KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
06-Jul-2025
On July 6, Giani Raghbir Singh, the estranged former head granthi of the Golden Temple, extended support to acting Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj amid ongoing tensions with the 'Panj Pyaras' of Takht Patna Sahib, in Amritsar district. Singh, who had distanced himself from his successor after being removed as Jathedar, honoured Giani Gargaj with a robe of honour and prasad at the Golden Temple. The Akal Takht secretariat described the gesture as a show of support for Gargaj’s authority and a rejection of the Patna Sahib edict declaring Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal guilty of religious misconduct.
06-Jul-2025
On July 6, the decomposed body of 26-year-old kabaddi player Gurbhej Singh was found within the Shahkot police station complex in Jalandhar district. He had been reported missing since July 4. Police suggested that his death may have resulted from an insect or snake bite. However, Gurbhej’s family and some observers have alleged foul play and suspect a possible cover-up.
06-Jul-2025
On July 6, Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De), led by Tarsem Singh—the father of jailed Khalistani radical preacher and Khadoor Sahib Member of Parliament (MP) Amritpal Singh—announced its intention to contest the upcoming Tarn Taran assembly by-election. The party is reportedly in talks with Paramjit Kaur Khalra, widow of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, as a potential candidate. While Tarsem Singh stated that a final decision has not yet been made, he expressed confidence in strong public support, citing Amritpal Singh’s recent electoral victory in Khadoor Sahib.
06-Jul-2025
Senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and former Speaker of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Ravinder Singh, raised alarm over the deepening divisions within the Sikh community—particularly among the Takht Jathedars—and called for the restoration of Panthic leadership through a transparent, collective 'Panchayat'-style model rooted in Sikh ideals. In a statement, he urged the Panth to refocus on the central authority of Akal Takht Sahib and warned that failure to return to core values could lead to the permanent weakening of Sikh leadership.
06-Jul-2025
Punjab Police on July 6 arrested a mother-son duo, identified as Charanjit Kaur and her son Balwinder Singh, and seized 1.8 kg of heroin, two mobile phones, and a motorcycle from their possession in Nihale Wale village, Ferozepur district. Police revealed that the family was operating a heroin smuggling racket with links to Pakistan, and one of Kaur’s other sons is already in jail on similar charges.
06-Jul-2025
Amritsar Rural Police on July 6 arrested one individual, identified as Ravinder Singh and seized 1.227 kg of ICE drug (methamphetamine), a Glock pistol, an unregistered Hyundai i20 car and a mobile phone from his possession, near Jagdev Khurd village in Ajnala in Amritsar district. Police stated that Ravinder Singh and his associate, Armandeep Singh, who managed to escaped, were linked to Pakistani smugglers and involved in large-scale drug trafficking.
06-Jul-2025
On July 6, Punjab Police on day 127 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign registered 105 first information reports (FIRs), arrested 143 drug smugglers and seized 3.5 kg of heroin, 1.5 kg of opium and INR 54,750 drug money from their possession, across Punjab.
06-Jul-2025
Moga Police, in a joint operation with the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) and Counter-Intelligence (CI), on July 6, arrested three unidentified operatives of Canada-based gangster Lakhbir Singh alias Landa’s gang and seized two .30 bore pistols with 10 live cartridges, one .32 bore pistol with three live cartridges, and a car from their possession in Moga district. The arrests foiled a plot to assassinate Dr. Aniljeet Kamboj.
06-Jul-2025
According to sources, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal has been declared 'tankhaiya' (guilty of religious misconduct) by Takht Patna Sahib, one of Sikhism's five highest temporal seats, for repeatedly ignoring summons and allegedly interfering in its internal affairs. The announcement was made by Takht Patna Sahib Jathedar Giani Baldev Singh after Badal failed to appear before the Panj Pyaras despite being summoned twice—in late May and again in mid-June 2025. In response, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami criticised the decision as an overreach, stating that Takht Patna Sahib had acted beyond its jurisdiction and risked sowing confusion and discord within the Sikh community.
05-Jul-2025
Border Security Force (BSF) troops on July 5 recovered one packet of heroin weighing 574 grams from fields near Rajoke village in Tarn Taran district.
05-Jul-2025
On July 5, Punjab Police, on day 126 of its drugs “Yudh Nashian Virudh” registered 91 first information reports (FIRs), arrested 139 drug smugglers and seized 6.9 kg of heroin, 6.1 kg of opium and INR 1.19 lakh drug money from their possession, across Punjab.
05-Jul-2025
Counter Intelligence (CI) wing of the Amritsar police on July 5 busted a cross-border narco-smuggling module with links to Pakistan and arrested four of its operatives identified as Resham Singh, Gurpinder Singh, Rooppreet Singh and Shubhkar Manjit Singh, and seized 5 kg of heroin along with a Mahindra Thar car and a Hero Splendor motorcycle, in Amritsar in Amritsar district. The Police revealed that the accused were acting on the directions of a Pakistan based smuggler named Kaka, who used drones to drop narcotics across the border for further distribution within Punjab.
05-Jul-2025
On July 5, Jugraj Singh, the younger brother of gangster Jagrup Singh Rupa—one of the shooters involved in the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala—was shot dead by three unidentified men in Chanan Ke village, Amritsar district. Police suspect the killing is linked to the ongoing rivalry between the Bambiha and Jaggu Bhagwanpuria gangs.
05-Jul-2025
Chandigarh Police on July 5 filed a chargesheet against three operatives of the Khalistani terror outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), identified as Harwant Singh, Sumandeep Singh, and Jobanjit Singh, who were allegedly planning a major terror attack in Chandigarh. Police revealed that Harwant Singh is a close aide of U.S.-based terrorist Harpreet Singh alias Happy Passia, and Pakistan-based Harwinder Singh Rinda.
05-Jul-2025
On July 5, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami and Akal Takht acting Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj paid tributes to Khalistani terrorists Hardeep Singh Nijjar and Gajinder Singh during an event organised by radical groups, including Dal Khalsa, to mark their death anniversaries at the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar district. During the event, the organisers also urged the SGPC to install portraits of the two individuals in the Central Sikh Museum.
04-Jul-2025
On July 4, Punjab Police, on the 125th day of its 'Yudh Nashian Virudh' campaign, registered 79 first information reports (FIRs), arrested 101 drug smugglers, and seized 2.3 kg of heroin, 520 grams of opium, and INR 8,270 in drug money across Punjab.
04-Jul-2025
The Gharinda police on July 4 recovered a packet of heroin weighing 700 grams after a suspect, identified as Jai Vijay, fled on foot when his motorcycle slipped near Chak Mukand bridge in Chak Mukand village, Amritsar district. A case has been registered against him, and efforts are underway to arrest him.
04-Jul-2025
The Gharinda police, on July 4, acting on a tip-off about suspicious activity, recovered a packet of heroin weighing 562 grams from near a drain in Bhaini Rajputa village, Amritsar district.
04-Jul-2025
Amritsar Police on July 4 busted an inter-state narco-hawala syndicate and an international narco-arms module with links to Malaysia and Pakistan by arresting nine individuals—identified as Jaspreet Singh Chauhan, Harpreet Singh, Tejbir Singh, Danish, Saloni, Jobanpreet Singh, Kulwinder Singh, Abdul Rehman, and Pardeep Pintu—and seizing 1.15 kg of heroin, five sophisticated pistols, and INR 9.7 lakh in drug money from their possession in Amritsar district.
04-Jul-2025
On July 4, Dr. Aniljeet Kamboj was critically injured when two unidentified men, posing as patients, opened fire on him inside Harbans Nursing Home in Kot Ise Khan, Moga district, Punjab. Dr. Kamboj, who had reportedly received extortion threats in the past, was rushed to a private hospital in Moga town, where he remains on a ventilator. Police have formed multiple teams to investigate the incident.
04-Jul-2025
On July 4, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) organised a religious programme at the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar district to commemorate the attack on the shrine by the then government during the Punjabi Suba Morcha on July 4, 1955. The event featured Gurbani Kirtan, Ardas, and a Hukamnama, with SGPC officials condemning the Congress government's actions during the agitation.
04-Jul-2025
According to sources, the Rajya Sabha Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs, based in New Delhi and chaired by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament (MP) Radhamohan Das Agarwal, recently conducted an extensive six-hour discussion on cybercrime. During the session, members focused on the circulation of anti-India videos by Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Khalistani terrorist and chief of Sikhs For Justice (SFJ). Intelligence officials informed the committee that, in coordination with United States agencies, efforts are underway to block such content and that a broader policy is being formulated to take down offensive anti-India websites
04-Jul-2025
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on July 4 conducted a raid at the residence of an individual identified as Sunny, who has links to Khalistani networks, and seized several electronic devices, including computer hard drives, mobile phones, and financial documents, in Dharamshala, Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh (HP). Sunny, accused of fraud, money laundering, and terror financing, is also alleged to have defrauded people with false promises of foreign travel.
04-Jul-2025
Punjab Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sukhminderpal Singh Grewal on July 4 condemned the death threats allegedly issued by foreign-based Khalistani terrorists Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, chief of the banned terror outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), and wanted terrorist Harvinder Singh Rinda, calling it part of a wider 'digital terror' campaign, in Phagwara, Kapurthala district, Punjab.
03-Jul-2025
On July 3, the Punjab and Haryana High Court expressed grave concern over the escalating drug crisis, noting a dangerous shift from traditional narcotics to highly potent synthetic substances such as cocaine and heroin. The court linked the proliferation of these drugs to international crime syndicates, rising violence, corruption, and money laundering. Emphasising the immense economic and social costs, the court called for the strictest judicial response under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.