KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
02-May-2022
India on May 2 condemned the “official citation” made in the General Assembly in the state of Connecticut in the United States (US), recognising the 36th anniversary of the declaration of ‘Khalistan’, saying “vested interests seek to divide communities and promote bigotry and hatred. Their agenda of violence has no place in democratic societies like the US and India”. The Consulate General of India at New York tweeted a statement, saying the Embassy of India in Washington DC and the Consulate General of India in New York would take up this issue appropriately with US lawmakers.
02-May-2022
The Khalistani terrorist outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) warned Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann and Director General Police (DGP) Viresh Bhawra against taking action against the Khalistan supporters who are accused in the April 29 Patiala violence case. In a video, SFJ leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun was heard inciting communal tensions by claiming that Sikhs gave a fitting response to the "Hindu extremists" in Patiala. He also cautioned Mann and Bhawra against following a policy pursued by the late CM Beant Singh failing which they will have to face consequences. Beant Singh was assassinated in a bomb blast on August 31, 1995. In the video, Pannun also asked the police to not disrespect family members of the Sikhs named in connection with the Patiala clash. Moreover, he warned that the children of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders and police officials studying in Australia, the UK, Canada and the US will be forced by SFJ to return back home if the children of the accused are harassed.
02-May-2022
Police arrested a Tanzanian woman, identified as Rahma and recovered 300 gm of heroin from her possession in Zirakpur in Mohali district.
02-May-2022
According to reports, Akal Takht is all set to initiate action against US-based Thaminder Singh Anand for allegedly distorting the Gurbani while printing the saroops of Sri Guru Granth Sahib in an unauthorised manner. Thaminder, who runs SikhBookClub.com, has been accused of not only getting published the copies of the ‘saroop’, but also uploading its PDF on the website.
02-May-2022
Punjab police on May 2 identified the key accused in the smuggling of drugs at the India-Pakistan border, a day after the Border Security Force (BSF) arrested a farmer with 1 kg heroin when he was returning back after tilling his fields between the barbed wire fence and the zero line. Pooran Singh of Hardo Rattan village situated near the Attari border, who owns around five acres of agricultural land on both sides of the barbed wire fence, was identified after police got inputs from Dilbagh Singh of the same village, who was arrested on May 1. “Dilbagh has told us that he was clearing the consignment of heroin from his field at the instance of one Pooran Singh of his village. We have found that Pooran also owns around five acres of agricultural land on both sides of the barbed wire fence,” an unnamed senior Punjab police official said.
01-May-2022
The Punjab School Education Board banned three books for allegedly distorting facts related to Sikh history. Punjab Education Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer on May 1 said that action will be taken against writers and publishers for allegedly distorting facts related to Sikh history in the books.
01-May-2022
Border Security Force (BSF) on May 1 arrested a farmer, identified as Dilbag Singh with two packets of suspected heroin weighing approximately 1.2 kg near the international border in Amritsar sector in Amritsar district. According to sources, alert BSF troops arrested the farmer, while he was trying to conceal suspicious narcotic packets when he had gone ahead of the fence for farming.
01-May-2022
The Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) of the Punjab Police on May 1 arrested three aides of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and Canada-based outlaw Goldy Brar from Bathinda in Bathinda District. Those arrested, identified as Lovepreet Singh, alias Sachin, Himmatveer Singh Gill and Balkaran, alias Vicky, were planning to target a prominent businessman of the Malwa region for extortion. The police have recovered four pistols and 20 cartridges, besides an i20 car from their possession.
30-Apr-2022
Punjab police on April 30 arrested two more persons, identified as Daljeet Singh and Kuldeep Singh, allegedly involved in the clash over an anti-Khalistan march in Patiala in Patiala district and identified a Rajpura resident with criminal antecedent as the mastermind behind the incident. Earlier hours after the clash on April 29, the police had arrested Harish Singla, the “working president” of a group called “Shiv Sena (Bal Thackeray)” on charges of taking out the procession without permission and instigating violence. The new Inspector General of Police (IGP) of Patiala range, Mukhwinder Singh Chhina said that six FIRs have been lodged in connection with the April 29 incident and a total of 25 people have been named in them. He also said that police have identified Barjinder Singh Parwana, a resident of Rajpura in the district, as the main accused and one of the masterminds of the incident.
30-Apr-2022
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National General Secretary Tarun Chugh said that anti-national forces sitting across the border are plotting to attack the brotherhood of Punjab. He said that permanent peace has been established in the state after thousands of sacrifices, now a conspiracy was hatched to fight the brotherhood who have been together for centuries. He said that the people of the state got caught in the trap of a handful of conspirators. Chugh said that even when there was a specter of terror in the state, both the communities did not let the limits of each other's religious sentiments get hurt.
29-Apr-2022
Khalistani elements hoisted a Khalistani flag outside Deputy Commissioner (DC) office in Malerkotla in Malerkotla district in the wee hours of April 29. A video surfaced on social media platforms in which Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the chief of Khalistani terror outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) took the responsibility for the incident. He said in the video, “On the occasion of Khalistan Day, Singhs hoisted Khalistni flag on Deputy Commissioner’s office in Malerkotla. This is a message to Bhagwant Mann’s government. The date of the Khalistan Referendum to free Punjab from India is closing down in Punjab. Prepare yourself to go on the other side of Yamuna.” Later, the flag was removed by the police from the office. While the police officials are sticking to the version that was done by miscreants to create law and order problems in the region, the security agencies are not taking the issue lightly and investigating the matter to avoid such incidents in the future.
29-Apr-2022
According to reports, a Khalistani banner was pasted outside the Superintendent of Police’s (SP) residence in Kurukshetra and outside Police Line in Kurukshetra, in Kurukshetra district of Haryana. In a video message, Sikhs For Justice (SFJ)’s chief Pannun said, “Today, the movement of ‘Haryana Banega Khalistan’ has been started across the world. Haryana and Himachal were parts of Punjab till 1966. A website has been launched for the movement. We will not give up an inch of Punjab’s land.” The video also used a photograph of Khalistan supporter and actor Deep Sidhu, who had died in a road accident a few months ago. Later, the Police confiscated the banner and initiated an investigation.
29-Apr-2022
Four persons were injured when a clash took place outside the Kali Mata temple in Patiala in Patiala district on April 29 between the members of an outfit called Shiv Sena (Bal Thackeray) and some Khalistan supporters. Brandishing swords and sticks, the miscreants espousing the separatist cause were seen taking on the Sena workers and this was followed by stone-pelting from both sides. Subsequently, the local authorities imposed a curfew in Patiala.
29-Apr-2022
Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, while addressing a 100-member Sikh delegation on April 29, said that Sikh tradition is a living example of one India, strong India and the community has become synonymous with the national spirit of courage, prowess and diligence. “The Sikh tradition is a living tradition of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’. The nation remains grateful for the community’s contribution to India’s Independence and later. India’s history is incomplete without the mention of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s contributions, Sikhs’ struggle against the British and the Jallianwala Bagh tragedy,” the PM said. Saluting the Sikh spirit of service and enterprise, he said India’s rising stature made diaspora the proudest and opened new horizons for them as the world viewed them with greater respect.
09-Apr-2022
The Special Task Force on April 9 arrested two persons allegedly carrying 600-gm heroin near Warring village on Kotkapura Road in Muktsar in Sri Muktsar Sahib district.
09-Apr-2022
After holding a meeting with the Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit and Sarpanchs of Punjab’s border areas, Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann on April 9 informed that he will be meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah on April 12 to discuss the menace of cross border smuggling in the state. In his first meeting with Home Minister Shah as Punjab CM, Mann will put forth the demand to provide the state police with the best technology to nip the issue in the bud.
08-Apr-2022
Chairing its first meeting, Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on April 8 asked the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) to utilize the services of State Special Operation Cells (SSOCs) at Mohali, Amritsar and Fazilka in addition to the services offered by 361 police stations across the state to stamp out the gangsters. SSOCs have been established by the Punjab Police to interrogate accused involved in the terror-related cases. The CM reiterated his government’s firm commitment to wiping out the menace of gangsterism from the state. He said the task force would be empowered with requisite manpower, advanced technology, vehicles and adequate funds. Mann said the responsibility of providing security to three crore people in Punjab lies with him and he will leave no stone unturned to boost their morale on this count.
08-Apr-2022
A day after the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) rejected Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann’s offer to allow the telecast of Gurbani at the Golden Temple on various communication platforms, the Akal Takht on April 8 asked the State Government get a nod from the Centre for the SGPC launching its own channel. Akal Takht acting Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh also directed the SGPC to launch its own web channel to telecast live Gurbani till permission for the TV channel is granted.
08-Apr-2022
Police arrested a person, identified as Gurpreet alias Gopi, who reportedly supplied weapons, including AK-47, to associates of banned Khalistani terrorist groups, from Sonipat in Sonipat district of Haryana. Earlier, on February 19, the CIA unit of the district police had arrested four persons along with weapons. The probe revealed that the accused were involved in “contract killings” in Punjab on the directions of the banned terrorist group handlers — Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) and International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF). They had relations with terrorists through the social media platforms. Gopi had supplied the weapons to them at Ambala. The court sent Gopi on four-day police remand.
07-Apr-2022
The Border Security Force (BSF) handed over two women from the Border Security sector in Ferozepur to the Punjab police after recovering 1.2 kg heroin from them. According to the BSF, the recovery was made on April 7 evening.
07-Apr-2022
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed the reply against the bail application of United Kingdom (UK) national Jagtar Singh alias Jaggi Johal who is one of the accused in the targeted killing cases. The court fixed April 21 as the next date of hearing. The NIA termed Johal a chronic offender and said in its reply that during the investigation of the case, it came to light that Johal had played an important role in the eight targeted killings which were carried out by banned terrorist organisation Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) during 2016-2017 in order to destabilize law and order situation in Punjab. The NIA also said that Johal’s involvement was also found in distribution of funds to other accused and in the translation of incendiary material online fanning the fires of secessionist sentiments in Punjab.
07-Apr-2022
Urging the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to allow the state government to install advanced broadcast and communication technologies at the Golden Temple, Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on April 7 said that the Punjab government can provide all possible help in disseminating the ‘Sarb Sanji Gurbani’ across the globe.
07-Apr-2022
Border Security Force (BSF) arrested two women - mother and her daughter - and recovered two packets of heroin weighing 1.2 kg from them on April 7 near an outpost along the Indo-Pakistan border in Ferozepur.
07-Apr-2022
Police arrested two persons, Sunil alias Titu Rajput and Sohan Lal and recovered 120 kg of poppy husk from their car in Peelibanga of Hanumangarh in Abohar in Fazilka district.
07-Apr-2022
Police arrested two persons, Sunil alias Titu Rajput and Sohan Lal and recovered 120 kg of poppy husk from their car in Peelibanga of Hanumangarh in Abohar in Fazilka district.