KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
28-Mar-2025
On March 28, as part of Yudh Nashian Virudh (war against drugs) plan, Punjab Police conducted raids at 463 locations, lodged 33 first information reports (FIRs), arrested 56 drug smugglers and seized 1.6 kg heroin, 3046 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 62940 drug money from the possession of arrested drug smugglers across Punjab.
27-Mar-2025
The Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), in a joint operation with the Himachal Pradesh (HP) police on March 27 arrested four members of the Harpreet Happo gang, identified as Amrit, Onkar Singh alias Golu, Prince and Gurpreet Singh, and seized two pistols, 20 rounds, the car from their possession, in McLeodganj in Kangra district in HP. The accused were involved in the murder of Kharar gym trainer Gurpreet Singh alias Guri, who was shot dead on January 31. All four have multiple criminal cases registered against them, including charges of murder, attempt to murder, and violations under the Arms Act.
27-Mar-2025
The Ajnala sub-divisional court on March 27 remanded Varinder Singh Fauji, an aide of jailed Khalistani radical and Khadoor Sahib Member of Parliament (MP) Amritpal Singh, to five-day police custody, in Ajnala, Amritsar district. A former Army personnel and Amritpal’s personal security guard, Fauji was brought from Dibrugarh Central Jail in Assam after his detention under the National Security Act ended. He was part of the mob that attacked Ajnala police station in February 2023. The police had sought a seven-day remand, and he will be produced in court again on April 1.
27-Mar-2025
On March 27, in Chandigarh, Neena Singh, a member of Sikh Legal Aid (SLA), urged the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to adopt more proactive methods for religious advocacy amid rising conversions to Christianity in Punjab. She suggested door-to-door preaching, similar to Christian missionary efforts, and called for greater transparency in SGPC's budget allocation for dharam parchar. The SGPC, set to finalize its annual budget on March 28, has earmarked INR 100 crore for religious propagation in 2024-25. Sikh scholars have also emphasized the need for stronger outreach and social welfare initiatives to preserve Sikh heritage.
27-Mar-2025
In a written response to Parliament, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that it has raised concerns with the United States (US) over respecting the religious sensitivities and food preferences of Indian nationals being deported. However, the US authorities denied instructing deportees to remove religious head coverings and confirmed that only vegetarian meal requests were made. The response came following a query by Punjab Member of Parliament (MP) Harbhajan Singh. The MEA also objected to the use of shackles on deportees, particularly women, and noted that the US has used military aircraft for deportations this year.
27-Mar-2025
Punjab Police Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav, while addressing a press conference in Chandigarh on March 27, stated that the supply of drugs on the streets has reduced following a crackdown under the ongoing war against drugs. He emphasized that the police are now focusing on dismantling high-level drug networks by targeting key suppliers and kingpins. He also reported that since the launch of the anti-drugs campaign on March 1, 4,142 drug smugglers have been arrested.
27-Mar-2025
The Hoshiarpur police in association with the district administration on March 27 demolished an illegal building constructed on encroached land of a woman drug peddler identified as Gurmeet Kaur, in Nainowal Vaid village in Hoshiarpur district. The demolition was carried out following complaints from the village panchayat, which reported her involvement in drug smuggling.
27-Mar-2025
A submission by the state of Punjab in the Punjab and Haryana High Court (HC) on March 27 revealed that 971 accused in drug cases registered before August 31, 2024, remain absconding in Punjab. During the hearing before Justice NS Shekhawat’s Bench, the state counsel informed the court that out of 1,846 absconding accused, only 875 had been arrested so far. The court observed that Punjab Police had a legal obligation to arrest the accused, initiate PO proceedings, and attach properties, but such efforts were lacking in several districts.
27-Mar-2025
Amritsar Rural Police on March 27 arrested seven unidentified members of an international drug syndicate and seized 4.5 kg of heroin in Amritsar district. Preliminary investigations revealed their links to Gurdeep Singh alias Rano, a key operative of the syndicate currently detained under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PIT-NDPS) Act. Further investigations are underway to dismantle the entire network.
27-Mar-2025
On March 27, Shiv Sena Yuva Sena's (Shinde faction) General Secretary Rahool Kanal accused comedian Kunal Kamra of receiving funding from Khalistani elements to create content against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. In a post on social media platform X, Kanal demanded the demonetization of Kamra’s YouTube channel and claimed to have over 300 screenshots of payments linked to anti-government videos.
26-Mar-2025
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on March 26 criticized the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), stating that it continued its “pattern of issuing biased and politically motivated assessments,” while addressing the media in New Delhi. He accused the commission of misrepresenting isolated incidents to malign India’s multicultural society. The MEA asserted that efforts to undermine India’s status as a “beacon of democracy and tolerance” would fail and suggested that the USCIRF itself should be designated as an “entity of concern.”
26-Mar-2025
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami, on March 26, in Amritsar, criticized the Indian government’s insensitive approach towards the release of Bandi Singhs (Sikh prisoners), calling it a violation of human rights. He stated that despite SGPC’s continuous efforts, the central government’s negative stance remains a major obstacle. Dhami expressed disappointment that multiple requests for a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, including one by the Akal Takht committee, were ignored. He urged the government to ensure justice for Sikh prisoners, warning that further delays could lead to growing distrust among Sikhs.
26-Mar-2025
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Cheema on March 26 announced two initiatives to combat drug trafficking, including deploying 5,000 Home Guards alongside the Border Security Force (BSF) on the Pakistan border and implementing advanced anti-drone systems. Presenting the state budget for 2025-26, he allocated INR 110 crore for these measures, with INR 60 crore designated for Home Guards.
26-Mar-2025
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Cheema on March 26, while presenting the state budget for 2025-26, announced the first-ever census to collect data on drug addiction and de-addiction centres. Cheema reiterated the state’s commitment to combating drug smuggling by enhancing border security and implementing targeted initiatives to curb the menace.
26-Mar-2025
As part of “Yudh Nashian Virudh”, Punjab Police on March 26 raided 483 locations, arrested 77 drug smugglers after the registration of 55 first information reports (FIRs), and seized recovered 1.1 kg of heroin, 301 grams of opium and INR 13570 drug money from the possession of arrested drug smugglers across Punjab.
26-Mar-2025
Police on March 26 nominated two more persons in the Jalandhar grenade attack case, identified as Gaurav Gill and Maninder Bobby, in Jalandhar in Jalandhar district. The Police stated that Gaurav Gill, a resident of Canada, was the mastermind behind the attack. The case relates to a grenade being thrown at the house of YouTuber Navdeep alias Rozer Sandhu, in Raipur Rasoolpur village in Phillaur tehsil in Jalandhar district, on March 16.
25-Mar-2025
Punjab Police on March 25 conducted raids at 452 locations, leading to the arrest of 69 drug smugglers and the registration of 47 First Information Reports (FIRs), and recovered 1.2 kg of heroin, 300 grams of opium, 2,200 intoxicant tablets/pills/injections, 375 kg of poppy husk, and INR 13,000 drug money from the possession of the arrested drug smugglers, across the state.
25-Mar-2025
Mohinder Chawla, a member of the Kullu Gurdwara Management Committee, on March 25, in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh, expressed regret over the recent incidents between Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, attributing them to a handful of miscreants. He emphasized that both states have worked together to restore peace through initiatives such as peace committee meetings in Kullu and Manali. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Kumar Sukhu and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann also coordinated to defuse tensions, ensuring swift action against those responsible for vandalizing buses.
25-Mar-2025
An Ajnala court in Amritsar district on March 25 extended police remand of eight associates of Khalistani radical and jailed Khadoor Sahib Member of Parliament (MP) Amritpal Singh, identified as Basant Singh, Bhagwant Singh alias Pradhan Mantri Bajeke, Gurmeet Singh Gill, Sarabjeet Singh Kalsi alias Daljeet Singh, Gurinderpal Singh Aujla, Harjeet Singh alias Chacha, Kulwant Singh Dhaliwal and Amandeep Singh, for three day.
25-Mar-2025
Forty-two members of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on March 25 submitted a joint petition demanding the revocation of the decision to remove Takht Jathedars, in Amritsar in Amritsar district. The SGPC had previously sacked Jathedars, including Damdama Sahib Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh, leading to political backlash, particularly against Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). Former SGPC general secretary Kiranjot Kaur stated that the petition rejects new appointments and seeks restoration of previous Jathedars. The members also urged the SGPC to establish norms for appointing Takht Jathedars after consulting the wider Sikh community.
25-Mar-2025
A local court in Patiala in Patiala district on March 25 acquitted Jagtar Singh Tara and Ramandeep Singh Goldy in the 2009 murder case of Rashtriya Sikh Sangat chief Rulda Singh, citing a lack of sufficient evidence from the Punjab Police. Rulda Singh was shot outside his residence on July 28, 2009, and succumbed to his injuries on August 15, 2009.
24-Mar-2025
The Delhi Police on March 24 informed the Patiala House Court that further investigation is pending in the extortion case against former Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) officer Vikash Yadav, who has been charged by the United States (US) Department of Justice (DoJ) with “murder-for-hire” and money laundering in an alleged plot to kill Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. The Patiala House Court has listed the case for May 22 for arguments on the point of charge. Yadav, previously arrested in December 2023, was granted interim bail on March 22 and regular bail on April 22, 2024.
23-Mar-2025
Punjab Police on March 23 announced that, the Anti-Narcotic Task Force (ANTF) of the Punjab Police with the support of the central agencies arrested eleven persons and seized 423 grams of heroin, 372 grams of gold and foreign currencies amounting to INR 5.09 crore along with four vehicles from their possession, in Amritsar in Amritsar district. The crackdown followed an extensive investigation into a narco-terror hawala network linked to a Pakistani drug smuggler.
23-Mar-2025
The Punjab Police’s State Special Operation Cell (SSOC) on March 23 busted a major narcotics smuggling network and arrested three Army men, identified as Gurpreet Singh, alias Gopi, his brother Sukhpreet Singh and Akashdeep Singh, along with two civilians identified as Kulwinder Singh and Arvinder Singh, and seized 135 grams of heroin and one pistol from their possession, in Gokuwal village in Batala in Gurdaspur district. Gopi, was identified as the chief conspirator. Officials stated that the accused were involved in procuring heroin and arms and ammunition from Pakistan-based smugglers. Their financial transactions were under investigation, and more arrests were likely as the probe continued.
23-Mar-2025
The Amritsar city police on March 23 arrested a woman kingpin along with three drug smugglers identified as Mandeep Kaur, Alam Arora, Manmeet alias Golu, and one unidentified 18-year-old, and seized 5.2 kg of heroin from their possession in Chheharta Sahib in Amritsar district. Mandeep Kaur, who allegedly transported drugs disguised as a police officer, was linked to Pakistan-based smugglers. A case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act has been registered, and further investigations are underway.