KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
04-Jun-2005
A court in Jalandhar, Punjab, sentenced two Khalistani terrorists to life imprisonment for the murder of a former police official's son in 1986. The Additional Sessions Judge, SK Garg, sentenced Daljit Singh Bittu and Gursharan Singh Gama to life imprisonment for the murder of Ashok Bedi, son of former SSP Ram KishanBedi, on June 10, 1986. The terrorists were arrested from Anandpur Sahib on April 14, 1996.
01-Jun-2005
A day after police arrested BKI activists, Balvinder Singh and Jaganath Yadav, in connection with the blasts at the Liberty and Satyam cinema halls on May 22, the Delhi Police seized illegal arms and ammunition from a hideout of a BKI terrorist, who is still at large. The DP conducted a raid at the hideout of Jaspal Singh at Inderpuri and recovered 1 kg of RDX, a timer, detonator, a.303 rifle, 20 rounds of ammunition, a uniform of a Punjab Police head constable and several fake driving licenses.
31-May-2005
Two BKI terrorists were arrested in connection with the May 22-bomb blasts at two cinema halls in the national capital New Delhi. While Balwinder Singh was arrested from a village at Nawanshahar in the State of Punjab, the other accused, Jagannath, was arrested from Madipur in Delhi. Rupees 2.94 lakh in cash, 1 kg of RDX and 2 kg of gold was recovered from the latter’s house
31-May-2005
According to media reports, the preliminary interrogation of the accused has revealed that the conspiracy behind the attack was hatched in Stuttgart, Germany. Balwinder has told police that instructions for the attack came from Stuttgart-based Satnam Singh, son-in-law of the BKI chief Wadhwa Singh Babbar, and was facilitated by Pakistan-based leaders of former Punjab terrorist outfits. These men arranged for the RDX used in the attack from Jammu. According to police, the blasts were carried out by four men. ''Two others have been identified as Vikas and Jaspal. We are hopeful that they will be arrested very soon,'' said Delhi Police chief KK Paul.
22-May-2005
Two explosions triggered by crude devices at two cinema halls in Delhi during the screening of the Hindi film Jo Bole So Nihal killed one person and injured at least 60 others. In the first incident at Liberty Cinema on the G. T. Karnal Road, the device reportedly exploded under a seat in the sixth row. The second bomb exploded at the toilet of Satyam Cinema in Patel Nagar. Later, Police found the involvement of BKI terrorists in the blasts.
08-Mar-2005
Police arrested a suspected KCF terrorist, Balraj Singh Raja, near Guru Ravi Dass Chowk in the Jalandhar district of Punjab. Raja, hailing from Daduwal village, had absconded in 1989 when he was arrested by the Jalandhar police along with a heavy quantity of arms and ammunition after jumping bail. He was declared a proclaimed offender in 1990.
22-Feb-2005
According to a report sent by the Chandigarh Police to the UMHA, 13 of the 18 wanted Khalistan terrorists have reportedly escaped from India to find refuge in other countries, including the USA, Canada, and Pakistan, The 13 were wanted by the Chandigarh and Punjab Police in various terrorist activities that occurred in and around Chandigarh during the last 20 years. Most of the terrorists are involved in bomb blasts and were charged under the now-defunct Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, 1987.
31-Jan-2005
Police arrested 11 leaders of the Dal Khalsa, a radical Sikh organization, from outside the Golden Temple in Amritsar on charges of unfurling a "saffron flag" on Republic Day, delivering inflammatory speeches and opening fire in the air.
25-Jan-2005
Punjab Police Chief A Siddiqui said, three BKI terrorists, Jagtar Singh Hawara, Jagtar Singh Tara and Paramjit Singh Beora, who were facing trial for killing the former Chief Minister of Punjab, Beant Singh, along with a murder accused in another case and had escaped from the high-security Burail jail, have fled to Pakistan.
03-Jan-2005
A BKI terrorist, Prem Pal Singh who was involved in an assassination attempt on a senior police official in Punjab and wanted by the FBI for various crimes in the US, was arrested by the Delhi Police. He was reportedly arrested at a passport office in Delhi when he was approaching agents to procure a US visa on its forged passport. A resident of Bassi Pathana in Fatehgarh Sahib, Prem Pal worked as a Government employee before joining the Punjab terrorist outfit, BKI, in 1985. In July 1985, he and his associates attempted to assassinate Punjab Police Additional Directorate of General (Vigilance), A P Pandey, in Ludhiana.
26-Sep-2004
Police arrested a KLF terrorist, identified as Surinder Pal Singh in Patiala District.
21-Sep-2004
The Punjab Police re-arrested BKI terrorist Gursewak Singh alias Babla from a hospital in the Raikot area of Ludhiana district. Babla had escaped from police custody in the national capital Delhi on August 22 while being taken to be produced before a court in connection with a 1998 case relating to sedition and violation of the Explosives Act.
08-Sep-2004
Tarn Taran district police station of Punjab recovered one AK-47 assault rifle from Didar Singh alias Dari, a BKI terrorist, who was arrested in connection with the murder of Baba Jagtar Singh, head of the Dera Akal. According to district police chief Gurkirpal Singh, two magazines and 30 cartridges were recovered from Didar, who is allegedly involved in nine cases of heinous crimes.
05-Sep-2004
The Punjab Police arrested five Kahlistani terrorists, including two suspected Pakistani nationals, along with arms and ammunition from the Pathankot area of Gurdaspur district. The arrested include Saroop Singh, a resident of Jalandhar district and a member of the KCF-Panjwar. He was also closely associated with KCF terrorist Ranjit Singh alias Neeta. Saroop Singh’s brother Nirmal Singh alias Nimma and Rashpal Singh, a resident of the Adampur area in Jalandhar, were the other two arrested. Two other persons who are suspected to be residents of Pakistan, however, identified themselves as Rattan Singh and Avtar Singh.
24-Aug-2004
A BKI terrorist, identified as Gursewak Singh alias Babla, escaped from the Punjab Police custody at Bara Hindu Rao hospital in New Delhi while he was being taken for medical treatment.
17-Aug-2004
According to the annual report of Union Home Ministry 2003-04, Pakistan continues to provide sanctuary to various Sikh militant groups and the ISI, Pakistan’s external intelligence agency, was exerting pressure on these outfits to revive terrorist activities in Punjab. The report indicated that Pakistan continues to provide sanctuary to leaders of important pro-Khalistan militant outfits like BKI headed by Wadhwa Singh, KCF led by Paramjit Singh Panjwar and ISYF led by Lakhbir Singh Rode. Militant groups like KZF led by Ranjit Singh alias "Neeta" and Dal Khalsa International led by Gajinder Singh also continued to receive sanctuary from Pakistani soil, the report said.
16-Aug-2004
Punjab Police arrested the ‘self-styled chief’ of KLF, Harnek Singh alias Bhupat a checkpoint near Madhopur village in the Fatehgarh Sahib district. The accused is wanted in many cases relating to mass killings of innocent people, assassination attempts on political leaders and police officers, kidnappings and extortion. A revolver, some live ammunition, and documents relating to fixed deposits were recovered from his possession.
29-Apr-2004
Two Sikh terrorists, allegedly involved in cases of abduction for ransom and extortion across North India and suspected to be having links with Europe-based Khalistan groups were shot dead during an encounter with the Inter-State Cell of the Delhi Police at Timarpur in Northern Delhi.
29-Apr-2004
Three suspected Punjab terrorists were arrested at Durg in the Akola district of Maharashtra.
03-Jul-2001
Separatist leader and Khalistan ideologue Jagjit Singh Chauhan, in Mohali, said that the three other Panthic Committee members were already in Punjab to achieve their goal of Khalistan through 'democratic' and 'non-violent means'. Regarding their identities, he said, "As per my information, the two are Jarnail Singh Hoshiarpuria and Shehbag Singh." According to police sources their names have figured in the preliminary investigations of various bomb blasts and other terrorist activities in the State. These revelations by Chauhan support the assertion by Pritpal Singh Khalsa, the Switzerland-based 'godfather' of Wassan Singh Zaffarwal who also stated that two Panthic Committee members, who are till date absconding are already in Punjab.
30-Jun-2001
Police arrested 12 persons, on their arrival from Pakistan, at Attari in Amritsar, for their alleged links with Pakistan's ISI. Police sources said the arrested persons had left India about five years ago and had gone to Pakistan through Lebanon. Police are trying to verify the antecedents of the members of the group.
28-Jun-2001
The separatist Sikh leader and Khalistan ideologue Jagjit Singh Chauhan, in Mohali, said that he would remain active for the cause of Khalistan. Chauhan, who returned to India after spending 21 years in exile in the UK, claimed that the undercurrents of the Khalistan movement were very strong there and in other western countries. He added that the urge for Khalistan manifests in the form of protests, conferences, rallies, and demonstrations and also in the form of several pro-Khalistan magazines published in the UK. The Federation of Sikh Organisations, which serves as the platform for different organizations, continues to hold periodic meetings. Chauhan said he had been in touch with various pro-Khalistan groups and terrorist leaders such as the BKI and the ISYF. But he denied having links with groups and terrorist leaders based in Pakistan. He also revealed that he had been in touch with Wassan Singh Zaffarwal after the latter left Pakistan. He said, "We have planned to come to India. Since Zaffarwal decided to follow the illegal route to return, he was able to make it much earlier."
18-Jun-2001
Police arrested a terrorist of the Babbar Khalsa from Dhingar village in Mansa District. The terrorist had been declared a proclaimed offender since 1992 under various sections of the Arms Act and the now-defunct TADA Act.
13-Jun-2001
Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal said that his government would never allow militancy to raise its ugly head in Punjab once again. He said it was the responsibility of everyone, especially of the media, not to glorify the deeds of terrorists as it was not in the interest of the country. When asked about the insecurity that had spread among the people following the granting of permission to terrorists to return to the State from their foreign-based hideouts, he said nobody would be allowed to indulge in violence.
30-May-2001
A day after Punjab and Haryana High Court permitted him to visit India, the Khalistan protagonist Jagjit Singh Chauhan, in a telephonic interview to a national daily, expressed his keenness to return to Punjab. A former Punjab Minister and Deputy Speaker of the State Assembly, Chauhan said he aimed to work and struggle through peaceful means for the attainment of Khalistan, which would include Punjab and the Punjabi- speaking areas of the neighbouring States. He denied that Khalistan was a communal movement aimed at setting up a theocratic state.