KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
07-Feb-2026
On February 7, the 19th day of Punjab Police’s statewide ‘war on gangsters’ (Gangsters Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahar—police conducted 584 raids, arresting 180 persons and recovering two weapons from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 112 individuals, 266 persons were verified and released after questioning and 7 proclaimed offenders were also arrested.
07-Feb-2026
On February 7, Punjab Police, on day 343 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 95 drug smugglers and seized 12.3 kg of heroin, 160 kg of poppy husk, 321 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 2640 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
07-Feb-2026
Patiala police on February 7 arrested a drug peddler, identified as Harpreet Singh alias Happy, and seized 1 kg of heroin from his possession in the Rahon Road area of Ludhiana district.
07-Feb-2026
Police on February 7 arrested an operative of an organised narcotics network, identified as Harshdeep alias Harsh, and recovered 8 kg of heroin and INR 3.5 lakh in drug money from his possession near Chitti village in Gurdaspur district.
07-Feb-2026
Police on February 7 arrested a drug peddler, identified as Wasim, and seized 3 kg of heroin and INR 2.25 lakh in drug money from his possession at a naka near the Paniyar sugar mill in Dinanagar in Gurdaspur district.
07-Feb-2026
According to reports, the role of an employee of local Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) functionary Satwinderpal Singh alias Lucky Oberoi, who was gunned down outside a gurdwara in Jalandhar district on the morning of February 6, is under the scanner. When police officials reached the residence of Joga Pholriwal, they found him missing, and his family claimed to be unaware of his whereabouts. Police sources said there is strong suspicion that one of Oberoi’s workers may have provided details of his movements. It also emerged that the worker had allegedly been beaten by Oberoi a few months earlier after being found consuming drugs.
07-Feb-2026
Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria on February 7 criticized the Punjab government, saying criminals no longer fear the law, with gangster-related incidents occurring on a daily basis. He stated that gangsters are willing to go to any extent to take revenge on their rivals and are operating fearlessly across the state.
07-Feb-2026
The wife of a retired Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI), identified as Rachna Devi, was shot dead by two unidentified assailants under mysterious circumstances at Mehandwani Gujran village in the Garhshankar subdivision of Hoshiarpur district on February 7. Police recovered three empty and four live pistol cartridges from the spot. According to the FIR, retired ASI Sham Lal stated that his wife left home around 5 am for a nearby religious place, Kutiya Bhuriwale, as part of her daily routine. The couple’s son, Amandeep, later received a call informing him that his mother was lying unconscious near the shrine and that gunshots had been heard. The police complaint further alleged that a youth sitting along the route to the shrine fired at Rachna Devi without provocation and fled the scene on a motorcycle along with another assailant.
06-Feb-2026
Police on February 6 arrested a woman, identified as Kabo, and seized 30 grams of heroin from her in Phillaur, Jalandhar district.
06-Feb-2026
Police on February 6 arrested a woman, identified as Sunena, and seized 10 grams of heroin from her in Phillaur, Jalandhar district.
06-Feb-2026
Police on February 6 arrested two persons, identified as Sanjeev Masih alias Akash and Lakhwinder Singh alias Boda, and seized 40 loose narcotic pills from their possession in Shahkot, Jalandhar district.
06-Feb-2026
Police on February 6 arrested one person, identified as Vipin Kumar, and seized 21 narcotic pills from his possession in Nurmahal, Jalandhar district.
06-Feb-2026
Police on February 6 arrested one person, identified as Mandeep Singh alias Deepa, and seized 2 grams of heroin from his possession in Shahkot, Jalandhar district.
06-Feb-2026
The Anti-Gangster Operation Cell of the Amritsar Commissionerate Police on February 6 arrested Sarabjit Singh alias Babba and recovered 615 grams of heroin and INR 4,500 in drug money from his possession in the Naraiangarh area of Chheharta, Amritsar district.
06-Feb-2026
The Cantonment police on February 6 arrested a person, identified as Vijay Pal Singh alias Jaggu, and seized 202 grams of heroin and INR 7,500 in drug money from his residence on Loharka Road in Amritsar district.
06-Feb-2026
The Border Security Force (BSF) on February 6 seized a drone along with 548 grams of heroin near the Attari Joint Check Post area in Amritsar district.
06-Feb-2026
The Commissionerate Police Amritsar dismantled a cross-border arms and narcotics smuggling module with international links, arresting five accused, identified as Satnam Singh alias Bindi, Raman, Chirag, Rishabh, and Vaibhav and seizing 523 grams of ICE (methamphetamine) and two Glock 9mm pistols in separate operations at Gate Hakima, in Amritsar district. Satnam Singh was arrested on February 6, while the other four were apprehended on February 9 in the same area.
06-Feb-2026
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Satwinderpal Singh alias Lucky Oberoi was shot dead by two unidentified assailants outside Gurdwara Singh Sabha in Model Town, Jalandhar district, on February 6. CCTV footage shows one of the attackers approaching Oberoi’s vehicle parked outside the gurdwara and firing multiple shots at close range, hitting him in the chest and head. Both assailants were wearing black hoodies with their faces covered by shawls. After the attack, the two were seen fleeing the spot on an Activa scooter while speaking on a mobile phone. Hours after the murder, US-based gangster Joga Pholriwal, who is reportedly associated with the Sonu Khatri gang, claimed responsibility for the killing in a video posted on Facebook. In his post, Pholriwal alleged that Lucky Oberoi was involved in illegal activities and had taken refuge under AAP leadership. He further claimed that the murder was carried out over a dispute related to the Khalsa College presidentship and alleged that Oberoi was acting as a police informer and had attempted to harm members of his gang. Pholriwal tagged Sonu Khatri and several others in the post.
06-Feb-2026
On February 6, the 18th day of Punjab Police’s statewide ‘war on gangsters’ (Gangsters Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahar—police conducted 601 raids, arresting 208 persons and recovering four weapons along with 10 live cartridges from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 121 individuals, 284 persons were verified and released after questioning and 7 proclaimed offenders were also arrested.
06-Feb-2026
On February 6, Punjab Police, on day 342 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 97 drug smugglers and seized 1.6 kg of heroin, 510 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 4 lakhs drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
06-Feb-2026
Police on February 6 arrested a person, identified as Harbans Singh alias Bansa, and seized 90 unlabeled narcotic capsules from his possession in Sukh Sagar Colony, Kapurthala district.
06-Feb-2026
Police on February 6 arrested a person, identified as Kashmir Singh alias Shera, and seized 6 grams of heroin from his possession near Phagrawal Gate in Jalandhar district.
06-Feb-2026
Patiala police on February 6 arrested a drug peddler, identified as Harpreet Singh alias Happy, and seized 1 kg of heroin from his possession at the Mehmadpur barrier in Patiala district.
05-Feb-2026
On February 5, the 17th day of Punjab Police’s statewide ‘war on gangsters’ (Gangsters Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahar—police conducted 681 raids, arresting 274 persons and recovering four weapons along with 11 live cartridges from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 135 individuals, 248 persons were verified and released after questioning and 27 proclaimed offenders were also arrested.
05-Feb-2026
On February 5, Punjab Police, on day 341 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 95 drug smugglers and seized 445 grams of heroin, 516 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 39,020 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.