KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
08-Nov-2022
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) on November 8 said that a total of 2,420 Indian Sikh pilgrims have traveled to Pakistan to participate in the Guru Nanak Jayanti celebrations in different prominent religious sites.
08-Nov-2022
The Border Security Force (BSF) troops deployed at Border Outpost (BOP) Jagdish spotted three drones coming from the Pakistani side in Ferozepur sector in Ferozepur District of Punjab on November 8. The BSF personnel fired several rounds and used illuminating bombs to bring down the drones spotted, however, of the three drones only two returned to the Pakistani side, whereas the third drone hasn’t returned to the Pakistani side yet, at the time of reporting.
07-Nov-2022
Days after Punjab Shiv Sena Sudhir Suri was killed by unknown persons, Punjab Police advised Hindu leaders to not come out of their homes following death threats by pro-Khalistan leader Gopal Singh Chawla, who is reportedly hiding in Pakistan. According to sources, Police also registered a First Information Report (FIR) against a person, identified as Kulwinder Singh alias Golu in Ludhiana for allegedly celebrating the murder of Suri by distributing sweets in the city.
07-Nov-2022
Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh on November 7 claimed that propaganda is being spread against the Sikhs after the murder of Shiv Sena (Taksali) leader Sudhir Suri and the government should take a strong notice of it. He said, in a video message, “For the last few days, hate propaganda is being spread against the Sikhs in Punjab on a large scale over social media. The Sikhs are getting death threats from the people who are indulging in spreading venomous propaganda.”
06-Nov-2022
Police said on November 6 that the main accused in the Shiv Sena (Taksali) leader Sudhir Suri murder case was “self-radicalised” and committed a hate crime. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to further probe the case, police said. Police Commissioner Arunpal Singh said, “According to the investigation conducted so far, Sandeep Sunny got self-radicalised through Facebook and other social media and committed a hate crime”. He, however, said it was not the conclusion and that an in-depth investigation will be conducted. Police will probe various angles. Technical and financial investigations will also be conducted, he said. The commissioner said only one person has been named in the murder case so far.
06-Nov-2022
The pro-Khalistan group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) announced a legal aid of Rs 10 lakh to defend the man who shot and killed Shiv Sena leader Sudhir Suri in Punjab's Amritsar. Suri was on a sit-in protest outside a temple over alleged sacrilege of Hindu idols and images when he was shot by Sandeep Singh alias Sunny, who was taken into custody from the spot itself. SFJ has termed the shooting of Sena leader Suri "assassination" and not "terrorism". SFJ's General Counsel Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in a video message from Paul Coffee Arena in Canada, said, "SFJ stands behind Bhai Sandeep Singh who took down Suri with referendum by bullet."
05-Nov-2022
According to reports, Media accessed a video that showed the accused murderer of Shiv Sena leader Sudhir Suri, Sandeep Singh, taking the blessing of pro-Khalistan hardliner Amritpal Singh. As per the media report, the meeting between Amritpal and Sandeep allegedly occurred just days before Suri's murder. Earlier, the Shiv Sena leader's family accused Amritpal Singh. They alleged that the pro-Khalistan hardliner had given death threats to Suri.
05-Nov-2022
Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann, during his roadshow in Gujarat's Ahmedabad, issued a statement saying that the accused (Sudhir Suri murder case) has been rounded up. Bhagwant Mann said, "The accused has been rounded up. The investigation is in the preliminary stage. Police are carrying out an investigation. There will be justice."
05-Nov-2022
In a video, which was widely circulated on social networking sites, Gopal Singh Chawla, a pro-Khalistan leader hidden in Pakistan had threatened to kill Hindu outfit leader Amit Arora and national joint coordinator of All India Congress Committee (Kisan Congress) Gursimran Singh Mand. The video was released after the murder of Hindu outfit leader Sudhir Suri. Arora is already on terrorist groups’ target and had survived an attack in 2016. Police restricted these leaders from stepping out from their houses. Police have also increased vigil outside residences of various Hindu outfit leaders.
04-Nov-2022
According to report, the Border Security Force (BSF) troops deployed near the Jagdish border outpost (BOP) in Ferozepur sector in Ferozepur district spotted another drone. According to official sources, the troops heard humming sound of the drone near the Indo-Pakistan border. As per information, the drone first entered the Indian territory at around 10.05 pm, followed by another sortie at around 10.32 pm.
04-Nov-2022
The head of Punjab-based right-wing outfit called Shiv Sena (Taksali), Sudhir Suri was shot dead by a local shopkeeper in the middle of a public protest in Amritsar. According to police, Suri was staging a protest outside a temple in Amritsar’s Kashmir Avenue when he was shot at five times by Sandeep Singh alias Sunny, who ran a garment shop outside the same temple. Later, Singh was arrested by the police. Police didn’t immediately attribute a motive but said that they will swiftly move to investigate all aspects of the crime. “The accused told the police that he had never met Suri before. What triggered the accused to kill the Shiv Sena leader is part of the investigation. We are probing the case from all angles and interrogation of the accused is underway,” the Director general of police (DGP) said. However, a car was also parked near the crime spot with stickers on its windows that appeared to be linked to Waris Punjab De Chief Amritpal Singh, who has courted controversy in the past for his comments backing the creation of Khalistan. But the police refused to confirm if the crime was linked to the outfit.
04-Nov-2022
According to officials, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a charge sheet against six suspected terrorists of the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) in a case related to the seizure of arms and explosives from a vehicle in Haryana in May. The charge-sheeted accused included Pakistan-based Harwinder Singh Sandhu alias Rinda of the proscribed terrorist organization, BKI, who has sent the weapons through drones into the Indian territory for executing terrorist acts in India, a spokesperson of the NIA said. According to officials, the case was initially registered on May 5 at Madhuban police station in Haryana under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Explosive Substances Act and the Arms Act, and re-registered by the NIA on May 24.
03-Nov-2022
In a joint operation with Maharashtra Police, Punjab Police arrested three drug smugglers wanted in the 72.5-kg heroin seizure case in Gurdaspur district. Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav in a tweet said, "In a crucial breakthrough, Gurdaspur Police arrests three high profile drug smugglers wanted in 72.5 kg heroin seizure case at Nhava Sheva Port, Mumbai effected jointly by ATS Mumbai and Punjab Police on July 22."
03-Nov-2022
Stressing the need for solving the Sikh issues, farmers under the banner of Kirti Kisan Union organised a rally at the local Gandhi Municipal Park in Tarn Taran district on Novemebr 3. They also took out a protest march in different parts of the town.
03-Nov-2022
India reiterated its concern over certain forces planning a so-called Khalistan referendum in Canada on November 6 and asked to prevent anti-India activities by individuals and groups. The pro-Khalistan group, Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) has proposed the referendum in Mississauga, near Toronto, on November 6. India has also urged Canada to designate as terrorists under its laws those individuals and entities who have been declared as terrorists under Indian laws. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, "I think we have made our position clear a couple of times. Our position on the efforts by anti-India elements to hold a so-called Khalistan referendum is well known. It has been conveyed to the Canadian government both in New Delhi and in Canada." The Canadian government has conveyed to India that Canada will not recognise the objectionable 'Khalistan' referendum organised by the proscribed organisation Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) in Ontario on November 6, the MEA said.
02-Nov-2022
The High Commissioner of Canada to India, Cameron MacKay, said that Canada “does not support and does not recognise” the so-called ‘Khalistan referendums’ being carried out frequently in that country by banned Sikh outfits and supports a “united India”. MacKay, said in an interview that holding of such so-called referendums are considered to be a “private activity” in that country and according to Canadian laws “people have right to freedom of assembly, people have the right to freedom of expression”. However, the High Commissioner also said that the Justin Trudeau government strongly believed in and stood for a “united India”.
02-Nov-2022
The Jalandhar rural police have got a five-day remand of five persons associated with Canada-based gangster Lakhbir Singh Landa. They were arrested after an encounter and a massive search operation on November 1 from a Bhogpur village in Jalandhar. The police are still on the lookout for another associate, who could not be traced after he went into hiding in sugarcane fields near the house where the six gangsters were staying.
02-Nov-2022
The Punjab and Haryana High Court recently observed that the drug peddlers have successfully destroyed the social fabric of society and led youth to the wrongful path. "Such type of persons need to be dealt with firmly and sternly and no sympathy can be shown to them lest that should prove to be counterproductive and result in increased drug trafficking," Justice Ashok Kumar Verma said, while ruling that the petitioner does not deserve the concession of regular bail.
02-Nov-2022
A Pakistani drone was spotted thrice inside Indian territory near the SS Wala border outpost area in Jalalabad subdivision of Fazilka district. According to official sources, soldiers of the Border Security Force (BSF) 52 battalion heard humming sound of drone inside the Indian territory on the intervening night of November 2 and 3. They fired some rounds after which the drone returned to Pakistan. A similar sound was again heard by the BSF personnel after some time and they fired upon the object, which again escaped. The sources said the drone was spotted again by the BSF personnel, who fired on it for the third time but it again returned to Pakistan.
01-Nov-2022
Jalandhar Rural police and the Delhi Police in a joint operation arrested five persons having links with Canada-based gangster Lakhbir Singh Landa at Chak Jhandu village of Bhogpur in Jalandhar district. Those arrested were identified as Sanjeev Kumar alias Nanu, and Sandeep Kumar alias Sabi, both of Kartarpur in Jalandhar; Gurbir Singh alias Ginni, of Adampur; and Manpreet alias Mann, and Lovepreet Singh alias Chinni, both of Chheharta in Amritsar. The gangsters, six in all, were reportedly hiding inside a vacant house when the police raided the village around 6 am. As the cops were about to enter the house, a brief encounter took place. The accused managed to escape after firing three rounds and hid in sugarcane fields. Using drones, ropes and dog squads, the police managed to arrest five of them, while the sixth managed to flee. One Glock pistol, two .32 bore revolvers, cartridges and three motorcycles were seized from their possession.
01-Nov-2022
Police arrested one person, identified as Balwinder Kumar and recovered 5 gm of heroin from his possession at near the Kangdiwal flyover in Jalandhar.
01-Nov-2022
Police arrested two suspects, identified as Anil Raju Powra (29) and Anveer Jam Singh Powra (24), for allegedly manufacturing and supplying weapons to gangsters in Mohali and recovered 20 country-made pistols and 20 live rounds from them at Kalalda village near Sedwa city in Madhya Pradesh. Police also recovered 20 (.32 and .30 bore) country-made pistols from them. Mohali Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Vivek S Soni and Superintendent of Police (SP) (Investigation) Amandeep Singh Brar said at least 70 weapons had been seized from Mohali district alone that were supplied by this gang. They have been sent to a five-day police custody.
31-Oct-2022
Inspector General of Police (Headquarters) Sukhchain Singh Gill on October 31 said that Punjab Police have arrested 6,997 drug smugglers since July 5 and the police have registered a total of 5,346 first information reports (FIRs) of which 580 are related to seizure of commercial quantity of drugs. According to him, police teams had recovered 259.7 kg heroin from across the state after carrying out cordon and search operations in drug-affected areas besides laying nakas at vulnerable routes across the state. Additionally, 147.5 kg heroin was recovered by the teams of Punjab Police from seaports of Gujarat and Maharashtra, taking the total effective recovery of heroin to 406.5 kg in just four months, he said.
31-Oct-2022
The Dal Khalsa has announced that it will observe 38 years of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots by organizing a ‘march’ in Kapurthala on November 3. The Dal Khalsa leaders said that the march will highlight the state-sponsored violence unleashed on Sikhs in November 1984 in Delhi and other states, the role of leaders in engineering the carnage, the mockery of justice and the failure of the United Nations in holding this country accountable for the killings. The leaders also urged the SGPC to make pictures and paintings depicting the 1984 November horrendous event part of the Central Sikh Museum.
31-Oct-2022
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) has awarded the 16-member team of Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), Punjab with the “Union Home Minister’s Special Operation Medal” for the year 2022. The awardees include the AGTF chief ADGP Promod Ban and his team members. Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav, while congratulating the AGTF Team, expressed gratitude to the UMHA for recognizing the services of these officers. “This recognition will boost the morale of the entire Punjab Police force and encourage them to work with more dedication and devotion,” he said.