KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
07-Jan-2025
The parents of jailed radical Khalistani preacher and Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government on January 7 of suppressing democratic rights and silencing dissent in Jallupur Khera village, Amritsar district. The Punjab Police placed them under preventive detention to stop them from attending the Quami Insaf Morcha march in Mohali. Their village was heavily surrounded by police, and they were permitted to leave their home only after 5 pm.
07-Jan-2025
Dal Khalsa spokesperson Kanwar Pal Singh on January 7 opposed Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring’s request to confer the ‘Panth Rattan’ title on former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and to install his portrait in the Sikh Museum at the Golden Temple. Dal Khalsa argued that while Singh served the country, he did not prioritize Sikh interests during his tenure. Working president Paramjit Singh Mand suggested the Congress should advocate for Bharat Ratna for Singh instead, asserting that the former PM did not significantly advance Sikh identity or causes.
07-Jan-2025
Police on January 7 arrested two members of the Davinder Bambiha gang after an exchange of fire, identified as Sukhjit Singh and Harmandeep Singh, and seized two pistols from their possession, near Bir Sikhan Wala village in Faridkot district. Both suspects are close aides of gangster Harsimranjit Singh alias Sema Behbal.
07-Jan-2025
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on January 7 said it had attached five immovable properties belonging to four accused- Surmukh Singh alias Sammu, Dilbagh Singh alias Baggo, Harpreet Singh alias Happy Malaysia and Rajanpreet Singh, in the 2021 Ludhiana court complex bomb blast case. The properties were attached in Lopoke in Amritsar district in Punjab. The explosion, which killed IED bomb handler Gagandeep Singh and injured six others, was traced to Pakistan-based International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) chief Lakhbir Singh Rode. Investigations revealed that Rode conspired with several individuals, including cross-border smuggler Zulfikar, to carry out the blast and smuggle explosives into India. The case was handed over to the NIA in January 2022.
07-Jan-2025
Punjab police on January 7 arrested four individuals, identified as Gurpreet Singh, Baljeet Kaur, Maninder Singh and Harpreet Singh, involved in the illegal trafficking operation, and seized 5 kg of heroin and two motorcycles from their possession in Chheharta Sahib in Amritsar district. The Police revealed that the accused were in direct contact with Pakistan-based smugglers and receiving consignments of drugs from across the border.
06-Jan-2025
Police on January 6 arrested two associates of foreign-based gangster Prabh Dasuwal, identified as Karanpreet Singh alias Karan and Gurlaljit Singh alias Laali, and seized one pistol, some live cartridges and empty bullet shells from their possession in Valtoha village in Patti in Tarn Taran district. The duo, involved in extortion on Dasuwal's directions, were linked to two firing incidents in the past month. They were arrested after a brief encounter when they opened fire on the police, injuring themselves in retaliatory fire.
06-Jan-2025
Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh, on January 6 in Amritsar, expressed concern over the worsening health of fasting farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal. While emphasizing that hunger strikes hold no place in Sikhism, he condemned the situation where the "anndata" (food-producing community) felt compelled to fast to secure their rightful demands. Dallewal has been on an indefinite hunger strike for over 40 days at the Khanauri protest site, demanding a legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of crops.
06-Jan-2025
Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh's call on January 6 for the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to comply with the December 2 directives has intensified challenges for SAD Working President Balwinder Singh Bhunder and SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami. While SAD leaders, including Sukhbir Singh Badal, have fulfilled the religious component of their tankhah (religious punishment), they have yet to address key political directives, including Sukhbir's resignation and membership enrolment reforms. Sources indicate Giani Raghbir Singh's backing of Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh has deepened the rift between the Akal Takht, SGPC, and SAD leadership.
06-Jan-2025
According to official sources, police in Uttarakhand have identified six pro-Khalistan suspects in Udham Singh Nagar district following Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun's call for "lone wolf attacks" in India. The internal security unit has placed the suspects under surveillance, with heightened alerts issued after a joint operation in Pilibhit eliminated three Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) members. Pannun's attempts to lure youths with cash for attacks have raised concerns, especially given the district's history of Khalistani activity, including arrests of individuals linked to terror outfits in recent years.
06-Jan-2025
Shiromani Akali Dal Amritsar (SAD-A) President and former Sangrur MP Simranjit Singh Mann announced on January 6 in Amritsar that his party would support jailed Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh's proposed political party if it endorses Khalistan. Mann reaffirmed SAD-A's longstanding advocacy for Khalistan and criticized parties that do not support the separatist cause.
06-Jan-2025
Senior police officials confirmed on January 6 that mobile data retrieved from a Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) militant killed in a December 23 encounter in Pilibhit has revealed the group’s movements in Uttar Pradesh's Terai region. The militants stayed in Bareilly for several hours before heading to Pilibhit, using encrypted apps to communicate with local contacts and overseas handlers. Forensic analysis of one operational phone mapped their route from Gurdaspur to Pilibhit. A team has been deployed to identify those who provided logistical support to the militants.
06-Jan-2025
Police on January 6 arrested two individuals, identified as Balbir Singh alias Bira and Ajay Verma and seized 2 kg of heroin along with INR 1.5 lakh of drug money from their possession, near Kadial village in Ajnala in Amritsar district.
06-Jan-2025
Border Security Force (BSF), in a joint operation with Punjab Police on January 6, arrested one smuggler identified as Bittu and seized 525 grams of heroin along with two mobile phones from his possession near Malakpur village in Ajnala in Amritsar district.
06-Jan-2025
The Border Security Force (BSF) on January 6 recovered a broken drone from fields near Khanwal village in Ajnala in Amritsar district. The recovered drone was a DJI Mavic 3 classic model.
06-Jan-2025
Radical Khalistani preacher and jailed Khadoor Sahib Member of Parliament (MP) Amritpal Singh's father, Tarsem Singh, has urged people to attend the ‘Panthic’ gathering on the Maghi festival at Muktsar Sahib on January 14 and announced plans to launch a new political party. He criticized the current Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leadership for failing the Punjabi community and emphasized addressing Punjab’s issues within the constitutional framework. Tarsem Singh highlighted the need to prioritize youth leadership, health, and education. He also denied the authenticity of a letter allegedly written by Amritpal Singh condemning his mother’s statement against Khalistan.
06-Jan-2025
According to data from the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG), Punjab's district courts are grappling with a significant backlog of 8,45,319 cases, with 62% of them pending for over a year. Of these, 4,71,803 are criminal cases involving life and liberty, while 3,73,516 are civil matters. The primary reasons for delays include the non-availability of counsel, stay orders, and witness-related issues. This backlog underscores the urgent need for judicial reforms to ensure timely justice delivery and reduce prolonged adjournments.
06-Jan-2025
Sources reveal that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government plans to launch a comprehensive anti-drug policy in Punjab within 2-3 months. The policy will focus on prevention, enforcement, de-addiction, and rehabilitation, with a special emphasis on rising drug use among teenagers and women. Plans include revising school and college curricula and setting up two additional de-addiction clinics for women. Drawing inspiration from Manipur's State Policy on Substance Use, the initiative will explore community-based and home detoxification methods for effective intervention.
05-Jan-2025
The Punjab Frontier of the Border Security Force (BSF), in coordination with the Tarn Taran police, on January 5 recovered a packet of heroin weighing 562 grams and a China-made DJI Mavic 3 Classic drone near Dal village in Patti, Tarn Taran district.
05-Jan-2025
The Punjab Frontier of the Border Security Force (BSF), in a joint operation with the Tarn Taran police, on January 5 recovered a packet of heroin weighing 632 grams near Dal village in Patti, Tarn Taran district.
05-Jan-2025
According to officials, a Pakistani drone found near Chak 9-F village in Sri Ganganagar district, Rajasthan, on December 2 had made three sorties into Indian territory before crashing due to a technical fault. The Border Security Force (BSF) registered a case under the Indian Aircraft Act and has since intensified security and patrolling along the Pakistan-India border, particularly in the Jalalabad area of Fazilka district, Punjab, to counter anti-national activities and drug smuggling.
05-Jan-2025
The Delhi Lieutenant Governor (L-G), VK Saxena, approved full relaxation of age limits and educational qualifications on January 5 for 88 riot victims and their families seeking government jobs as Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS) in New Delhi. This decision, made after appeals from the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee and victims' groups, aims to support rehabilitation efforts. Special camps held in November 2023 identified eligible applicants, many of whom faced barriers due to age or qualifications. The relaxation is in line with a 2006 rehabilitation package sanctioned by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to assist riot victims.
05-Jan-2025
Khalistani terrorist and the chief of the banned Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), Gurpatwant Singh Pannun issued a fresh threat on January 5 via video message to disrupt the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj, scheduled from January 13 to February 26. Pannun called for "Prayagraj Chalo" to oppose Hindutva ideology and urged supporters to raise Khalistani and Kashmiri flags at airports in Lucknow and Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh (UP).
04-Jan-2025
Border Security Forces (BSF) and Punjab Police in a joint operation on January 4 arrested two unidentified smugglers and seized a packet of heroin weighing 540 grams from their possession, near Attari village in Amritsar district.
04-Jan-2025
On January 4, the Border Security Force (BSF) and Punjab Police, in a joint operation, recovered four packets of heroin weighing 2.12 kg, along with a box containing 40 live cartridges, near Balharwal village in Ajnala, Amritsar district.
04-Jan-2025
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on January 4 requested the Additional District and Sessions Judge to transfer the case records of the 2022 murder of Dera Sacha Sauda follower Pardeep Singh Kataria from the Faridkot court to the NIA Special Court at Patiala House, New Delhi. Pardeep, an accused in the 2015 Bargari sacrilege case, was killed in Kotkapura, with Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar named as suspects. The NIA cited orders from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) linking the killing to the Kala Jathedi gang and associates of Bishnoi and Brar. The agency also sought custody of the original case exhibits and evidence.