KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
05-Apr-2024
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on April 5 labelled allegations by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) of interference in Canadian elections as baseless and highlighted Canada's historical interference in Indian affairs. The CSIS report alleges Indian government involvement in clandestine activities during Canada's 2021 elections, targeting specific electoral districts with alleged support for pro-Indian candidates.
04-Apr-2024
A state-level joint coordination meeting took place on April 4 with senior officers from Punjab Police, Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), and other central agencies to review security arrangements for the upcoming Parliamentary elections in Jalandhar district of Punjab. Special Director General of Police (DGP-Law and Order) Arpit Shukla, along with BSF's Inspector General (IG) Dr. Atul Fulzele, emphasized the need to strengthen the line of defense and disrupt the drug supply chain across the border. Shukla called for greater synergy among the forces to ensure free and fair elections, directing enhanced deployment of police personnel for night patrolling and increased vigilance on drone movements. The BSF was instructed to utilize drone detection technology, given the 325 drone sightings reported in 2023, with 118 drones recovered, and 26 drones retrieved in 2024 thus far.
04-Apr-2024
The Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) staff of the Police on April 4 arrested a drug peddler, identified as Updesh Singh and seized 1 kg of opium from his possession at Abohar-Hanumangarh road near Abohar in Fazilka district. This arrest follows the previous arrest of his father, Mahal Singh, in April 2023 with 3.5 kg of opium; Mahal Singh remains in jail.
04-Apr-2024
Rattandeep Singh, a former Khalistani militant associated with the Bhindranwale Tiger Force of Khalistan (BTFK), was shot dead by two unidentified bike-borne assailants in Balachaur, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district, Punjab, on April 4. Having been a hardcore militant involved in various terror activities, including a bomb blast in Chandigarh in 1999, Rattandeep was arrested in 2014 after evading authorities for years and was released in 2019. His nephew, who was in the car with him, reported that they were meeting unidentified persons when the assailants opened fire. Gangster Gopi Nawanshahria claimed responsibility for the killing, alleging Rattandeep's involvement in fraud, but police are yet to verify the claim.
04-Apr-2024
According to a report by The Guardian, Indian and Pakistani intelligence officials, speaking anonymously, alleged that the Indian government, through its foreign intelligence agency, the Research & Analysis Wing (RAW), has been involved in targeted killings in Pakistan since 2019. The operations, reportedly overseen by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi's office, are said to be part of a strategy to eliminate terrorists residing on foreign soil. The report suggests that sleeper cells operated by Indian intelligence in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) coordinated these killings, with payments facilitated through Dubai.
03-Apr-2024
Jagjit Singh Dallewal, the head of Bharti Kisan Union (BKU-Ekta-Sidhupur), urged farmers to gather in significant numbers at the Punjab-Haryana border while addressing them at a gurdwara in Chhateana village in Muktsar district of Punjab, on April 3. Dallewal also announced plans for a debate with the government regarding unmet demands and the installation of hoardings highlighting their grievances.
03-Apr-2024
Relatives of Khalistani preacher and chief of Waris Punjab De (WPD) Amritpal Singh, along with nine others, who are detained in Dibrugarh Jail in Assam under the National Security Act (NSA), expressed frustration at the lack of political support in Punjab. Sukhchain Singh (Amritpal's uncle) and Balwinder Kaur (Amritpal's mother) lamented that despite their hunger strike and pleas for transfer to Punjab, no prominent leaders have engaged with them during the Lok Sabha election period.
03-Apr-2024
The Punjab and Haryana High Court (HC) on April 3 expressed grave concern over the widespread drug menace, noting that a large number of youth are falling prey to drug peddlers. Justice Sandeep Moudgil emphasized the serious and alarming proportions the issue has taken in recent times, asserting the need for firm action against accused individuals involved in drug-related crimes. The court highlighted the destructive impact of drug peddlers on society's social fabric and the youth, emphasizing the importance of addressing clandestine drug smuggling.
03-Apr-2024
Border Security Force (BSF), in a joint operation with Punjab Police on April 3, busted a narco-hawala racket and arrested two unidentified individuals along with one packet containing 500 grams of heroin from a house in Bhalladwal village in Amritsar district. The arrested individuals confessed to transferring drug money to Pakistan-based smugglers. Both suspects have been remanded to judicial custody for 14 days.
03-Apr-2024
Border Security Force (BSF) on April 3, during a search operation based on specific information, recovered a packet containing 545 grams of heroin from fields near Naushera Dhalla village in Tarn Taran district.
03-Apr-2024
The Election Commission (EC) on April 3 directed District Collectors (DCs), Commissioners of Police (CPs), and Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) to heighten vigilance against the smuggling of drugs, liquor, and cash in preparation for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, in a meeting led by Deputy Election Commissioner Hirdesh Kumar in Chandigarh. Officials were instructed to ensure smooth voting procedures at polling stations and to make adequate arrangements for central security forces. The EC also requested detailed reports on liquor and drug seizures following the enforcement of the code of conduct.
03-Apr-2024
Police on April 3 arrested two wanted sharpshooters belonging to the Jitender Gogi-Kapil Maan gang, identified as Himanshu and Abhimanyu alias Abhi and seized two semi-automatic sophisticated pistols of .32 bore along with eight bullets from their possession near Kailash Farm Road near Alipur in North Delhi district in Delhi. The suspects were planning to eliminate witnesses in a case against the gang members. Investigations revealed Himanshu's involvement in previous murders and his association with Abhimanyu, whom he met during his prison term.
01-Apr-2024
Police on April 1 arrested two individuals identified as Harnam Singh and Amrit Pal Singh alias Ravi and seized one HE-36 hand grenade and a .32 bore revolver, along with an SUV (PB 03-6069), from their possession on the outskirts of Rurki Kalan village in Malerkotla district, Punjab. Further investigations are underway to determine their intent and potential accomplices.
01-Apr-2024
The Assam police on April 1 arrested the owner of a dhaba (eatery), identified as Gurmukh Singh, for displaying posters of Khalistani terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, along with posters of Sidhu Moose Wala and Khalistani flags, in Bongaigaon district in Assam.
01-Apr-2024
Indian External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on April 1 emphasized that India's national security interests were at stake in the investigation into allegations regarding a government official's involvement in a scheme aimed at targeting Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. Jaishankar's statement follows United States (US) Ambassador Eric Garcetti's assertion on March 31 of such involvement being an "unacceptable red line." Jaishankar stated that the Indian government is actively investigating the matter.
01-Apr-2024
On April 1, late at night, unidentified individuals fired gunshots at the residence of Punjabi singer Sahil Shah in the Buta Mandi area of Jalandhar in Jalandhar district, Punjab. Shah had been receiving threat calls in recent days and found bullet marks on his house's gate upon returning from Chandigarh. He also stated facing pressure from gangsters to collaborate with them. Police recovered a bullet shell from the scene.
31-Mar-2024
United States (US) ambassador to India Eric Garcetti on March 31, in an interview with ANI, emphasised the 'red line' that should not be crossed between India and the US amidst the investigation into the alleged foiled assassination plot against US citizen and Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. He highlighted the distinction in freedom of speech between the US and India, emphasising that criminal conviction in the US requires action, not just speech. Garcetti stressed that no government employee of any country should be involved in such plots, highlighting it as an unacceptable violation of sovereignty and rights. He reiterated the commitment to working with India, ensuring that any criminal accusations meet the threshold for a successful outcome under US law. He also addressed recent threats made by Pannun against Air India and the Indian Parliament, underscoring the importance of respecting boundaries in international relations. Additionally, he advocated vigilance for Indian students studying in the US and reassured the safety of American college towns despite challenges, attributing increased awareness of incidents to social media.
31-Mar-2024
The police stated on March 30 that five individuals, including a retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, have been booked following the killing of Baba Tarsem Singh, the dera kar seva chief of Nanakmatta Sahib Gurdwara in Nanakmatta, Udham Singh Nagar district, Uttarakhand. The FIR includes the two assailants, Sarabjit Singh and Amarjeet Singh, along with the retired IAS officer and the head of the Nanakmatta Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee, Harbans Singh Chugh, Baba Anup Singh, and Pritam Singh Sandhu, the vice-president of a regional Sikh outfit.
31-Mar-2024
According to reports, in Sriganganagar Lok Sabha constituency in Rajasthan and Fazilka district in Punjab, authorities are alarmed by a surge in narcotics smuggling ahead of upcoming elections. Most recent arrests under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in Sriganganagar involved individuals from Punjab, particularly in areas bordering Fazilka district. Significant seizures include 40.3 kg of opium in Sangaria in Rajasthan and 653 kg of poppy husk in Hanumangarh in Rajasthan, both involving Punjab-registered vehicles. In Fazilka district, 14 arrests have been made since March 24, resulting in the seizure of 9.955 kg of heroin, 16.5 kg of poppy husk, 420 drug pills, and drug money amounting to INR 20,700. The crackdown aims to tighten vigilance and curb drug trafficking ahead of the elections.
31-Mar-2024
A drug smuggler identified as Gurlal Singh alias Gullu, who was arrested with 40kg heroin by the special task force (STF) of Ludhiana Range in 2018, was recently awarded 12-year rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of INR 1 lakh in Punjab. The STF had revealed his connections with cross-border smugglers for procuring heroin to distribute in Punjab.
31-Mar-2024
Police on March 31 busted an inter-state illegal arms smuggling racket and arrested four members identified as Gurmanjot Singh, Kuldeep Singh alias Manak, Sukhchain Singh, and Sandeep Singh and seized nine .32 bore country-made pistols and eight live cartridges from their possession near Patran-Khanauri road near Patran in Patiala district. The police revealed that they acted on credible intelligence regarding arms smugglers transporting illegal weapons from Sendhwan in Barwani district, Madhya Pradesh, to engage in criminal activities in Punjab.
31-Mar-2024
The Border Security Force (BSF) on March 31 recovered a China-made drone, from farming fields near Havellian village in Tarn Taran district.
31-Mar-2024
Malerkotla police, as part of efforts to combat the drug menace in the region, have decided to expedite the process of attaching movable and immovable properties of five individuals booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Properties worth over INR 6.91 crore have been evaluated for attachment, with INR 4.083 crore already seized. Immovable properties belonging to Akashdeep Singla and Yogesh Bansal, estimated to be worth INR 4.0837 crore, were seized recently after receiving approval from competent authorities in Delhi. Additionally, modalities for attaching properties of three other accused, worth INR 2.83 crore, are nearing completion.
30-Mar-2024
Police on March 30 busted an international drug racket being operated from Goindwal Jail in Goindwal, Tarn Taran district, and arrested five youths identified as Gagandeep Singh alias Gora, Harmandeep Singh alias Happy, Charanjit Singh, Germanpreet Singh, and Lovejit Singh alias Rahul and seized 3 kg of heroin, INR 50,000 in drug money, and a pistol with three cartridges from their possession in Amritsar district. Investigations revealed that the suspects lacked prior criminal records and had been involved in the drug trade for six months. The cartel was being operated by a Goindwal Sahib jail inmate who had links with Pakistan-based narco suppliers with the pseudonyms Kala and Rana.
30-Mar-2024
The Indian government recently blocked access to a documentary titled ‘Sikhs, Spies, and Murder: Investigating India’s Alleged Hit on Foreign Soil’, produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, which implicates Indian agents in the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, Canada. Following orders from the Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, YouTube restricted access to the documentary.