KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
19-Jun-2024
According to reports, India's strategic autonomy is encountering resistance from the Anglosphere, particularly Canada, the United States (US), and Australia, due to its actions against Khalistani separatists. Canada recently commemorated Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, reflecting its continued support. The US has accused India of plotting against another Khalistani terrorist, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, while Australia's media have reported concerns about Indian espionage activities. Despite this coordinated opposition, India maintains strong economic ties with the US and Australia and remains steadfast in its national security stance, indicating it will not yield to Western pressure.
19-Jun-2024
Indian national Nikhil Gupta was recently extradited to the United States (US) from the Czech Republic over his alleged involvement in a plot to assassinate Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. Gupta’s testimony will be closely watched not just by the US but by other countries as well. This development comes amid strained relations between India and countries like Canada, Australia, and Germany over accusations of espionage and interference. Notably, Canada and the US have expressed concerns about India's actions against Khalistani separatists, further complicating diplomatic ties. Additionally, in the past, Pakistan and Germany have accused India of extrajudicial killings and spying activities, respectively.
19-Jun-2024
The Dal Khalsa, on June 19, praised the Canadian House of Commons for honoring Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, asserting that India's designated terrorist was a respected Sikh figure with international recognition. They also organized a Panthic Samagam where a resolution was adopted to recognize Khalistani terrorist Nijjar as a national martyr in Amritsar, Punjab. They urged the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to similarly honor Nijjar.
19-Jun-2024
On June 19, it was revealed that the Punjab Government had extended the detention of Khalistani preacher Amritpal Singh and his nine aides under the National Security Act (NSA) by three months just before the Lok Sabha election results were declared on June 4. Amritpal won from Khadoor Sahib in Tarn Taran district in Punjab by a record margin. Despite his election victory, Amritpal and his associates will remain in Dibrugarh Jail in Assam, with the extension based on an advisory board's recommendation. Amritpal’s family and lawyers have not yet received the extension orders.
19-Jun-2024
The police on June 19 froze assets worth INR 41,67,000 of an individual identified as Mahal Singh, who had been sentenced under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, in Ghuriana village in Fazilka district. The properties frozen included 23 marlas and 7 kanals of land (worth INR 5,77,000) and a Maruti Suzuki Brezza car (worth INR 7 lakh) in his name. Additionally, 10 kanals and 15 marlas of land (valued at INR 7,76,000) were in the name of his wife Sarabjit Kaur, 12 kanals and 4.1 marlas of land (valued at INR 8,80,000) were in the name of his mother Kulwant Kaur, and 17 kanals and 1.6 marlas of land (valued at INR 12,34,000) were in the name of his son Updesh Singh. This action follows the recovery of 3.5 kg of opium from Singh in April 2022.
18-Jun-2024
On June 18, a 23-year-old woman, struggling with severe drug addiction and routinely using chitta (heroin), was rescued and admitted to Civil Hospital by Muktsar police in Sri Muktsar Sahib district, Punjab. Previously restrained by her mother to prevent drug use, the woman displayed severe physical deterioration, including multiple injection marks. Hospital sources expressed concern about her health, suspecting her to be HIV positive due to her condition and lifestyle. Her addiction exemplifies the broader drug crisis affecting many in her community.
18-Jun-2024
The Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) of the Punjab Police on June 18 produced notorious gangsters Sampat Nehra and Deepak alias Tinu, operatives of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, under high security in a court in Mohali, Sahibzada Ajit Singh (SAS) Nagar district. They were brought on a production warrant in connection with an Arms Act case and placed on one-day police remand.
18-Jun-2024
A local court on June 18 granted bail to Javed Jhinjha and Ravinder Singh, members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, in an extortion case registered on May 18 in Chandigarh. Despite police opposition, citing ongoing investigations and recent incidents involving the gang, the court granted bail after the defence argued that their clients were falsely implicated and co-accused had already been granted bail.
18-Jun-2024
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on June 18 urged the Union government to order a high-level probe into notorious gangster Lawrence Bishnoi's activities from jail, including a video call with Pakistan-based gangster Shahzad Bhatti. Senior SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia highlighted Bishnoi's continued influence and threat to national security, citing his involvement in the assassination of singer Sidhu Moose Wala and recent criminal activities. Majithia called for concrete steps from the Centre and a thorough investigation into 43,000 calls made by gangsters from Punjab jails in recent years.
18-Jun-2024
In Rajasthan, Border Security Force (BSF) troops recently recovered six kilograms of heroin dropped by a Pakistani drone in the Sriganganagar sector, highlighting the ongoing issue of drug smuggling via drones. This border area has become more sensitive due to the nexus between Pakistani smugglers and Punjab's drug mafia. Rajasthan's Director General of Police (DGP) Utkal Ranjan Sahu and other experts advocate for anti-drone technology to curb these infiltrations. Recent incidents include multiple heroin drops and subsequent recoveries by the BSF and local police.
18-Jun-2024
Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann announced on June 18 the transfer of at least 10,000 police personnel from constable rank onward in an unprecedented move to combat the drug menace in Punjab. The decision came after discovering a nexus between drug peddlers and police officers, highlighted by ignored complaints and early releases of accused individuals. Mann, along with Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav, emphasized a crackdown on drug hotspots, increased police recruitment, and strict action against corrupt officers and gangsters, including property confiscations and de-addiction efforts for addicts.
17-Jun-2024
The Border Security Force (BSF) on June 17 recovered 570 grams of heroin and a 9×19 mm calibre bullet near Kahangarh village in Amritsar district.
17-Jun-2024
The Border Security Force (BSF) and the Punjab Police, in a joint operation on June 17, recovered a packet of heroin weighing 550 grams along with a China-made drone near Roranwala village in Amritsar district.
17-Jun-2024
On June 17, Iqbal Singh Lalpura, the chairman of the National Commission for Minorities, visited Sukhwinder Singh, a recent assault victim, and discussed the incident with local officials and community members in Kaithal, Haryana. He also chaired a meeting at the PWD Rest House, emphasizing the importance of holding peace meetings to maintain harmony, condemned the attack, directed an investigation, and discussed preventive measures with district officials.
17-Jun-2024
Punjab Police on June 17 conducted raids on multiple hideouts of gangster and terrorist Lakhbir Singh Landa, resulting in the arrest of five unidentified individuals and seized a bullet motorcycle and a car from their possession in Bathinda district. This operation was part of ongoing efforts to eradicate organized crime in Punjab.
17-Jun-2024
On June 17, railway stations in Punjab, including Beas and Bathinda, received bomb threats allegedly from the terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The threats were purportedly made in retaliation for the killing of terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir. Security at the mentioned railway stations has been significantly enhanced, and an investigation is underway to trace the source of the threat letter.
17-Jun-2024
Moga police on June 17 arrested two individuals, identified as Beant Singh and Sukhdeep Singh and seized 1 kg of heroin from their possession in Ajitwal, Moga district. Police revealed that Beant has been involved in drug peddling for seven years with five cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act against him, while Sukhdeep has been trafficking drugs for ten years with six cases registered.
17-Jun-2024
Punjab Police, in collaboration with the Border Security Force (BSF) and Village Defence Committees (VDCs), is set to conduct a week-long anti-drug campaign named 'Mission Nishchay' in Fazilka district. The campaign will target 42 villages along the India-Pakistan border from June 15 to 21, 2024. The initiative aims to engage community participation and gather intelligence on drug demand and supply, with a specific focus on youth and women. This action follows recent arrests in Fazilka, where police seized 5.5 kg of heroin and arrested seven individuals, highlighting the district's vulnerability to drug smuggling activities.
16-Jun-2024
Punjab Police on June 16 arrested family members of Canada-based terrorist Lakhbir Singh Landa and his associate Yadwinder Singh Yadu, who were involved in the RPG attack on a police station in Tarn Taran, identified as Ranjodh Singh, brother-in-law of Lakhbir Singh Landa; his sister Jaspal Kaur; his mother Parminder Kaur; Jaikaar Singh, father of Yadwinder Singh; his mother Baljeet Kaur; and his sister Husanpreet Kaur in Jalandhar district.
16-Jun-2024
On June 16, Punjab Police conducted a large-scale cordon and search operation (CASO) across the state to tackle drug trafficking and recovered 2.7 kilograms of heroin, INR 1.50 lakh in cash, 12.2 kilograms of poppy husk, 5,820 intoxicant tablets, and a substantial quantity of illicit liquor. This crackdown involved over 450 teams and 3,000 personnel, targeting 280 drug hotspots, resulting in 140 First Information Reports (FIRs) and the arrest of 166 individuals. The operation is part of a broader strategy that includes enforcement, de-addiction, and prevention efforts, which have significantly increased heroin recoveries and improved conviction rates under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act since 2017.
16-Jun-2024
The Jalandhar Range police on June 16 conducted a cordon and search operation (CASO) across Jalandhar Rural, Kapurthala, and Hoshiarpur districts to combat drug smuggling, under the supervision of Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Harmandir Singh Gill. DIG Gill personally visited several locations, including Ganna village near Phillaur, to support police efforts. The operation focused on disrupting drug supply networks, resulting in the detention of multiple suspects and the seizure of significant quantities of narcotics. The police also encouraged public cooperation in reporting suspicious activities to aid in creating a drug-free community.
16-Jun-2024
Border Security Force (BSF) troops on June 16 carried out a search operation after receiving a tip-off and recovered a packet containing the body of a pistol and five rounds of 7.62 mm calibre from fields near Rattankhurd village in Amritsar district.
16-Jun-2024
The police on June 16 arrested a drug peddler, identified as Kulwinder Singh and seized 28 grams of heroin from his possession on Hindumalkot Road near Abohar in Fazilka district. His two accomplices, including a woman, managed to flee.
16-Jun-2024
According to reports, the Special Director General of Police (DGP) for Law and Order has instructed the Police Commissioner of Amritsar to take necessary action after Jatinder Kalra, former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state secretary, reported allegations of drug sales in Amritsar (North) to Governor Banwarilal Purohit. The allegations, initially made by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh, highlight ongoing drug issues in a region where the ruling party had pledged to eliminate the drug menace. Kalra also noted that 14 individuals recently died from drug overdoses in the state, suggesting possible police-smuggler collusion.
15-Jun-2024
According to reports, in the first two weeks of June 2024, at least 14 alleged drug overdose deaths have been reported across Punjab, with nine occurring in just the last week, highlighting the ongoing struggle against drug abuse in the region. The police have initiated actions against alleged drug suppliers in connection with several deaths, reflecting the severity of the drug menace often linked to smuggling from Pakistan. The situation echoes a similar crisis in June 2018, underscoring the persistent challenge of drug-related fatalities in the state.