KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
31-Dec-2021
The Border Security Force (BSF) recovered 0.95 Kg of heroin, which was pushed from Pakistan through the river Satluj in Punjab. BSF Punjab spokesperson said, “On 31st Dec' 2021, vigilant Border Security Force troops, deployed along the River Sutlej bank in the area of responsibility of Ferozepur Sector observed some suspicious item floating in River Sutlej from Pakistan to India side. Thereafter, troops dragged the suspected item towards the bank and when it was searched, they recovered and seized 01 Pkt of contraband (weight appx 0.950 Kg) suspected to be Heroin”.
31-Dec-2021
Ludhiana Special Task Force arrested two accused and seized 1.7 kg heroin from them. Acting on a tip off, police stopped three accused. Two of them were nabbed while the third escaped from the spot.
31-Dec-2021
The Border Security Force (BSF) arrested an Indian national, identified as Jagdish Singh and recovered one 32 bore pistol and seven live cartridges from his possession near the Indo-Pakistan border in Ferozepur. BSF officials said, “We are also checking whether the weapon recovered from him was smuggled from across the border.”
30-Dec-2021
According to officials, in the wake of intelligence inputs that Khalistani elements may carry out a terror attack in Mumbai on the eve of New Year, the city police have beefed up security at prominent railway stations and other public places. Police also cancelled the weekly offs and holidays of its personnel so that its entire strength remains available for duty. "Police had received an input that Khalistani elements may carry out a terror attack in Mumbai on the eve of New Year," a police official said. Hence, in order to maintain the law-and-order situation, police are on alert and will be keeping a strict vigil across the city on December 31. Considering the possibility of people gathering at prominent places like the Gateway of India and Marine Drive to ring in the New Year, a large number of personnel, will be deployed in the city, he said.
30-Dec-2021
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has registered a case against banned Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) radical Jaswinder Singh Multani for his involvement in the December 23 Ludhiana court blast, and others for hatching a conspiracy to target Indian cities. Multani was picked up by Federal Police from Erfurt in central Germany after India government requested German authorities to arrest the pro-Khalistan radical who has links to Pakistan, and has been involved in smuggling of arms and ammunition from across the border into Punjab. According to NIA’s first information report (FIR) filed on December 30, the 45-year-old has been booked under sections related to criminal conspiracy and waging war against India, among others, of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). Earlier on December 23, one person was killed and six others were injured after a bomb went off in the district court’s complex in Ludhiana, triggering a high alert in the state. Police said the deceased was the alleged bomber and dismissed head constable Gagandeep Singh. Preliminary probe revealed that 1.5 kg of explosives were assembled in a plastic container to carry out the blast in the court premises.
30-Dec-2021
A high alert has been sounded in Mumbai after intelligence agencies received inputs regarding terror activities planned by pro-Khalistan groups. A senior officer said that after Jaswinder Singh Multani, a member of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) who was allegedly linked to Ludhiana court blast, was detained and questioned in Germany, they have received inputs regarding planned terror activities in Mumbai and other big cities. The officer said, "We have received inputs that apart from SFJ, other banned pro-Khalistan groups are in contact with Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to execute terror activity in Mumbai, Delhi and other cities."
23-Dec-2021
A man was killed and five others injured in a blast at the District Courts Complex in Ludhiana District. The man killed in the blast, identified as former policeman Gagandeep Singh, was carrying the explosion. Director General of Police (DGP), Siddharth Chattopadhyaya said that they suspect Pakistan’s role but cannot conclude anything as the investigation is underway. However, the accused was in “touch with other conspirators in jail and outside. The deceased person, former policeman Gagandeep Singh, was carrying the explosion. He was dismissed from service in 2019 and spent two years in jail following his arrest in a drug-trafficking case." The injured have been identified as: Sandeep Kaur (31), a photostat machine operator and resident of Raikot, Ludhiana, Manish Kumar (32), a Policeman and resident of Police Colony Jamalpur, Ludhiana, Kuldeep Singh Mand (50) an advocate of Bindra Ban Road, Ludhiana, while, Sharanjit Kaur (25), resident of Jamalpur, Ludhiana, Krishan Khanna (75) of Phase 1, Dugri, Ludhiana and Gurpreet Kaur (35), were visitors to the court complex. While terming it as an unfortunate incident, Punjab Chief Minister (CM), Charanjit Singh Channi said that prima facie, it seems that the deceased person was the perpetrator of this crime.
17-Dec-2021
The Border Security Force (BSF) on December 17 shot down a drone along the India-Pakistan border in Punjab.
25-Nov-2021
On November 25, the National Investigating Agency (NIA) filed a chargesheet against Hardeep Singh Nijjar of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) in a case of conspiracy to commit terrorist acts against India. Nijjar, from Jalandhar in Punjab, is currently based in Surrey, Canada. The NIA said in a statement. “He used to send funds to India…for developing a network of sympathisers for targeted killings in Punjab and was trying to arrange ammunition from his Pakistan-based associates for his nefarious plans.”
21-Nov-2021
A grenade blast occurred outside Triveni Gate of the Army cantonment near Dheerapul in Pathankot District of Punjab on November 21. Police said that some unidentified motorcyclists lobbed the grenade in front of Triveni gate of the military cantonment. However, no casualty was reported in the blast.
20-Nov-2021
A hand grenade kept in a tiffin box was found at Sekhwan village in Zira sub-division in Firozpur District, on November 20.
06-Nov-2021
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has formally requested the Canadian Government to declare Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) as a "terrorist entity" in the country. The SFJ was banned by the Government of India in July 2019 under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for its involvement in promoting secession and violent extremism in Punjab. Top officials of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) have confirmed the visit of NIA officers to Canada, and a senior officer said," A formal request to this effect has been made. A two-member NIA team led by an IG rank officer had begun their visit beginning November 4." Sources said the purpose of the visit was to press Canadian authorities for faster execution of requests made under the mutual legal assistance treaty (MLAT). “The visit is for better coordination of investigation against entities and individuals suspected of terrorism and to discuss other criminal matters," a release issued by the Indian High Commission in Ottawa had said.
20-Oct-2021
In a joint operation, the Border Security Force (BSF) and the counter intelligence wing of Punjab Police recovered a cache of arms and ammunition along the barbed wire fence on the Indo-Pak border near Khemkaran village in Tarn Taran District on October 20. Counter intelligence wing inspector Inderdeep Singh said the seizure included 22 foreign-made pistols, 100 rounds of ammunition, 44 magazines, and one kilogram of heroin and 72 grams of opium. Officials suspect that the consignment may have been smuggled with drones.
17-Oct-2021
According to reports, the Border Security Force (BSF) and Punjab Police have started involving the Panchayats (village-level local self-Government institutions) in border villages of Punjab to tackle the issue of drones.
06-Oct-2021
A team of National Investigation Agency (NIA) reached a village in Meerut District of Uttar Pradesh in search of two suspects of Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), who it suspected supplied illegal arms to an extortion racket which was busted in Moga District of Punjab in May 2021. The gang was allegedly being run by Khalistan separatists settled abroad. The anti-terror federal probe agency returned after handing over notice to their families which asked the two suspects to appear at their office in Chandigarh on October 8 for questioning.
05-Oct-2021
Three drones purportedly from Pakistani retreated on October 5 night after the Border Security Force (BSF) troopers opened fire to prevent their entry into the Indian territory in Gurdaspur and Pathankot Districts.
01-Oct-2021
Four aides of Canada-based Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) operative Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh Dala, were arrested with three sophisticated weapons, 14 live cartridges, and 300 grams of heroin, from Mehna Police Station area in Moga District on October 1. The arrestees have been identified as Amandeep Singh alias Machher, Jaswinder Singh alias Jassu, Balraj Singh, and Arun Sarwan. Moga District Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Dhruman H Nimbale said they arrested Amandeep with a Beretta M9 pistol, four live cartridges and 300gm of heroin.
01-Oct-2021
The Police claimed to have foiled a plan to kill Dera Sacha Sauda follower Shakti Singh, who is an accused in three Bargari sacrilege cases of 2015, with the arrest of a person, identified as Bhola Singh alias Khalsa, allegedly carrying two weapons in Faridkot District. Shakti Singh is believed to be on the target list of banned Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF). Bhola, of Jeon Wala village in Faridkot District, is facing as many as five criminal cases, including murder and extortion.
23-Sep-2021
Punjab Police busted a militant module backed by Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) with the arrest of its three militants from Bhagwanpur village in the Bhikhiwind area in Tarn Taran District of Punjab on September 23. The Police also recovered two boxes packed in foam (which appeared to be Tiffin Bombs), two hand grenades (86P) and three 9mm pistols from their possession. This is the 6th Tiffin bomb recovered from the border State of Punjab in one and a half months. Those arrested have been identified as Kanwarpal Singh, Kulwinder Singh and Kamalpreet Singh - all residents of Moga. Kanwarpal disclosed that he had returned from Canada two weeks back.
19-Sep-2021
The Ludhiana Police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, legal advisor for US-based pro-Khalistan organisation Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), and two local youths after some pro-Khalistan slogans were painted on the walls at Gill village in Dehlon area in Ludhiana District.
17-Sep-2021
Punjab Police busted a secessionist module of the banned outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) and arrested three SFJ members during a raid at Rampur village in Khanna in Ludhiana District on September 17. Those arrested are identified as Gurwinder Singh, Jagwinder Singh, and Sukhdev Singh. Police have recovered over 2.8 lakh pamphlets carrying propaganda material related to ‘Referendum 2020’ from their possession during the raid conducted at Rampur village in Khanna. A printer, spray pump and spray bottles for writing secessionist graffiti on walls, one laptop, three mobile phones and one Honda City car were also recovered. During investigation, it has been found that the accused Gurwinder Singh was radicalised and motivated over a YouTube channel, US Media International, being operated by JS Dhaliwal, who introduced him to Pannun. A Police spokesperson added that on Pannun’s instructions, Gurwinder hoisted Khalistani flags on the premises of the Government school in Rampur village. Police claimed that Gurwinder had enrolled 20-25 persons to promote ‘Referendum 2020’ by distributing pamphlets for different groups in the vicinity of Doraha in Ludhiana. All these persons were paid for their service at the behest of Pannun.
15-Sep-2021
Punjab Police arrested one International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) militant, identified as Rubal from Ambala District of Haryana on September 15. He was reportedly working under the directions of ISYF ‘chief’ Lakhbir Singh Rode. Rubal was staying in a Gurudwara run by Kar Sewaks at Shahbad Markanda and used to go with the Kar Sewaks at Gurudwara Mardonpur Bhanokhheri daily. During his stay at Mardonpur, Rubal had reportedly visited the IOC station Ambala Cantonment to observe the feasibility of installing a tiffin bomb in an oil tanker parked in front of the station. It is also learnt that ISYF Chief Rode had promised to pay Rs two lakh to the terrorist module.
15-Sep-2021
Punjab Chief Minister (CM), Captain Amarinder Singh ordered a high alert in the State following the arrest of four militants of an Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)-backed terrorist module involved in a bid to blow up an oil tanker with an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) tiffin bomb in August, being busted. Two Pakistan-based terrorists, including a Pakistani Intelligence Officer, have also been identified and nominated in the case in which one person was arrested earlier, the Director General of Police (DGP), Dinkar Gupta disclosed on September 15.
11-Sep-2021
The US-based Pro-Khalistan organisation Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) issued a statement targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Government over violence against farmers who are protesting against the three controversial farm laws. The group said that it is “gearing up to chase PM Modi from White House to UN to raise a ruckus over India’s use of brutal force against protesting farmers of Punjab in which several hundred have already died”. Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, General Counsel to SFJ, in a statement said, “SFJ is planning to lobby with the White House and US Congress to “Hold Modi Accountable” for: (a) using violence against farmers; (b) suppressing the freedom of speech of the US Citizens by filing criminal charges in India for holding pro-farmer rallies at Indian Consulates; (c) and for filing sedition charges against Khalistan Referendum campaigners based in India and abroad.” Also, in a video message, Pannun said, “Modi will face legal consequences for ordering violence against protesting farmers and Khalistan Referendum activists”.
07-Sep-2021
The court of National Investigation Agency (NIA) on September 7 framed charges against seven Khalistani operatives in the hand grenades seizure case in Mohali District. The charges have been framed against seven Khalistani operatives Jajbir Singh Samra alias Judge alias Jass resident of Tarn Taran, Varinder Singh Chahal resident of Amritsar, Kulbir Singh resident of Nawan Shahar, Manjit Kaur resident of Ludhiana, Taranbir Singh alias Khanpuria resident of Amritsar, under various sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC), Explosive Substances Act and Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), Kulwinderjit Singh alias Khanpuria an operative of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), and Harmeet Singh alias PhD, Pakistan based self-styled ‘chief’ of Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF), Act- UAPA, for their alleged involvement in a case pertaining to recovery of two Hand Grenades and one Samsung mobile phone from a bag in Amritsar on June 2, 2019.