KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
10-Mar-2025
Amritsar Police dismantled a drug cartel on March 10, arresting four smugglers—Tarsem Singh alias Sema, Amrit Singh alias Abhi, Ramanjit Singh alias Raman, and a juvenile— and seizing 4.01 kg of heroin, INR 20,000 in drug money, and three motorcycles, in Chheharta, Amritsar district. he accused were linked to Pakistan-based smugglers using the Ferozepur sector for cross-border drug trafficking. The juvenile played a key role, using boats to retrieve drug consignments near the International Border (IB).
10-Mar-2025
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) state president Aman Arora, while addressing a press conference in Chandigarh on March 10, claimed significant progress in the state government’s 10-day-old anti-drug campaign, Yudh Nashian Virudh. He stated that Punjab Police had registered 988 First Information Reports (FIRs) under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, arrested 1,360 drug traffickers, and seized 1,035 kg of heroin, opium, and synthetic drugs, along with 6.81 lakh drug pills and INR 36 lakh in drug money across the state. Arora highlighted the demolition of 24 drug traffickers’ properties and warned smugglers to either quit or leave Punjab. A Cabinet Committee has been formed to oversee the campaign, with efforts also focused on rehabilitation.
10-Mar-2025
Police arrested a woman, identified as Paramjit Kaur, and seized 80 grams of heroin from her possession in Abohar, Fazilka district, on March 10.
10-Mar-2025
Police on March 10 arrested two individuals, identified as Rohit Kumar Rinki and Sonu and seized 40 grams of heroin from their possession, in Abohar in Fazilka district.
10-Mar-2025
Police on March 10 arrested an individual, identified as Prahlad Kumar and seized 4 grams of heroin from his possession, in Jandwala Hanwanta village in Fazilka district.
09-Mar-2025
On March 9, Nihang organisations declared that they would not allow the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to hold the installation ceremony of Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj as Takht Kesgarh Sahib Jathedar and acting Akal Takht Jathedar on March 10 in Anandpur Sahib, Rupnagar district. Led by Shiromani Panth Akali Buddha Dal 96 Crori’s chief Baba Balbir Singh, several Nihang groups opposed the move, demanding the reinstatement of the sacked Jathedars. Other Sikh bodies and traditional sects also pledged to boycott the event. In response, Punjab Police heightened security around Takht Kesgarh Sahib to prevent clashes.
09-Mar-2025
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on March 9 stated that under the “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, 1,188 drug traffickers had been arrested, 875 FIRs registered, and 68 kg heroin, 873 kg poppy husk, 42 kg opium, 3.5 kg charas, 6,74,370 intoxicating tablets, and INR 35 lakh drug money seized since the campaign's launch on February 25. Cheema blamed previous SAD-BJP and Congress governments for Punjab’s drug crisis, highlighting AAP's 86% conviction rate. He also stressed awareness efforts, including student outreach and action against traffickers.
09-Mar-2025
Notorious criminal Phati alias Asad was killed in an encounter with Uttar Pradesh (UP) Police near Mathura on March 9. He was shot during a police raid after opening fire and was declared dead on arrival at the hospital, while two accomplices escaped. A wanted leader of the interstate Chaimaar gang, Phati had an INR 1 lakh bounty and over three dozen cases against him across multiple states.
09-Mar-2025
Amritsar Central Jail authorities on March 9 arrested Jail Warder Jagdeep Singh and seized 260 grams of narcotic powder, 560 sedative pills, 100 grams of narcotic substances, INR 63,650 drug money, and 217 “bidis” from his room, in Amritsar in Amritsar district. Acting on a tip-off about drug smuggling, the raid also led to the seizure of 404 sedative pills from inmate Ishant Kumar, allegedly supplied by Jagdeep. Police are conducting a forensic analysis of Jagdeep’s mobile phone to trace financial links and accomplices, with more arrests expected.
09-Mar-2025
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, in a statement on March 9, strongly condemned the vandalization of a BAPS Hindu temple in Chino Hills, California, calling it a despicable act. He urged local law enforcement to take strict action against the culprits and ensure adequate security for places of worship. The incident, which occurred on March 8 ahead of the so-called Khalistan referendum in Los Angeles, saw anti-Hindu messages like ‘Hindus go back’ graffitied, sparking concern within the local Hindu community.
09-Mar-2025
Various Sikh organizations, including Dal Khalsa and Sri Guru Kendri Singh Sabha, have strongly opposed the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee’s (SGPC) decision to remove the jathedars of Akal Takht and Takht Kesgarh Sahib. Dal Khalsa called the move unacceptable to a large segment of Sikhs, blaming Sukhbir Singh Badal’s faction for the decision. Gurpreet Singh of Sri Guru Kendri Singh Sabha condemned the removals as politically motivated and urged the community to support the jathedars while holding SGPC representatives accountable.
09-Mar-2025
According to Border Security Force (BSF) sources, approximately 33 kg of narcotics have been seized, and 45 hostile drones have been neutralized along the International Border (IB) in Punjab in the first nine weeks of 2025. Additionally, 19 illegal weapons, including pistols and shotguns, have been recovered, and 15 suspected smugglers have been apprehended. In 2024, the BSF seized 283 kg of heroin and neutralized 294 drones, a sharp increase from 107 drones in 2023. Most drug consignments were dropped by Pakistan-origin drones, primarily China-made Mavic series drones used for smuggling.
08-Mar-2025
Punjab Cabinet Minister Aman Arora on March 8 stated that over the past eight days, the state government has arrested more than 1,000 drug peddlers and registered 700 cases under the "Yudh Nashian Virudh" campaign. During a review meeting with Mohali district authorities in Sahibzada Ajit Singh (SAS) Nagar, he highlighted the seizure of over 50 kg of heroin, more than five quintals of poppy husk, over 30 kg of opium, and drug money exceeding INR 22 lakh. He urged socio-religious institutions, political parties, and NGOs to join the anti-drug fight, emphasizing rehabilitation efforts to reintegrate drug users into society.
08-Mar-2025
According to sources, the Punjab government plans to establish 15-member Narcotics Anonymous support groups in all villages to combat the rising drug menace. Each group will be led by a woman panchayat member and will include an Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) worker as the member secretary. Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh emphasized a two-pronged strategy—cracking down on drug trade networks while curbing drug use through community involvement. Similar support groups will be set up in de-addiction centers, Outpatient Opioid Assisted Treatment (OOAT) clinics, and mohallas, with reformed addicts encouraging others to quit drugs.
08-Mar-2025
Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, a 40-year-old Sikh preacher with strong panthic credentials, has been appointed acting Jathedar of Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs, in Amritsar. Born in Jabbowal village, Amritsar district, he holds an MA in History and a Diploma in Sikh Studies from Sikh Missionary College. A former religious preacher with the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), he has delivered discourses on Sikh scriptures and actively advocated for panthic issues, including the release of Sikh political prisoners.
08-Mar-2025
According to sources, smugglers from across the border in Pakistan are bundling free samples of crystal methamphetamine (ICE) with heroin to lure Punjab’s youth into addiction. This new plant-based ICE, derived from Afghanistan’s ephedra plant, is cheaper and more potent. Despite the Taliban’s ban on opium cultivation, ephedra growth remains unchecked, fuelling the methamphetamine industry. In 2024, Punjab Police seized 22 kg of ICE—an 11-fold increase from 2023—with drones being used for smuggling. Reports suggest Pakistan-based drug lord Haji Salim is orchestrating large-scale ICE supply, while Afghanistan emerges as a major global methamphetamine producer.
07-Mar-2025
Punjab Police on March 7 raided 687 locations, arrested 111 individuals involved in drug trafficking and liquor smuggling, and seized 1.2 kg of heroin, 9.8 kg of opium, 3.3 kg of ganja, 46 kg of poppy husk, 7,091 intoxicant tablets and injections, and INR 1.32 lakh in cash across Punjab. A 1,000-strong police force conducted vehicle checks at 84 points in 10 border districts, including Pathankot, Sri Muktsar Sahib, Fazilka, Rupnagar, Sahibzada Ajit Singh (SAS) Nagar, Patiala, Sangrur, Mansa, Hoshiarpur, and Bathinda.
07-Mar-2025
The counter-intelligence wing of Jalandhar Police on March 7 averted a major targeted killing in Punjab by arresting three operatives of a Babbar Khalsa International (BKI)-backed terror module—Jagroop Singh, Sukhjit Singh, and Navpreet Singh alias Nav — and seizing four pistols, including two country-made weapons, along with four magazines and 22 cartridges from their possession, in Surya Enclave, Jalandhar. The module was being handled by US-based gangster Gurpreet Singh alias Gopi Nawashehria, a close aide of Pakistan-based terrorist Harwinder Singh Rinda. Investigations revealed that Gopi, with the help of his Greece-based associate Laadi Bakapuria, was recruiting youth for anti-national activities.
07-Mar-2025
The Amritsar Rural Police on March 7 arrested three persons, including a granthi and his wife—Joga Singh (granthi), Sharanjit Kaur, and his brother Punjab Singh—and seized 2.5 kg of heroin and INR 40,500 in drug money from their possession in Gagarmal village, Ajnala, Amritsar district.
07-Mar-2025
The Amritsar rural police on March 7 arrested four persons, identified as Dilbagh Singh alias Judge, Arshdeep Singh and Samual Masih, and seized 5 kg of heroin from their possession, in Dhusi Bandh in Ajnala in Amritsar district.
07-Mar-2025
Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on March 7 criticized the United Kingdom’s (UK) indifference to the threat posed by pro-Khalistan elements and urged the UK to take action against those involved in the security breach targeting External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar in London. He condemned the "license" given to such forces, denounced their provocative actions, and emphasized that India deplores the misuse of democratic freedoms while expecting the UK to uphold its diplomatic obligations. The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) also denounced the protests, stating that attempts to intimidate or disrupt public events were unacceptable.
07-Mar-2025
Former Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh on March 7 in Amritsar condemned the removal of Giani Raghbir Singh as Akal Takht Jathedar and Giani Sultan Singh as Takht Kesgarh Sahib Jathedar, calling it a "black day" for Sikh institutions. He accused the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) of controlling Sikh institutions and retaliating against the December 2 decree. Other Sikh leaders, including Giani Kewal Singh and Manjit Singh Bhoma, also denounced the move, warning that SAD and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) would face consequences for their actions.
07-Mar-2025
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on March 7 terminated the services of Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh and Takht Kesgarh Jathedar Giani Sultan Singh in Amritsar. The decision follows the December 2, 2024, decree by the Akal Takht, which declared former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal "tankhaiya" (guilty of religious misconduct) and called for restructuring the party leadership. Prominent Sikh leaders in the United States condemned the SGPC’s decision, calling it "unwise and unacceptable." SGPC Senior Vice President Raghujit Singh Virk defended the removals, stating that the former Jathedars failed to address contemporary Sikh issues. The SGPC also announced that its annual budget session will be held on March 28.
07-Mar-2025
On March 7, the Punjab government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to integrate drug awareness into the school curriculum. The agreement, signed between the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF), Punjabi University, and the Educational Multimedia Research Centre (EMRC) in Patiala, aims to educate students on drug prevention. EMRC Patiala will develop digital content, while Punjabi University will oversee implementation. Initially introduced for grades nine to twelve, the program will later become a permanent part of the ninth-grade curriculum.
07-Mar-2025
The Border Security Force (BSF), in a joint operation with Punjab police, on March 7 arrested two drug peddlers identified as Harjinder Singh alias Bhind and Vijay and seized 475 grams of heroin along with three mobile phones and a motorcycle without a number plate from their possession in Rajatal village in Amritsar district. The accused were trying to retrieve an heroin consignment smuggled from Pakistan via drone when they were intercepted by a BSF ambush party.