KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
16-Jan-2022
The Intelligence agencies warned that Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has activated its terror outfits to execute more terror activities in the state and in some parts of Uttar Pradesh, with an aim to derail the electioneering process in the state and to increase the Khalistani footprints in Punjab. According to intelligence inputs, the ISI-sponsored Sikh terror outfits may target the election rallies and may attempt to hit some important leaders or VVIP during the electioneering process in Punjab, parts of UP, and Uttarakhand. The sources added that considering the Punjab election as an apt opportunity to reactivate the Khalistani movement in the state and also in other poll-bound states wherein the Sikh voters are in large numbers, the ISI has activated all small or big terror groups which have been tasked to derail the poll process in the state.
15-Jan-2022
Sikh Youth of Punjab (SYP), the youth wing of Dal Khalsa, organised a youth conference to discuss the challenges being faced by the Sikh community and Punjab and the role and responsibilities of the young generation in tackling them. The conference expressed concern over the continuous arrests of youth under UAPA and other terror-related cases and observed that it was the outcome of government’s denial to resolve Punjab conflict and deliver justice in sacrilege cases.
15-Jan-2022
A drug peddler, Birbhan (36), who was arrested in an Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) case and was presently out on bail, was rearrested by the UT police with 1.125 kg of charas from the Indira Colony in Chandigarh.
15-Jan-2022
According to reports, the central intelligence agencies have alerted the Punjab government that with only 30 days to go for the upcoming Assembly elections, terrorists may carry out a major attack in the state. A high alert has been issued to central and state government intelligence agencies in this regard and orders have been issued to strengthen security. According to the alert, Pakistan terrorists Wadhwa Singh Babbar (BKI), Paramjit Singh Panjwar, Ranjit Singh Neeta (KZF), Lakhbir Singh Rode (ISYF) are being used by Pakistan’s intelligence agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). An alert sent to the Punjab government also said that RDX can also be used in elections in Punjab.
14-Jan-2022
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has ruled that “some Khalistani mentions” of “offending nature” spotted in a social media account of a person will not be a conclusive proof of him being a member of a terrorist group. The observation came on an appeal filed under the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Act against an order, dated February 4, 2021, passed by the Mohali NIA Special Judge, dismissing his bail application in an FIR registered on September 23, 2019.
14-Jan-2022
According to reports, the recent investigations suggest that luring youths of lower strata of society, irrespective of their religion, with foreign dreams and easy money is the latest modus operandi of the banned terror outfit International Youth Sikh Federation (IYSF) to further its cause. Of the six IYSF operatives arrested by the Punjab Police for November 21, 2021 grenade attack at an army camp in Pathankot, three are Hindus and all of them come from a poor family background. The IYSF is a banned outfit being run by wanted terrorist Lakhbir Singh Rode, who reportedly operates in Pakistan. The six were arrested on January 10. Unnamed officials said that the accused were neither radicalised nor driven by pro-Khalistan ideology. Their job was to create panic through grenade attacks as briefed by their handler, Sukhpreet Singh alias Sukh of Kharal village, who is currently in Greece, and reportedly an aide of Rode. The accused trained themselves in handling grenades from videos available on YouTube, the officials said. “They were active for the last four to six months. Probe suggests that one of the accused was not even paid any money. In its attempt for survival, the IYSF is targeting needy youths belonging to the lower strata of society in lieu of paltry sums and foreign dreams,” the officials added.
14-Jan-2022
A Supreme Court lawyer filed a complaint with Delhi police cyber cell against Sikh For Justice (SFJ) Chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. The lawyer also filed FIR against Twitter and Facebook for providing a platform to publish objectionable video messages issued by Gurpatwant Singh Pannun who is seen threatening the Prime Minister of India and the sovereign integrity of the nation.
14-Jan-2022
The Punjab and Haryana high court granted bail to Amarjeet Singh, an accused linked with the 2019 Tarn Taran blast and alleged pro-Khalistani group member, observing that the accusation is not prima facie “true”. Amarjeet in his appeal had said that he was in custody since September 2019 and nothing has come on record that he was a member of any terrorist organisation and involved in any unlawful activity. Hence, bail be granted. Earlier, two of the accused were killed on the spot when an explosion took place at Pandori Gola village of the Tarn Taran district in September 5, 2019.
14-Jan-2022
The Special Task Force of Punjab Police found an improvised explosive device (IED) weighing 5 kg and some Indian currency notes concealed in a bag lying on the Attari-Bachiwind road in Amritsar, close to the India-Pakistan border.
13-Jan-2022
After busting a terror module of International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF), Punjab Police on January 13 seized 2.5 kg of RDX, besides arms and ammunition, on the disclosure of the prime accused in two recent incidents of hurling of grenades in Pathankot. Police also seized a detonator, a detonating cord, five explosive fuses along with wires and 12 live cartridges of AK-47 rifles, Director General of Police (DGP) V K Bhawra said. According to police, the explosive material was to be used in assembling IEDs. “The recovery was made on the disclosure statement of accused Amandeep Kumar alias Mantri of village Lakhanpal in Gurdaspur, who is the prime accused in the two recent incidents of grenade attacks in Pathankot,” said the DGP. Kumar was among the six ISYF operatives arrested by police on January 10. He has confessed to have hurled grenades in two separate incidents in Pathankot, according to the statement.
13-Jan-2022
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) took over the probe into December 23 Ludhiana court blast, in which the alleged bomber Gagandeep Singh was killed and six people were injured. A senior official privy to the development said they took over the probe from Punjab Police after Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) issued a notification. Initial investigations carried out by the Punjab Police have pointed towards the role of Khalistani groups.
12-Jan-2022
After several Supreme Court lawyers complained that they received calls from pro-Khalistani forces claiming responsibility for the blockade of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's convoy in Punjab's Ferozepur, similar calls were received by the Times Now headquarters in Noida. Rahul Shivshankar, Editor-in-Chief, Times Now, sad, "We are getting these calls from both - Canada and the UK. We know who these people are. We will be contacting the Canadian High Commission and the British High Commission and taking up the matter with the government."
12-Jan-2022
In a new propagandist video shared by Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on Facebook, the banned Khalistani outfit has announced 1 Million dollars as a 'reward' to anyone who would raise Khalistani flags instead of the Indian tricolour in Delhi on January 26 Republic Day. "This is the matter of Sikhs and Hind. This time the tricolour will not be allowed anywhere in Delhi. The campaign to liberate Punjab from Indian occupation through 'Khalistani Referendum' will continue equal to 2022 Vidhan Sabha elections," Pannun was heard saying in the video. He also appeared to burn Indian flags in the video. A similar attempt to instigate the Sikhs in India was made in 2021 when the SFJ had announced a cash reward of 2,50,000 dollars for hoisting the Khalistan flag at the India Gate on Republic Day. It also hijacked the farmers' protest, asking them to indulge in anti-national activities on the national holiday.
12-Jan-2022
The Supreme Court Bar Association on January 12 wrote to former top court judge Indu Malhotra, heading a panel tasked with probing the security breach of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Punjab, seeking an enquiry into anonymous threat calls reportedly made to advocates in connection with the case. Several Supreme Court lawyers had on January 10 written to the apex court alleging they have received calls threatening judges over the case involving a security breach that left Prime Minister Modi stuck for 20 minutes on a flyover in Punjab last week.
12-Jan-2022
The Border Security Force (BSF), in three separate incidents, on January 12 recovered six packets of heroin weighing nearly 6.3 kilograms and tied in yellow wrapping, one pistol, one magazine and 50 rounds along the Indo-Pak border in Ferozepur and Amritsar Sector in Punjab, allegedly being pushed in by the Pakistani-based smugglers.
12-Jan-2022
According to reports, Punjab is witnessing a spike in number of drugs and arms being smuggled across the international border of the state. Pakistan-based drug operatives trying to push drugs and contraband across the fence, which usually see a spurt in demand during polls.
12-Jan-2022
The Indian news channel, Times Now headquarters in Noida received threats calls from pro-Khalistani forces. Rahul Shivshankar, Editor-in-Chief, Times Now, sad, "We are getting these calls from both - Canada and the UK. We know who these people are. We will be contacting the Canadian High Commission and the British High Commission and taking up the matter with the government."
11-Jan-2022
According to report, Information security analysts have found proof that Pakistan’s sleeper cells are attempting to create a sense of disharmony in India by using forged proxies and internet "sleeper cells". The report also showed how Pakistan used social media applications to pursue its agenda of fake propaganda in India. The report, which analysed social media trends between October and November (2021), showed how more than 11,000 posts were generated in an attempt to propagate fake news about the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, radicalise youth, and further exacerbate discord by exploiting year-long farmers’ protest. The report showed how several hundred Twitter accounts would appear on the same day, tweet, and then cease to exist during farmers’ protests. The same strategy was used this time, when over 900 accounts emerged, tweeted anti-India propaganda, attempted to radicalise the youth, and were then either deleted or left inactive. According to information security firm Innefu co-founders Abhishek Sharma and Tarun Vig, the Pakistani handles were captured to identify Pakistan's involvement, confirming the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agenda to resurrect the Khalistan movement against India's sovereignty. Sharma also said, “The online agenda was used to further the stance of Sikh For Justice (SFJ), which made overt attempts to influence youth by offering $125,000 for raising Khalistan flags in Parliament on November 26/29.”
11-Jan-2022
Delhi Police, National Investigation Agency (NIA) and other central agencies, in a charge sheet, revealed that the Pakistani government has been conspiring for the last six years and misleading the youths of Punjab. In order to destabilize poll-bound Punjab, the Pakistani government and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) set up a K-2 (Kashmir-Khalistan) desk. From 2016 to 2020, at least eight murders and other attacks have been carried out by ISI through Khalistani terrorists in Pakistan and gangsters in Punjab. The attacks were designed to disturb the peace in Punjab and create an atmosphere of terror in the state. Pakistan allegedly planned to spread terror in Punjab after spoiling the lives of the youth through drugs. According to the chargesheet, Pakistani intelligence agency ISI, along with Khalistani terrorists Harmeet Singh alias Happy PHD, and Lakhbir Singh Rode, conducted targeted killings of RSS and Hindu leaders from 2016 to 2017. They aimed to fuel the ‘Khalistani Movement’ in Punjab through these activities. The ISI set up the K-2 desk and appointed its top officers to carry out terror activities in Punjab. These officers, on the directions of Lakhbir Singh Rode, used to supply funds to gangsters who fled to Gulf countries from Punjab.
11-Jan-2022
Punjab Police has solved the hand grenade attacks including an attack at Pathankot Army Camp by busting a major terror module backed by the International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) group with the arrest of its six operatives from SBS Nagar district in Punjab. Those arrested were identified as Amandeep alias Mantri, Gurwinder Singh alias Gindi, Parminder Kumar alias Rohit alias Rohta, Rajinder Singh alias Malhi alias Nikku, Harpreet Singh alias Dholki and Raman Kumar. Police also recovered six hand-grenades (86 P), one pistol (9mm), one rifle (.30 bore) along with live bullets and magazines from their possession, Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab VK Bhawra said. Earlier, in two instances some unidentified persons had hurled hand grenades at Pathankot - one near Chakki Pull on November 11, 2021, while another grenade attack took place outside Triveni Dwar, 21 sub-area of Army at Pathankot on November 21, 2021. The DGP said that during the preliminary interrogation, accused persons revealed that they were directly in touch with self-proclaimed Chief of ISYF (Rode) Lakhbir Singh Rode and his close aides identified as Sukhmeetpal Singh alias Sukh Bhikhariwal and Sukhpreet alias Sukh for planning terrorist attacks. "The entire cache of the recovered hand grenades, arms and ammunition were pushed in from across the International border by Lakhbir Rode and arrested accused persons had been tasked for further attacking the pre-identified targets which were mainly police and defence establishments, religious places etc," he said. The accused persons have also confessed to having lobbed hand grenades for two times in Pathankot, he added.
11-Jan-2022
The Border Security Force (BSF) thwarted an attempt of Pakistan-based smugglers to push narcotics and ammunition inside the Indian territory by recovering 22 kilograms of heroin in three separate incidents in Ferozepur sector in Punjab. One pistol along with a magazine and eight live cartridges was also recovered. Besides heroin and ammunition, 430 grams of opium was also recovered, sources said.
10-Jan-2022
According to reports, some Supreme Court (SC) lawyers received an anonymous, pre-recorded call from a group claiming responsibility for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s security breach at Punjab and warning of dire consequences should the apex court take up the case. The call was received some of the lawyers in the morning, at around 10.40 am, the same time when the court was hearing a public interest litigation on the matter, and decided to set up a committee to look into the breach. After several lawyers complained of receiving the call, the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAORA) wrote to Supreme Court Secretary-General Virender Kumar Bansal seeking appropriate action. The SCAORA in its letter said, “Several members of SCAORA received an anonymous, automated pre-recorded call from number +447418365564, once at approximately 10.40 am and another call at 12.36 pm on January 10 fastening responsibility for Prime Minister Modi’s security breach during his visit to Punjab on January 5 on Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) from US, wherein it was stated that SFJ is responsible for blocking PM Modi’s cavalcade at Hussainwala flyover in Punjab.” The letter went on to state that “the caller further warned the Supreme Court judges to refrain from hearing the PIL filed by NGO Lawyers Voice seeking probe into the security breach on the ground that the SC has not been able to punish the culprits of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.” One of the lawyers addressed a complaint to the Delhi Police Commissioner of Police to initiate a probe against the person behind the calls and referred a copy of the complaint to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) as well.
09-Jan-2022
Delhi Police’s Intelligence Fusion & Strategic Ops (IFSO) unit has identified 46 Twitter handles - all originating in Pakistan - which were engaged in propagating a manipulated video of the cabinet committee meeting to insinuate that the central government had convened a meeting to remove Sikhs from the Indian Army. According to DCP (special cell) KPS Malhotra, all of the Twitter accounts engaged in this mischief were created between October and December last year. “They are being blocked,” he added. Technical analysis has revealed that these accounts were being operated from a single browser.
09-Jan-2022
After assuming charge, the newly appointed Director General of Police (DGP), Viresh Kumar Bhawra, said that the Punjab Police will ensure smooth conduct of the state assembly polls around the corner. He said police will also ensure that the elections are conducted in an inducement-free manner. Apart from ensuring smooth elections, Bhawra said his focus will be on eradicating drug menace and terrorism from the state. He added that people-centric policing and public service delivery are among his top priorities.
07-Jan-2022
Three accomplices of Canada-based Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) operative Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh Dala, an aide of KTF’s Canada-based chief Hardeep Singh Nijjar, were arrested with two hand-grenades and two pistols from Chogawan village in Moga district on January 7. The arrested persons were identified as as Gurpreet Singh alias Gopi, Varinder Singh alias Vinda and Baljeet Singh. According to police, they had planned to attack a church in Moga to disturb the law-and-order situation. A .9mm pistol, a magazine and six cartridges were recovered from Gurpreet Singh, while a .9mm pistol, two magazines and 12 cartridges were found with Varinder Singh and two hand-grenades were recovered from Baljeet Singh. “During interrogation, they said that they were in regular touch with Arsh Dala, who provided them the grenades to throw at a religious place. He had also given them money for this task,” Moga Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Charanjeet Singh Sohal said.