KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
27-Feb-2025
The Punjab Government on February 27 constituted a five-member Cabinet committee to combat the rising drug menace in the state. Chaired by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, the committee includes New and Renewable Energy Minister Aman Arora, Health Minister Balbir Singh, Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar, and Industries Minister Taranpreet Sondh. Its primary mandate is to oversee the actions of the police and health departments in addressing drug addiction.
27-Feb-2025
Jodhan police on February 27 launched a crackdown against drug peddlers, arresting a smuggler identified as Tanvir Singh and seizing 11 grams of heroin and two mobile phones in Narangwal Kalan village in Ludhiana district. Acting on directives from Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the police also booked Balwant Singh and Kulvir Kaur for their alleged involvement in the drug trade, partially demolishing their premises. The crackdown followed threats received by whistleblower sarpanch Manjinder Singh, who leads the village’s anti-drug committee.
27-Feb-2025
Police on February 27 arrested six individuals in connection with pro-Khalistan slogans and a flag put up on the walls of a government school in Satauj village, identified as Jagraj Singh alias Soni, Gurmeet Singh alias Gitti, Amritpal Singh, Baljinder Singh, Baljit Singh, and Attarveer Singh, all from Dharamgarh village in Sangrur district. The police stated that the individuals were involved in the act under the direction of Khalistani terrorist and the chief of the banned Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who has been nominated as the seventh suspect.
27-Feb-2025
Police on February 27 arrested two operatives of the Khalistani terror outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), identified as Mohit and Vishal, for their involvement in attacks in Jaintipur and Raimal and seized a .30 bore pistol from their possession in Batala, Gurdaspur district. While being taken to recover concealed arms, Mohit opened fire on the police and was killed in retaliatory action. A manhunt is underway for two more suspects linked to the blast cases.
27-Feb-2025
Former Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar Giani Kewal Singh on February 27 criticized the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) for allegedly violating Akal Takht’s directives on party enrolment, further deepening the Panthic crisis within the SAD. He asserted that the enrolment, conducted by the Badal faction instead of the mandated committee, should be deemed null and void. Sikh intellectuals and former Jathedars have called on the Akal Takht Jathedar to intervene and uphold the sanctity of its directives.
27-Feb-2025
Ludhiana’s top officials—Deputy Commissioner Jitendra Jorwal, Police Commissioner Kuldeep Singh Chahal, and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ludhiana Rural Ankur Gupta—on February 27 pledged a comprehensive strategy to combat the drug menace in Ludhiana district. The plan focuses on stricter law enforcement, rehabilitation, skill development, and awareness campaigns. Officials emphasized community involvement, including ASHA and Anganwadi workers, to identify affected families. Measures include strengthening de-addiction centers, enhancing rural sports infrastructure, and promoting employment opportunities for reformed addicts. However, critics have raised concerns over inadequate funding for rehabilitation centers.
27-Feb-2025
On February 27, police demolished a two-storey house belonging to a woman drug peddler, identified as Rinki, at Rori Kut Mohalla in Lakkad Mandi, Patiala district. Over 50 police personnel supervised the action, citing that the house was built using proceeds from drug trafficking. Rinki, who has over 10 First Information Reports (FIRs) registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act from 2016 to 2023, remains absconding, with raids ongoing to arrest her.
27-Feb-2025
Phagwara police on February 27 busted an illegal firearms racket and arrested three individuals, identified as Nishant Raj, Ashutosh, and J Mani Ratanam, and seized two 7.65mm pistols with 12 live cartridges, one .32 bore revolver with three live cartridges, and two empty cartridges in Phagwara, Kapurthala district. The operation is part of ongoing efforts to curb illegal arms trafficking, with further investigations underway.
26-Feb-2025
According to sources, several Punjabis attempting to reach the United States (US) via the illegal ‘Donki’ route were recently deported on US military aircraft after spending Rs 40-50 lakh in hopes of securing asylum. A Trump-era executive order bars undocumented migrants from seeking asylum, leading to immediate deportations. Punjabis, including Sikhs and Hindus, form a significant portion of US asylum seekers, often citing religious or political persecution. Legal precedents from the 1980s continue to influence cases, particularly those linked to pro-Khalistan affiliations.
26-Feb-2025
The resurfacing of a 1999 resolution has intensified controversy over the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) questioning the authority of the Akal Takht Jathedar. The resolution, passed by the SGPC’s Dharam Parchar Committee, asserted that only the Sarbat Khalsa holds the power to suspend a Jathedar, not the SGPC. However, SGPC officials clarified that the resolution was rejected in 1999. The dispute escalated after SGPC leaders reaffirmed their authority to appoint and remove Takht Jathedars, drawing criticism from Sikh leaders and organizations like Chief Khalsa Diwan.
26-Feb-2025
The Border Security Force (BSF) on February 26 shot dead a Pakistani intruder along the International Border (IB) at Tashpatan Border Out Post (BOP) near Pathankot in Pathankot district. The intruder ignored multiple warnings and was neutralized by alert BSF troops. The identity and motive of the infiltrator are under investigation, and a strong protest will be lodged with the Pakistan Rangers.
26-Feb-2025
The Special Task Force (STF) on February 26 killed a wanted criminal and Lawrence Bishnoi gang member, Jeetu alias Jitendra, in an encounter in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh (UP). Jeetu had a bounty of INR 1 lakh on his head and was involved in multiple crimes, including a double murder and contract killing. He was injured in the gunfight and later succumbed to his injuries in the hospital.
26-Feb-2025
On February 26, Amritsar Rural Police launched a manhunt to arrest German Singh and Arsh Bagga, associates of foreign-based gangster Balwinder Singh alias Dony Bal, after their accomplice Rohit Singh was injured and arrested in a police encounter on February 25 in Mehta, Amritsar district, Punjab.
25-Feb-2025
Police on February 25 arrested Rohit Singh, an operative of gangster Balwinder Singh alias Dony Bal, while his accomplice, German Singh, managed to escape in the Mehta area of Amritsar district. The duo was wanted in connection with an extortion and firing case that occurred on February 13.
25-Feb-2025
Phillaur Police on February 25 arrested three female drug peddlers, identified as Anita Rani, wife of Mangat Ram; Rani, wife of Minda; and Preeti, wife of Harjinder, and seized 160 narcotic pills from their possession in Ganna Village, Phillaur, Jalandhar district. The arrests followed police intelligence on drug trafficking. All three accused are habitual offenders with multiple prior cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
25-Feb-2025
Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh on February 25 engaged in an online spat with an X user named 'Randomsena,' who urged him to say 'Khalistan Murdabad.' Singh responded by calling him an enemy of India and later revealed that a First Information Report (FIR) had been filed against the account.
25-Feb-2025
The Rouse Avenue Court in New Delhi on February 25 sentenced former Congress Member of Parliament (MP) Sajjan Kumar to life imprisonment in a murder case related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Kumar, already serving a sentence in Tihar Jail for another 1984 riots case, was convicted of leading a mob that burned alive Jaswant Singh and his son in Delhi’s Saraswati Vihar. The court described his actions as "brutal and reprehensible" but considered mitigating factors such as his age (80 years) and health conditions in awarding a life sentence instead of the death penalty.
25-Feb-2025
Delhi’s Food Supply, Industry, Environment, and Forest Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on February 25 criticized the Congress leadership, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and Sonia Gandhi, for their silence on the life sentence handed to former Congress Member of Parliament (MP) Sajjan Kumar in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case. Sirsa stated that while the nation welcomed the verdict, the Congress leadership’s silence indicated their complicity in the violence. He reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring justice for the Sikh community and thanked Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister (UHM) Amit Shah for reconstituting the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which played a key role in the case.
25-Feb-2025
Ludhiana city police on February 25 demolished the properties of a drug smuggler, identified as Sonu, as part of an intensified crackdown on narcotics trafficking in Talwandi village, Ludhiana district. Sonu and his family were implicated in six drug-smuggling cases.
25-Feb-2025
Ludhiana city police on February 25 demolished the properties of drug smuggler Rahul Hans as part of an intensified crackdown on narcotics trafficking in Dugri, Ludhiana district. Rahul was arrested in 2024 with over 41,000 illicit tablets and INR 2.15 lakh in drug-related proceeds. The demolitions were carried out under the supervision of Ludhiana Police Commissioner Kuldeep Singh Chahal, who warned that 78 more identified traffickers could face similar action. Authorities have also sought municipal records to seize vehicles purchased with drug money.
25-Feb-2025
Punjab Police on February 25 conducted raids and search operations at 1,274 immigration firms across the state as part of a crackdown on illegal immigration. Special Director General of Police (DGP) (Law and Order) Arpit Shukla, who oversaw the operation, reported that at least 24 First Information Reports (FIRs) were registered against defaulting travel agents, with seven arrests made. Police were directed to take strict action against agents violating the Punjab Travel Professionals’ Regulation Act, 2012.
25-Feb-2025
On February 25, the Centre informed the Punjab and Haryana High Court that a 15-member committee, headed by Biplab Kumar Deb, has been constituted by the Lok Sabha Speaker to examine leave applications of absent Members of Parliament (MPs), including jailed Khadoor Sahib MP and Khalistani radical preacher Amritpal Singh. Amritpal, currently detained in Dibrugarh Central Jail in Assam under the National Security Act (NSA), had sought permission to attend parliamentary sessions. His petition argues that his prolonged absence violates his constitutional rights and could lead to his seat being declared vacant. The High Court adjourned the matter to next week after taking the Centre’s statement on record.
24-Feb-2025
Former Delhi Chief Minister (CM) Atishi on February 24 accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of harboring anti-Sikh and anti-Dalit sentiments, alleging that the new government removed portraits of Shaheed Bhagat Singh and Baba Saheb Ambedkar from government offices. She also criticized Delhi CM Rekha Gupta for failing to implement the Mahila Samman Yojana, calling the Prime Minister’s (PM) guarantee “false.”
24-Feb-2025
According to sources, the Border Security Force (BSF) has deployed additional personnel along the Indo-Pakistan border in Punjab and Jammu to strengthen the anti-infiltration grid and counter the smuggling of arms and narcotics through drones. The BSF’s Western Command, based in Chandigarh, has ordered the establishment of nine “strategic” headquarters in these regions, supported by a newly created control room for intelligence and operations. Each headquarters will have a senior commander and the commanding officer of the battalion deployed at vulnerable border posts. Security forces have also been directed to relocate maximum manpower from battalion headquarters to these areas.
24-Feb-2025
The Punjab and Haryana High Court on February 24 directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), and police forces of Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh to cooperate in tackling the drug menace. The court rejected Punjab’s plea to modify an earlier order, stating that the investigation should remain with central agencies due to the severity of the issue.