KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
13-Feb-2023
The Chandigarh police February 13, released pictures of ten more suspected people involved in the February 8 incident on the Sector 52/53 road in which around 40 police personnel were injured. The First Information Report (FIR) mentions seven suspects, including Gurcharan Singh, Jagtar Singh Hawara's foster father, while the other suspects are listed as unidentified persons.
13-Feb-2023
Punjab's Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann on February 13 disapproved of the idea of resuming trade with Pakistan, questioning how it could be done with a country that sends narcotics and arms to his country every day via drones. He also asked, “How can we conduct trade with a country with which our relations are not good and which sends slow poison (narcotics) to kill our youth?”
13-Feb-2023
According to sources, while the United Kingdom (UK) has recently warned India about the growing instances of “potentially toxic" pro-Khalistan extremism which is leading to the mobilisation of funds and sympathisers to trigger disruptive and terror activities in India remotely, the Government has already deployed multi-pronged counter strategies in place to counter the menace. According to Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA), the pro-Khalistan extremists abroad backed by Pakistan, have been engaging and reaching forging alliances with criminals and gangsters. An officer stated that, “An ecosystem of partnership based on mutual interest has developed between Khalistan extremists, criminals, and drug-traffickers… It is quite a dangerous trend as though most of these local gangsters and petty criminals do not subscribe to the interest and radical ideology of Khalistan, they are being used to providing logistic support to the extremists including foot soldiers, arms-ammunition, shelter etc.” The officer said that most of these local associates of the foreign-based pro-Khalistan operatives and handlers “are petty criminals who pull triggers and indulge in criminal activities just for money and they eventually end up main perpetrators and conspirators of terror plots.”
13-Feb-2023
According to reports, as the protests over the release of Bandhi Sikhs (Sikh prisoners) escalating at the Mohali-Chandigarh border, security agencies are worried over farmer unions lending support to pro-Khalistan radicals spearheading the protests. Despite some differences between the farm unions over the issue of lending support to the radical group, the top leaders have been forced to express their solidarity on the emotive issue of the release of Sikh prisoners.
13-Feb-2023
The Inspector General (IG) (Headquarters) Sukhchain Singh Gill said on February 13 that Punjab Police have arrested 10,576 drug smugglers after registering 7,999 first information reports (FIRs), including 915 commercial, under Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances(NDPS) Act across the state in the last seven months. The police have recovered 529kg heroin on vulnerable routes. Also, 147kg heroin was recovered from the seaports of Gujarat and Maharashtra, taking the total effective recovery to 676kg heroin in just seven months. The police teams also recovered 424kg opium.
12-Feb-2023
Rajasthan police launched ‘Operation Hunter’ to identify the henchmen and supporters of gangsters who are active in the neighbouring states. Rajasthan segments share boundaries with Punjab and Haryana. The Superintendent of Police, Sriganganagar, Anand Sharma said that that the operation was being conducted to search for gangsters, their henchmen, supporters and those who like or comment on their photos on social media accounts. Under this, 20 persons have been booked under Section 144 of the CrPC (Code of Criminal Procedure) and five people have been arrested with illegal weapons. According to reports, Police teams are monitoring more than 100 accounts.
12-Feb-2023
Members of the Qaumi Insaaf Morcha, on February 12 were once again stopped by police from entering Chandigarh and to undertake a march towards Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann’s official residence. Chandigarh and Mohali police had made elaborate security arrangements at the border to prevent the protesters from heading towards Chandigarh. After they were stopped by police, the 31 protesters sat on the road which divides sectors 52 and 53 near the Chandigarh-Mohali border.
11-Feb-2023
According to reports, Delhi Police on February 11 identified Gagandeep and his father Jasbir Singh, associated with the Khalistani terror outfit Sikh For Justice (SFJ), accused of funding their sleeper cell members in Delhi to put up anti-India posters ahead of India’s 74th Republic Day. Reports said that the duo, believed to be residents of California in the United States (US), conspired with the SFJ head Gurupatwant Singh Pannun. They funded their sleeper cell members, along with Pannun, to put up posters to further Khalistani propaganda, threatening terrorist attacks at 12 places across the national capital.
11-Feb-2023
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) chief Harjinder Singh Dhami on February 11 said that the campaign for the release of Sikh prisoners (Bandi Singhs) will be taken to people at the village level. He said more than 16 lakh forms have been filled so far as part of the signature campaign launched by the SGPC for the release of Sikh prisoners in December. The campaign will now be intensified and taken to people at the village level from February 18, he said, adding that meetings will be organised in at least four places in every assembly constituency.
11-Feb-2023
Police arrested a person along with 18 gram of heroin in Fazilka in Fazilka district.
11-Feb-2023
Moga police on February 11 brought gangster Sukhpreet Buddha on production warrant from the jail and a Moga court sent him to 10 days in police custody. Buddha, a native of Kussa village, had been acting as the self-styled head of the Davinder Bambiha gang after Bambiha’s death in 2016.
11-Feb-2023
The Qaumi Insaaf Morcha, that is spearheading the Sikh activists protest, on February 11 blamed the state government for provoking the protesters who clashed with police forces near the Chandigarh-Mohali border on February 8. Gurcharan Singh, foster father of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) chief Jagtar Singh Hawara, who was convicted of assassinating former Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Beant Singh, alleged that with the aim to remove the morcha from YPS Chowk, Punjab Police was harassing the kin of the protesters and threatening them.
10-Feb-2023
Police on February 10 arrested a member of the Davinder Bambiha gang, identified as Tejinder Singh alias Gullu and seized five pistols from his possession in Shambhu barrier in Patiala district. Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Varun Sharma said that the accused had international links and they prevented a major crime.
10-Feb-2023
Delhi police special cell arrested a person for his alleged links with Khalistan terror suspect Jagjeet Singh alias Jagga from Bazpur town of Udham Singh Nagar District of Uttarakhand on February 10. Jagga, also a resident of the same district, was arrested from Delhi last month.
10-Feb-2023
According to the Chandigarh Police’s First Information Report (FIR) into the violence at the Chandigarh-Mohali border on February 7, the Qaumi Insaaf Morcha, which was leading the protests for the release of Sikh prisoners languishing in jails after completing their sentences, is a pro-Khalistan organisation. The FIR stated that the protesters snatched a tear gas handgun and its ammunition and attempted to kill policemen amid raising of pro-Khalistan slogans during the clash with the police on the road dividing sectors 52 and 53. Police named seven persons in the case and charged different sections of the law, including of attempt to murder, robbery, dacoity and rioting and under Sections of Arms Act and Prevention of Damaging Public Property Act. Meanwhile, the Mohali police also registered an FIR at Mataur police station against unknown persons for rioting and attempt to murder.
10-Feb-2023
According to reports, Nihangs, members of several Sikh bodies and others are supporting the demands of the ‘Quami Insaaf Morcha’, which launched their protest march from Mohali on January 7 for releasing Sikh prisoners, including Balwant Singh Rajoana, a convict in former Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Beant Singh’s assassination. Report said that, in a span of one month, supporters from across the state thronged the protest venue and set up tents, first-aid kiosks, and community kitchen (langar) on the border.
10-Feb-2023
The Border Security Force (BSF) shot down a drone and recovered a Chinese made pistol, ammunition and narcotics along the International Border (IB) in the Ferozepur Sector in Firozpur District on February 10. According to the BSF, a packet of consignment dropped by the intruding drone, containing 3 kg of heroin, a China-made pistol, cartridges and a magazine were recovered from the spot.
10-Feb-2023
Police arrested an aide of Canada-based gangster Lakhbir Singh Landa, identified as Vijay Kumar alias Toti and three of his accomplices, identified as Rahul, Amardeep Singh alias Patwari, and Suraj Singh from Kartapur in Jalandhar district. Police also recovered two country-made .32 bore pistols, along with 10 live rounds and two magazines, one country-made 9 mm pistol with two live rounds, one country-made .12 bore pistol with one live round and two motorcycles from them. The arrested persons were wanted in the recent Kapurthala kidnapping and extortion case.
09-Feb-2023
Punjab Police on February 9 arrested a 17-year-old boy along with 15 kg heroin and Rs 8.40 lakh drug money in Amritsar in Amritsar district. According to sources, Amritsar police arrested the juvenile at a checkpoint on Ram Tirath Road, while an accomplice identified as Resham Singh, who prima-facie seems to be the mastermind behind the narcotics smuggling racket, managed to flee. Preliminary investigations revealed that the consignment of drugs was airdropped by Pakistan-based smugglers using a drone.
08-Feb-2023
Police arrested a person, identified as Sattu Ram and recovered 500-gm of opium from his possession from near Pakki Tibbi village in Muktsar district on February 8.
08-Feb-2023
Police on February 8 identified and detained seven members of the Qaumi Insaaf Morcha, which was leading the protest, in which around 30 policemen, including the Rapid Action Force personnel, were injured while several police vehicles were damaged. Police charged 17 different laws, including the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, the Arms Act, and Section 307 of the Indian Penal Code (attempt to murder) against them.
08-Feb-2023
Border Security Force (BSF) spotted a Pakistani drone near the Adia post in Gurdaspur in Gurdaspur district on February 8. According to BSF, soldiers opened fire on the drone and search operation underway by police and BSF. This is the fourth instance of a Pakistani drone being spotted on the Indian side in the last three days and of the BSF soldiers on duty firing at it and forcing it back to Pakistan.
08-Feb-2023
Border Security Force (BSF) on February 8 shot down a “rogue” drone entering into India from Pakistan near the Babapir border post in Amritsar sector in Amritsar district. According to sources, the drone fell into Pakistani territory across the International Border (IB) while it was flying back toward Pakistan. The drone was sighted during the intervening night of February 7-8.
08-Feb-2023
Police on February 8 arrested two gangsters involved in several cases of crime, identified as Gursewak Singh and Satwinder Singh after a brief encounter at Mudki area in Ferozepur district. Sources said the police seized two pistols from their custody.
08-Feb-2023
Around 33 police personnel were injured and dozens of police vehicles were damaged after armed protesters, under the banner of Kaumi Insaaf Morcha, seeking the release of Sikh prisoners went on a rampage, smashing vehicles and cornering cops, near the Chandigarh-Mohali border on the Sector 52/53 dividing road on February 8. According to sources, when police stopped the protesters who were marching towards Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann’s residence in Chandigarh, they launched a violent attack on the police with swords, rods, sticks and other sharp-edged weapons. Riding horses and tractors, the protesters ploughed into police barricades and vehicles in a bid to enter Chandigarh.