KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
21-Aug-2025
Punjab Police on August 21 arrested a man, identified as Malkeet Singh and seized one hand grenade, a .30-bore Px5 pistol, and 10 live rounds from his possession from near Bachiwind village in Amritsar district. Police said he was in direct contact with UK-based gangster Dharma Sandhu, a close aide of Pakistan-based Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terrorist Harwinder Singh Rinda. Acting on intelligence that Malkeet had collected a consignment of weapons and explosives near the International Border (IB) and was on his way to deliver it, the police intercepted him at Bachiwind T-point.
21-Aug-2025
Bibi Amrit Kaur Maloya, daughter of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s assassin Beant Singh, on August 21, announced her candidacy as an independent for the upcoming Tarn Taran bypolls. She is also the sister of Punjab Member of Parliament (MP) Sarabjit Singh Khalsa, a Shiromani Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De) leader from Faridkot.
21-Aug-2025
Giani Harpreet Singh, president of a breakaway Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) faction and former Akal Takht acting jathedar, on August 21, told Sikh bodies at a ‘Sanman Samagam’ in Phagwara, Kapurthala district, that Punjab and the Sikh Panth were facing a “grave crisis.”
21-Aug-2025
Chandigarh police on August 21 unearthed a cross-border narco smuggling racket and arrested six smugglers identified as Pooja, Sameer, Mohd Juned, Nihal Singh, Sahibjeet Singh, alias Sabhu and Amritpal Singh alias Gopi, and seized 654 grams of heroin worth about INR 1 crore and 112 grams of cocaine from their possession, in Chandigarh. Investigations revealed the racket’s links with Pakistan-based handler Zubair Rana of Lahore, who coordinated heroin drops via drones across the border, with Amritpal Singh emerging as the kingpin of the syndicate.
21-Aug-2025
On August 21, Punjab Police, on day 173 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, registered 51 first information reports (FIRs), arrested 70 drug smugglers and seized 5.9 kg of heroin, 5 kg of opium, 2135 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 51,300 from the possession of arrested drug smugglers, across Punjab. With this, the number of total drug smugglers arrested has reached to 26,723 in 173 days.
21-Aug-2025
Police on August 21 arrested one individual, identified as Rachhpal Singh alias PK and seized 5.5 kg of heroin along with INR 50,000 drug money from his possession, in Zira in Ferozepur district.
21-Aug-2025
Bahadurgarh (Jhajjar) Special Task Force (STF) on August 21 arrested two shooters of the Rohit Godara gang identified as Yashpal and Nitin, after a brief encounter and seized two illegal pistols and nine bullet shells from their possession, in Sector 10 in Gurugram in Haryana. Police said the duo was planning to commit a major crime and already faced multiple criminal cases in Rewari and Gurugram districts.
20-Aug-2025
According to police sources, terrorists and criminal gangs in Punjab have increasingly adopted the covert ‘Dead Letter Box’ (DLB) method in recent years to execute terror and criminal operations. Traditionally used in espionage, the technique involves leaving money, weapons, or instructions at pre-determined locations to avoid direct contact and surveillance. Poor and unemployed youth have been the main targets, recruited via social media and lured with small payments to carry out anti-national tasks. Police disclosed that at least 27 incidents over the past 18 months—including the 2022 RPG attack on the Mohali intelligence headquarters and several grenade attacks in border areas—were executed using this tactic. Groups such as Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), and international crime networks linked to Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar have all been found employing the DLB strategy to recruit and operate.
20-Aug-2025
On August 20, Punjab Police, on day 172 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, registered 63 first information reports (FIRs), arrested 98 drug smugglers and seized 954 grams of heroin, 81 kg of poppy husk, 497 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 5,770 from the possession of arrested drug smugglers, across Punjab. With this, the number of total drug smugglers arrested has reached to 26,654 in 172 days.
20-Aug-2025
Amritsar City Police on August 20 arrested two operatives of foreign-based gangster Prabh Dasuwal, identified as Ravi and Joban Singh, and seized a .30 bore pistol in the New Amritsar area in Amritsar district. Ravi was injured in the leg during an encounter after attempting to fire at police. The duo had recently opened fire outside a trader’s residence for extortion on Dasuwal’s instructions, with Joban providing logistical support. Police are tracing another accomplice linked to the incident.
19-Aug-2025
Ludhiana Police on August 19 brought jailed gangster Ashu from Faridkot jail on production warrant in a cross-border drug smuggling case. Investigations revealed he had arranged heroin and sophisticated weapons for arrested peddler Mukkal Mattu through Pakistan-based suppliers, using Instagram to connect with both local peddlers and foreign handlers. Ashu’s interrogation is expected to further expose the international network. Mattu was arrested on August 17 with 1.05 kg of heroin, three pistols, and 21 cartridges.
19-Aug-2025
The Counter-Intelligence (CI) team of Jalandhar Police on August 19 arrested two operatives of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), identified as Vishavjit Singh and Jackson, and recovered a hand grenade from their possession in Nakodar, Jalandhar district. Vishavjit was apprehended in Kolkata, West Bengal, while attempting to flee to Malaysia.
19-Aug-2025
According to sources, Union Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ravneet Singh Bittu’s recent support for the release of “Bandi Singhs” is being viewed as the party’s biggest attempt to woo the Sikh electorate. The statement is significant as seven of the 14 prisoners still in jail were convicted for the assassination of his grandfather, former Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Beant Singh. While Sikh groups and rival Akali factions welcomed the remarks, they remain cautious about the BJP’s intent. The issue of Bandi Singhs continues to be a major political and emotional flashpoint in Punjab, with activists, religious bodies, and political parties demanding concrete action from the Centre.
19-Aug-2025
Akal Takht officiating Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargaj, during a visit to Chittisinghpura in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) on August 19, reiterated the demand for justice for the families of 35 Sikhs killed in the 2000 Chittisinghpura massacre. He said the victims’ families are still awaiting truth and accountability even after 25 years, holding successive governments responsible for suppressing Sikh rights. Gargaj also praised local community members for preserving the memory of the victims and lauded the resilience of Kashmiri Sikhs who chose not to abandon their homeland despite immense atrocities.
19-Aug-2025
Police on August 19 arrested two unidentified smugglers and seized a pistol and 11 live cartridges from their possession, near the Amritsar-Jalandhar highway near Amritsar in Amritsar district.
19-Aug-2025
Border Security Force (BSF) in a joint operation with Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) Amritsar on August 19, arrested one unidentified smuggler and seized 1.225 kg of heroin, two mobile phones and a motorcycle from his possession, near Bagrian village in Amritsar district.
19-Aug-2025
On August 19, Punjab Police, on day 171 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, registered 111 first information reports (FIRs), arrested 151 drug smugglers and seized 1.5 kg of heroin, 3122 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 28,990 from the possession of arrested drug smugglers, across Punjab. With this, the number of total drug smugglers arrested has reached to 26,542 in 171 days.
18-Aug-2025
Border Security Force (BSF) troops on August 18 intercepted and arrested an unidentified smuggler, along with 560 grams of heroin, a motorcycle, and two mobile phones, near Bachiwind village in Ajnala, Amritsar district.
18-Aug-2025
Border Security Force (BSF) troops on August 18 recovered a pistol, two magazines and three live rounds attached to a drone, from fields near Bagrian village in Amritsar district.
18-Aug-2025
On August 18, police revealed that jailed gangster Ashu, currently lodged in Faridkot jail, had arranged heroin and sophisticated weapons for peddler Mukkal Mattu—arrested on August 17—through Pakistan-based suppliers. Investigators suspect the consignment was delivered via drones from Pakistan and collected by local aides in India. Police added that Ashu will be brought on production warrant to further probe the international links of the network.
18-Aug-2025
Punjab Police on August 18 revealed that a Blue Corner Notice has been issued against Canada-based alleged drug smuggler Satpreet Singh Thiara alias Satta. A co-accused in the 2021 drug case against Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia, Thiara has also been linked to the INR 6,000 crore Bhola drug racket. Investigations found that he frequently visited India between 2007 and 2013 and maintained connections with political figures of that period.
18-Aug-2025
On August 18, Punjab Police, on day 170 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, registered 164 first information reports (FIRs), arrested 196 drug smugglers and seized 2.4 kg of heroin, 2 kg of opium, 30 kg of ganja, 13,451 intoxicating tablets/capsules and INR 15,020 drug money from the possession of arrested drug smugglers, across Punjab.
18-Aug-2025
India on August 18 announced the appointment of senior diplomat Dinesh Patnaik as the new High Commissioner to Canada, while Canada named veteran diplomat Christopher Cooter as its envoy to India. The decision followed Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s June 2025 meeting with his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney, where both sides agreed to take calibrated steps to rebuild trust after last year’s sharp downturn over the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
17-Aug-2025
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami on August 17 issued a statement criticising officials for stopping Amritdhari sarpanch Gurdhian Singh from entering the Red Fort with his kirpan on Independence Day, August 15. Dhami alleged discrimination against Sikhs on the basis of religious symbols, asserting that the five Kakars are inseparable from Sikh identity and must be respected as a constitutional right.
17-Aug-2025
A recently released report by Khalsa Vox criticised Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun for supporting United States (US) President Donald Trump’s tariff hikes on Indian exports, even suggesting a 500 per cent increase. The report stated that such a stance directly harms Punjab’s Sikh farmers and dairy workers, whose livelihoods depend on exports of basmati rice, textiles, and dairy products. It warned that opening Indian markets would allow heavily subsidised American farm and dairy corporations to undercut small Sikh farmers and cooperatives like Amul. Khalsa Vox described Pannun’s position as a betrayal, arguing that his anti-India theatrics take precedence over Sikh well-being.