KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
07-Apr-2023
Punjab Police on April 7 announced the cancellation of all leaves of police personnel until April 14. According to an official letter issued by the Office of the Director General of Police (DGP), Punjab, all previously approved leaves are now null and void.
07-Apr-2023
According to a report published on April 7, Amritpal Singh, the leader of Waris Punjab De (WPD) underwent eye surgery in Georgia to resemble the slain Khalistani militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, before returning to India in 2022. Sources from the intelligence agency were cited in the report, which also mentioned that Amritpal Singh's associates, who are presently incarcerated in Dibrugarh jail in Assam, disclosed this information. According to Amritpal Singh's associates, he had stayed in Georgia for two months (from June 20, 2022, to August 19, 2022) to undergo eye surgery.
07-Apr-2023
Police arrested a man along with his son and daughter, identified as Reemal Das, Rocky and Chhaya allegedly for drug peddling and recovered 75 grams of intoxicant powder from their possession in Nangal in Rupnagar district on April 7.
07-Apr-2023
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on April 7 criticized the Punjab Government for exaggerating their event at Takht Damdama Sahib in Talwandi Sabo in Bathinda district. During a speech to a gathering at Takht Damdama Sahib, Akal Takth Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh pointed out that the national media was incorrectly reporting on the event, claiming that Amritpal would be detained at the event.
07-Apr-2023
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on April 7 expressed strong disapproval of the inaccurate portrayal of historical facts pertaining to the Sikh community in National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) books. Harjinder Singh Dhami, the SGPC chief, alleged that the NCERT had presented ‘deceptive’ information about the Anandpur Sahib Resolution in Chapter 8 (‘Regional Aspirations’) of the Class XII political science book named 'Politics in India Since Independence'.
06-Apr-2023
According to police, 19 individuals have been arrested by the Amritsar Rural Police in connection with the Ajnala clash that occurred on February 23. Satinder Singh, the chief of Amritsar Rural Police, stated that the suspects were identified by analyzing videos showing the incident, which involved storming the Ajnala police station and a confrontation with the police that resulted in injuries to several officers. The authorities are still investigating to identify the remaining individuals involved. The majority of those arrested were aggressive and used swords and blunt weapons to break barricades and attack the police. However, as per police sources, more than 30 individuals have been identified by the authorities, and efforts to apprehend them are underway through raids.
06-Apr-2023
Reports indicate that the Sikh community, including the highest Sikh temporal authority, Shri Akal Takht Sahib, did not support fugitive Waris Punjab De (WPD) leader Amritpal Singh's call for Sarbat Khalsa (Sikh assembly). Religious authorities of the Sikh community are displeased with the way Amritpal Singh attempted to impose his demands on the Jathedar (chief) of Shri Akal Takht Sahib. Despite Amritpal's demand to hold a Sarbat Khalsa, the Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh did not respond. However, the decision to schedule a Gurmati Sangam from April 12 to 15 implies that there were no intentions to hold the Sarbat Khalsa.
06-Apr-2023
Reports suggest that the special investigation team (SIT), established under the guidance of the Punjab and Haryana High Court (HC) to investigate potential links between Punjab police officials and the drug mafia, has not accused any police officer in their three reports.
06-Apr-2023
The spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Arindam Bagchi, on April 6 urged for the most severe measures to be taken against Khalistani radicals in the United Kingdom (UK). This statement comes after a group of Khalistan supporters seized India's national flag from atop the mission in London and replaced it with separatist flags while shouting pro-Khalistani slogans. The MEA also criticized the UK government's lack of concern for the safety of Indian diplomatic facilities and personnel, and raised serious questions regarding the UK police's response, as the Khalistani extremists involved in the incident remain at large.
06-Apr-2023
Patiala police arrested Sahil alias Kala, a gangster linked with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and wanted in connection with the murder of Kabaddi player Dharminder Singh Bhinda, from Bhadson Road in Patiala district. Police also recovered two pistols and 10 live cartridges from his possession. Bhinda who was murdered near Punjabi University in Patiala on April 6, 2022.
06-Apr-2023
It has been reported that the Punjab Government, at the request of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), has begun to gather information on the properties of 57 individuals accused of being gangsters, terrorists, and members of the banned organization Sikhs For Justice (SFJ). Ferozepur district has the largest number of properties associated with the accused, with 12, while Tarn Taran (11) and Amritsar (10) come in second and third, respectively. Other districts where these properties are suspected to be located include Kapurthala, Moga, Mohali, Fazilka, Muktsar, Gurdaspur, and Hoshiarpur.
05-Apr-2023
The Dal Khalsa on April 5 announced that it plans to organize a Khalsa March and hold a political conference at Anandpur Sahib on April 13 to observe ‘Khalsa Sajna Divas’. An Ardas ceremony will also be conducted at Takht Kesgarh Sahib, seeking the release of political prisoners. Additionally, the party leaders paid tribute to 13 individuals who lost their lives at a gurudwara in Amritsar on April 13, 1978.
05-Apr-2023
The Border Security Force (BSF) on April 5 recovered seized five bottles containing approximately 2.638 kg of heroin, on the Indian side of the border fence near Mehandipur village in Tarn Taran district.
05-Apr-2023
The Border Security Force (BSF) personnel on April 5 shot down a drone that had entered Indian territory near BOP Pul Moran in the Ajnala sub-division of Amritsar district. Following the incident, the BSF troops conducted a search operation and discovered nine packets of heroin.
05-Apr-2023
Arvind Kejriwal, the national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), on April 5 expressed confidence that the Punjab state government's persistent efforts would lead to justice being served in cases related to sacrilege. He also stated that the nexus of politicians, bureaucrats, and drug smugglers that has adversely affected the state for generations through drug abuse will soon be apprehended and held accountable.
05-Apr-2023
According to the Panth Sewak collective, a group of ten Sikh activists, the recent crackdown in Punjab is a joint effort by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre and the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) government in Punjab. The collective claims that this is an attempt to isolate and defame the Sikh community after their “good work during the farmers’ agitation and Covid-19 pandemic”.
05-Apr-2023
According to reports, security agencies are closely monitoring the "special gathering" that has been called by Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh at Takht Sri Damdama Sahib in Talwandi Sabo on April 7 to discuss the role of Sikh and Punjabi journalism, the contribution of Sikh media, and the challenges ahead in the context of the current situation in Punjab. Additionally, the Jathedar has invited the Sikh community to attend the "Baisakhi samagam" from April 12 to April 15 at Takht Sri Damdama Sahib.
05-Apr-2023
Official sources on April 5 stated that the Delhi Police and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) have arrested almost 300 gangsters and mid-level criminals as part of a seven-month long crackdown on the nexus of north India-based gangsters. The Delhi Police's Special Cell and Crime Branch units have arrested 51 top hardcore operatives of this gangster-terrorist nexus, along with 217 mid-level criminals over the last six to seven months. Additionally, a large number of arms and ammunition, including AK-47s, MP-5s, grenade launchers, and hand grenades, has been seized. The sources further revealed that Union Home Minister Amit Shah has been closely monitoring the crackdown against the gangsters, including Deepak Boxer, and Pakistan-backed terror groups.
04-Apr-2023
The Border Security Force (BSF) on April 4 recovered roughly 9.5 kg of heroin in the vicinity of Bachiwind village in Amritsar district. BSF officials stated that their troops, stationed at the border, heard a suspicious sound of a flying object (drone) entering Indian territory from Pakistan near Dhanoe Kalan village in Amritsar. Subsequently, the troops fired at the object and conducted a search of the area in which they discovered three large packets wrapped in yellow adhesive tape in the wheat fields close to Bachiwind village in the district.
04-Apr-2023
The banned pro-Khalistan group, Sikh For Justice (SFJ) on April 4 offered support to the United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I), which has been leading an armed campaign since 1979 to establish a sovereign Assam. This came a day after the ULFA-I urged the SFJ not to make any unwarranted comments about Assam. SFJ leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, expressed in an open letter addressed to ULFA-I leader Paresh Baruah, their willingness to extend legal assistance and logistical support for the "Assam Independence Referendum."
04-Apr-2023
It has been revealed that a Gurudwara in Hoshiarpur allegedly aided the fugitive pro-Khalistan activist Amritpal Singh in eluding the police for the second time near Hoshiarpur on March 28. According to reports, Amritpal had paid obeisance at Nadalon gurdwara a number of times and he was closely associated with its chief Jathedar Gurmeet Singh.
03-Apr-2023
Impreet Singh Bakshi, a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Delhi, on April 3 alleged that he received a call from a Khalistani operative who claimed to be fugitive Khalistani radical preacher Amritpal Singh and threatened him for opposing them on social media for attacking Indian embassies in the United States (US), the United Kingdom (UK) and Canada. According to Bakshi, the caller warned him to refrain from any anti-Khalistani activities, or else he would be killed. He has filed a case in this connection at the Lajpat Nagar police station in New Delhi.
03-Apr-2023
The Paresh Baruah led United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) on April 3 termed the Sikhs For Justice (SFJ)’s threat to Assam Chief Minister (CM) Himanta Biswa Sarma as unfortunate and misunderstood.
03-Apr-2023
The External Affairs Minister (EAM), S. Jaishankar on April 3 warned the supporters of Khalistan by emphasizing that India would not tolerate any act of disrespect towards its national flag. He conveyed that India was a responsible and firm nation, unwilling to tolerate any such activities. Jaishankar specifically cited the recent incident in London where protestors pulled down the Indian flag, displayed Khalistani flags, and chanted pro-Khalistani slogans.
03-Apr-2023
Jasbir Singh Virk, the national president of Bhartiya Sikh Sangathan (BSS), on April 3 expressed that if advocating for an independent Khalistan might be considered offensive and distressing, then it is equally unconstitutional to turn the country into a ‘Hindu Rashtra’. He also criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for its divisive agenda that disrupts the harmony of the country.