to combat extremism, emphasizing actions against those promoting violent extremism and its financing.
09-Aug-2023
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on August 9 arrested five persons, identified as Anil Bhalla, Akash Bhalla, Sahil Bhalla, Nirmal Singh and Narinder Khillan, in connection with a money laundering case linked to alleged drug trafficking, possession of illegal arms and ammunition, as well as extortion, after carrying out raids in various cities of Punjab. The ED seized Indian and foreign currency and fixed deposits worth about INR 6.25 crore besides arms and ammunition from various locations in Chandigarh, Panchkula, Zirakpur and Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar (SAS) Nagar and Mohali, in Punjab, on August 8. On August 10, they were produced before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court, which sent the five to ED custody till August 17.
09-Aug-2023
Union Minister of State for Home, Nityanand Rai, on August 9 in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament) stated that, the Border Security Force (BSF) has seized the highest amount of heroin from Punjab and Rajasthan and the maximum 'ganja' (Marijuana) from Tripura and West Bengal in the past three years. In Punjab, 506.241 kg heroin was seized in 2020, 485.581 kg in 2021, 320.884 in 2022 and 248.103 kg till June 30 this year, according to Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) data.
09-Aug-2023
The National Intelligence Agency (NIA) on August 9 filed two separate supplementary charge sheets against several key members of the Lawrence Bishnoi and Bambiha gangs while court declared seven individuals including Arshdeep Dala of Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) as proclaimed offenders (POs) in a case related to the multi-state terrorist-gangster-drug smuggler network. Notorious individuals like Lakhbir Singh alias Landa, a Khalistani terrorist associated with Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), and members of the Bambiha gang, have been implicated. The charge sheets are part of an ongoing investigation into a multi-state terrorist-gangster-drug smuggling network.
09-Aug-2023
The banned Khalistani terror outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) on August 9 offered a USD 10,000 reward for details about the Consul General of India in Toronto, Apoorva Srivastava; the High Commissioner of India to Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma; and the Consul General of India in Vancouver, Manish. A poster released by SFJ, titled 'Assassination of Shaheed Jathedar Hardeep Singh Nijjar,' stated that SFJ would initiate criminal prosecution for Nijjar's killers in Canada. The poster also had images of Indian diplomats.
09-Aug-2023
Despite efforts by the Chandigarh and Punjab police to dissuade them, the Qaumi Insaaf Morcha on August 9 announced their intent to proceed with a protest march towards Chandigarh on August 15. The Chandigarh police on August 9 held a meeting with the protest organizers and activists of Qaumi Insaaf Morcha. The Morcha, which has been protesting since January 7 at YPS Chowk in Mohali, is demanding the release of Sikh prisoners.
09-Aug-2023
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on August 9 criticized the significant cuts made by the Indian Censor Board on a biopic about Punjab-based human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, terming it 'legal murder.' The SAD accused the Censor Board of bias and demanded the removal of the imposed cuts to ensure the film's integrity and truthfulness.