KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
13-Sep-2023
Patiala police are investigating the role of certain army officials after the arrest of army man Manpreet Sharma on September 11, who allegedly passed on sensitive military information to a notorious drug peddler, Amrik Singh. Police suspect that Manpreet couldn't have obtained such information without help from a superior. Amrik Singh had connections with Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), and forensic analysis of his seized phone revealed the passing of a 140-page report about an Army camp in Himachal Pradesh (HP) to the ISI. The investigation also uncovered the ISI's involvement in smuggling two AK-47 weapons and around 250 bullets.
13-Sep-2023
Police on September 13 registered a case against 11 identified individuals and some unknown persons following a clash between two groups near the New Grain Market in Abohar in Fazilka district. The clash involved occupants of an Innova and riders on three motorcycles, and it escalated to include weapons such as lathis, kirpans, axes, and even gunfire. The suspects fled the scene, leaving behind some of the motorcycles.
12-Sep-2023
Gurpreet Singh Randhawe Walian, an executive member of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and a Panthic Akali Lehar activist, on September 12, wrote a letter to SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami, inquiring about the whereabouts of rare manuscripts and holy scriptures allegedly seized by the Army after Operation Blue Star in 1984.
12-Sep-2023
The Police Department in the Malerkotla district of Punjab on September 12 initiated an integrated program to combat the drug problem in the district. This program includes identifying drug addicts, offering counselling, and facilitating their rehabilitation. It involves approximately 150 police personnel in the Ahmedgarh and Amargarh subdivisions. Special police teams, led by Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs), are conducting seminars and workshops to raise awareness about the causes and consequences of drug abuse.
12-Sep-2023
On September 12, Vijay Singh, a member of the anti-drug committee, was attacked by nearly a dozen unidentified assailants in Bir Talab village in Bathinda district. The anti-drug committees, established in various villages, have played a role in reducing drug sales, but their members are increasingly targeted by criminals.
12-Sep-2023
According to sources, due to increased vigilance along the Punjab border, drug traffickers from Pakistan have resorted to air-dropping heroin along the borders of Rajasthan and Gujarat. The Border Security Force (BSF) and central agencies have reported a significant rise in drug seizures in these regions. Punjab-based drug dealers have been identified and arrested while attempting to retrieve the dropped consignments via drones, leading to several significant drug busts These shipments were destined for Punjab by way of the road. This shift in drug smuggling tactics highlights the evolving challenges faced by border authorities.
12-Sep-2023
The Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) of Punjab Police on September 12 arrested a gang member of notorious gangster Sonu Khatri, identified as Sajan Gill alias Gabbar from Jalandhar in Jalandhar district. According to Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav, Gabbar was involved in a recent shooting incident in Zirakpur and provided support to the shooters on the instructions of gangster Sonu Khatri, who is closely associated with Khalistani terrorist Harvinder Rinda.
12-Sep-2023
Punjab Police’s State Special Operation Cell (SSOC) on September 12 busted an extortion racket backed by gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, with the arrest of its two key operatives, identified as Tarlochan Singh alias Rahul Cheema and Harish alias Harry alias Baba. Tarlochan Singh alias Rahul Cheema was arrested on September 11 with one pistol along with two live cartridges in his possession, and Harish was arrested on September 12 with the one pistol, in Sahibzada Ajit Singh (SAS) Nagar, in Sahibzada Ajit Singh (SAS) Nagar district in Punjab.
12-Sep-2023
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has reportedly identified 15 individuals allegedly involved in the violence at the Indian High Commission in London, United Kingdom (UK), during a protest on March 19, 2023. The NIA plans to request the UK immigration department to issue Look Out Circulars (LOC) against them, but the challenge lies in persuading the UK government to take action, as there is no equivalent law to India's Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in the UK for such cases.
12-Sep-2023
Canadian Prime Minister (PM) Justin Trudeau left India on September 12 after being stranded for over 36 hours, primarily due to a plane issue. This incident occurred amidst criticism and backlash regarding his diplomatic failure in Canada. Canadian opposition leader Pierre Poilievre and the media highlighted his diplomatic failures at the G20 Summit and strained ties with India due to his perceived patronage of Khalistani elements in Canada. Trudeau's popularity has declined, with the Conservative Party gaining support, as negative perceptions of his government and the overall mood in Canada have impacted his political standing.
12-Sep-2023
The Jathedar of Akal Takht, Giani Raghbir Singh, criticized Pakistan for neglecting Sikh religious sites and urged the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) to address issues such as the illegal occupation of gurdwaras and the restoration of religious practices ('maryada') with the Pakistani government. Giani Raghbir stressed the historical and emotional significance of these sites to the Sikh community and called for their liberation from illegal occupants. He also requested that Sikhs be allowed to pray at these shrines.
12-Sep-2023
According to Indian intelligence sources, the Canadian government has received multiple extradition requests related to individuals involved in pro-Khalistan activities in Canada. These sources alleged that Canada's inaction is driven by domestic political considerations, despite these individuals being associated with terrorism and other serious offenses. Furthermore, the sources emphasized that these pro-Khalistani groups receive support from Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and are involved in radicalizing younger generations.
11-Sep-2023
An army jawan identified as Sepoy Manpreet Sharma on September 11 was remanded to three-day police custody in Patiala, Punjab. Sepoy Manpreet Sharma was working as a computer operator at Western Command headquarters, and was arrested on September 10, by Punjab Police at Bhopal railway station for allegedly sharing sensitive information with Pakistan's Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) through a drug peddler identified as Amrik Singh, in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh (MP). Manpreet had shared a 140-page dossier, maps, pictures of army assets with Amrik, and had a foreign SIM card, suspected to be the source of information in his possession. The arrest followed a joint operation between Punjab Police and Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) Madhya Pradesh, revealing connections between Amrik Singh and ISI.
11-Sep-2023
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the chief of the Khalistani terror outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), recently released a video in which he claims to have hoisted the Khalistan flag on the HUDA City Metro Station flyover in Sector 29 in Gurugram, Haryana. In the same video, Pannun also threatened Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister (UHM) Amit Shah, and External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar.
11-Sep-2023
The Punjab and Haryana High Court (HC) has granted bail to Chandeep Singh alias Gabbar Singh, an accused in the 2019 Tarn Taran blast case, citing the lack of substantial progress in the trial. He has spent nearly 4 years in detention in Chandigarh. The prosecution had labelled Chandeep Singh as a 'radicalized pro-Khalistani' youth and a member of a 'terrorist group.' However, the HC found no credible evidence connecting him to the most serious charge under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and noted that the trial had been slow.
11-Sep-2023
A Delhi court on September 11 transferred the case related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Pul Bangash, in which Senior Congress leader Jagdish Tytler is accused, to a district judge for a sessions trial. The court had previously granted anticipatory bail to Tytler on a personal bond of INR 1 lakh and one surety of the same amount, along with certain other conditions.
11-Sep-2023
Canadian Prime Minister (PM) Justin Trudeau encountered a travel setback when his plane developed a snag, leaving him and his son stranded in New Delhi after the conclusion of the G20 Summit. The situation was further complicated by India's expressed concerns about anti-India activities in Canada and the simultaneous Khalistan referendum organized by the banned Khalistani terror outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) in Surrey, Canada. Trudeau also faces pressure to address these concerns and extradition requests for gangsters and individuals involved in criminal activities in India who are residing in Canada add to the complexity of the situation.
11-Sep-2023
The Border Security Force (BSF) on September 11 recovered a bottle containing about 1.3 kilograms of heroin, near Mehdipur village in Tarn Taran district. The bottle was concealed in the flood debris collected alongside the international border (IB) fence.
11-Sep-2023
Punjab Police have uncovered a financial trail involving three modules responsible for transferring over INR 2 crore in drug money daily to smugglers in Pakistan and Afghanistan through hawala networks in Dubai, Canada, and the United States (US) and have arrested 13 persons associated with such drug modules in the past three weeks. Vinay Aggarwal, along with his son and collection agent, was one of the ‘big fish’ arrested by police. Vinay had conducted business transactions amounting to approximately INR 80 crore in recent weeks. The other ‘big fish’ Naveen Bhatia is absconding, but the police arrested his employees, namely, Shashank Wadhwan, Abhishek, Neeraj, Pamma, Lovepreet, and Sukhwinder.
11-Sep-2023
Amritsar (Rural) police have established anti-drug committees in villages and introduced a drug tip-off helpline number, 978007703, to combat drug supply. According to Gurpratap Singh Sahota, Superintendent of Police (SP), during the anti-drug campaign from September 1 to September 9, the Amritsar (Rural) police registered 28 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, leading to the arrest of 37 suspects. They seized 19.960 kg of heroin, 3 kg of poppy husk, and 70 narcotic pills. Additionally, 17 cases were filed under the Excise Act, resulting in the arrest of 15 individuals and the confiscation of 282,750 litres of illicit liquor.
11-Sep-2023
Police arrested a person, identified as Muhammad Yasin and seized one pistol of .32 bore along with two magazines, one pistol of .9 mm along with three magazines and 12 cartridges, from Mohali, Sahibzada Ajit Singh (SAS) Nagar district.
11-Sep-2023
A man identified as Amandeep Singh died from a drug overdose on September 11 in Moga city in Moga district. Police have arrested his friend Baldeep Singh alias Bablu, and an unidentified drug supplier based on the statement of the deceased's father Kewal Singh. Amandeep and Baldeep had consumed 'chitta' (heroin) procured from an unidentified supplier on September 11.
10-Sep-2023
According to sources, the Special Cell of the Delhi Police September 10 arrested Harry, a key suspect in the murder case of international-level kabaddi player Sandeep Nangal Ambian. He had been on the run since March 14, 2022, when he allegedly killed Ambian. Harry is allegedly a close associate of gangster Kaushal.
10-Sep-2023
Police on September 10 arrested two persons, identified as Sharanjit Singh and William Masih alias Goli, and seized two pistols and cartridges from their possession near Gumjal in Fazilka district. The suspects attempted to flee but were captured by the Police.
10-Sep-2023
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, during a press conference on September 10, stated that he and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed Khalistani extremism and 'foreign interference' at the G20 Summit in New Delhi. Trudeau emphasized Canada's commitment to freedom of expression and peaceful protest while preventing violence and countering hatred. Both leaders acknowledged the importance of respecting the rule of law and addressing foreign interference. In July, India expressed concerns about the growing presence of pro-Khalistani groups in Canada, prompting Trudeau to reaffirm Canada's strong stance against terrorism.