KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
01-Jan-2025
Hardline Sikh groups on January 1 praised the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee’s (SGPC) decision to reverse its December 9 resolution excommunicating ex-militant Narain Singh Chaura, who had attempted to assassinate Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sukhbir Singh Badal. Leaders criticized the SGPC for initially acting under pressure to appease the SAD and hailed the reversal as a victory for the Sikh community.
01-Jan-2025
On January 1, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Punjabi singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh at his residence in New Delhi, discussing the contributions of Sikhs and paying tribute to the sacrifices of the Sahibzaades. PM Modi praised Diljit’s global success and humility, describing him as an inspiration for the nation. Diljit, in turn, commended the Prime Minister’s leadership and was deeply moved by his personal reflections on family and faith. PM Modi also shared insights about the restoration of a historic Gurdwara in Kutch, Gujarat, highlighting the importance of preserving Sikh heritage. The meeting reflected mutual admiration for each other’s journeys and contributions.
01-Jan-2025
On January 1, singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, presenting him with a bouquet. A video shared on social media captured their brief interaction. Dosanjh is currently touring India for his music concerts.
01-Jan-2025
On January 1, Inspector General of Police (IG) Sukhchain Singh Gill in Chandigarh highlighted Punjab Police's 2024 achievements: solving 100% of high-profile crimes, arresting 66 terrorists, and busting 12 terror modules. Key recoveries included 1,099 kg heroin, 991 kg opium, and INR 14.73 crore in drug money, with 531 properties worth INR 335 crore forfeited. The Anti-Gangster Task Force dismantled 198 modules, arrested 559 gangsters, and seized 482 weapons. In cybercrime, 374 FIRs were filed, INR 73.34 crore in fraud recovered, and 7,500 harmful URLs blocked. Punjab Police also recruited 4,657 personnel and achieved a 15.74% reduction in road fatalities under the Sadak Surakhya Force initiative.
31-Dec-2024
On December 31, an individual identified as Nasar Pathan threatened to carry out a blast at Mahakumbh-2025, aiming to kill 1,000 devotees, via a social media post, prompting the Mela police register a First Information Report (FIR) in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh (UP). This marked the second threat to Mahakumbh in two weeks, following a video released by Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. Security measures, including round-the-clock patrolling, have been intensified.
31-Dec-2024
On December 31, a resolution by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) condemned the encounter in Uttar Pradesh (UP) that resulted in the deaths of three Khalistani terrorists. The SGPC alleged that the encounter appeared to deliberately target Punjab's youth and demanded a judicial inquiry into the matter. The resolution was passed during an executive committee meeting.
31-Dec-2024
On December 31, the Executive Committee of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) rejected its earlier resolution from December 9, which had called for the excommunication of Narain Singh Chaura from the Panth. Chaura, an ex-militant, had attempted to assassinate Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sukhbir Singh Badal in Amritsar. The original resolution was passed following the incident, but in a meeting chaired by SGPC Chief Harjinder Singh Dhami, the committee decided to revoke the excommunication decision.
31-Dec-2024
Punjab Police Inspector General (IG) Sukhchain Singh Gill in Chandigarh, on December 31, revealed that in 2024, the Punjab Police had successfully busted 12 terror modules, arrested 66 terrorists, and recovered significant amounts of weapons and explosives, including 2 rifles, 76 pistols/revolvers, 2 tiffin IEDs, 4 hand grenades, 758 grams of RDX, and 257 drones. The Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) dismantled 198 gangster modules, resulting in 559 arrests, the seizure of 482 weapons, 102 vehicles, 7 kg heroin, and INR 2.14 crore in drug money. Additionally, the police reported the recovery of 1,099 kg heroin, 991 kg opium, 414 quintals of poppy husk, 2.94 lakh pharma opioids, and INR 14.73 crore in drug money from smugglers. Advanced AI-based CCTV systems were also deployed in 8 central jails, with plans for a new high-security jail near Ludhiana.
31-Dec-2024
In 2024, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) achieved a 100% conviction rate, securing convictions for 68 accused in 25 cases decided by special courts. The agency arrested 210 individuals across 80 cases, with 28 individuals linked to Left-wing extremism and 18 connected to northeast insurgency. Additionally, the NIA conducted 662 raids nationwide, charge-sheeted 408 accused, and attached 137 properties worth INR 19.57 crore.
31-Dec-2024
Police on December 31 arrested two smugglers, identified as Vijay and Malkiat, and seized 30 kg of poppy husk from their possession near Narayanpura village in Abohar in Fazilka district. The duo admitted to smuggling the poppy husk from Rajasthan for retail distribution in rural areas.
31-Dec-2024
Jalandhar Commissionerate police on December 31 arrested four drug peddlers, identified as Karan alias Kana, Prem Singh, Rohit and Jabanpreet Singh alias Jagdeep Singh and seized 1 kg of heroin along with their Verna (PB07-BF-0015) from their possession, near Focal Point in Jalandhar in Jalandhar district.
31-Dec-2024
According to official sources, opioid (pharmaceutical drug) addiction in Punjab spiked over threefold in 2024, with the police seizing 2.94 crore pharma opioid units, a sharp increase from 83.17 lakh last year. However, heroin seizures saw a slight decline to 1,099 kg from 1,161 kg in 2023, attributed to a reduced supply from Afghanistan following the Taliban's heroin ban. Despite this, police registered fewer NDPS Act FIRs (8,935 vs 10,786) and made fewer arrests of smugglers (12,255 vs 14,951). In a significant move, the police forfeited 550 properties tied to drug trafficking and credited the transfer of 200 key smugglers to a Bathinda jail's zero-mobile network area for disrupting trafficking networks.
30-Dec-2024
On December 30, an audio clip surfaced featuring a conversation in which a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, Goldy Brar, threatened Punjab’s Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Bikram Singh Brar for deploying informers against the gang. In his reaction, DSP Brar dismissed the threats, asserting that the police will continue to take lawful actions and emphasized Goldy Brar's involvement in criminal and terror activities, including the 2022 Mohali RPG attack.
30-Dec-2024
On December 30, a state-wide bandh called by kisan unions in support of farm leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who had been on a hunger strike for 35 days demanding a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) on crops, resulted in a complete halt of road and rail traffic across Punjab. The bandh, which lasted from 7 am to 4 pm, saw significant disruptions, with key roads and toll plazas blocked, affecting daily life in the Malwa, Doaba, and Majha regions.
30-Dec-2024
Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav announced on December 30 in Chandigarh that all eight bomb blast cases targeting police installations in the state have been solved, with fourteen members of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) arrested. The attacks were orchestrated by terror modules linked to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and handlers based in the United States (US), Canada, and Europe, involving the use of grenades and RDX. The ISI-backed BKI module was operated by Harpreet Singh alias Happy Passia and Shamsher alias Honey, with mastermind Abhijot Singh among those apprehended.
30-Dec-2024
Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav, on December 30, revealed the existence of a nexus involving drug smugglers, terrorists, and gangsters, supported by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), which is actively recruiting unemployed youth for criminal and terror activities. In 2024, Punjab Police dismantled 13 terror modules and 200 gangster modules, leading to 559 arrests and 64 encounters, marking significant strides in countering organized crime and terrorism in the state.
30-Dec-2024
According to official sources, an intensified crackdown on drug peddlers in Punjab's Ferozepur district in 2024 resulted in a notable reduction in cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The police arrested 317 individuals in 244 cases, recovering significant quantities of narcotics, including 63 kilograms of heroin. Compared to the previous year, the district witnessed a decline in arrests and drug seizures, attributed to a comprehensive strategy employing special teams, advanced technology, and preventive actions. Authorities also reported progress in curbing illegal liquor trade and mining activities, further enhancing the district's law enforcement efforts.
30-Dec-2024
Police revealed that Gurjeet Singh and Baljit Singh, the main suspects in the December 17 hand grenade attack on the Islamabad police station, are relatives of US-based drug smuggler Sandeep Singh alias Seepu. Initially involved in cross-border drug trafficking, the suspects were recruited for the attack by terrorist Jeevan Fauji. After the blast, they hid at a house in Khasa, where a hand grenade was subsequently recovered. Investigations further revealed that the duo planned to receive payment for the attack through the sale of 1.4 kilograms of heroin.
30-Dec-2024
The Kendri Sri Guru Singh Sabha, a central body of Singh Sabha Gurdwaras, on December 30 demanded the installation of a statue of General Zorawar Singh in Ladakh to honour his significant contributions during Maharaja Ranjit Singh's military campaigns.
29-Dec-2024
Farmer unions, including the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) and Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM-Non-Political), have called for a Punjab Bandh on December 30 to protest against the rising issue of farmer suicides. The bandh, scheduled from 7 AM to 4 PM, will involve blocking roads and halting the supply of milk, vegetables, and other essentials to cities. Government and private institutions will remain closed, except for emergency services. The protest has garnered support from various unions, including the All India Kisan Congress (AIKS), to bring attention to the plight of farmers.
29-Dec-2024
Police on December 29 arrested five members of the notorious gangster Jagdeep Singh alias Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, identified as Gurmeet Singh alias Rawal, Harpal Singh, Lovepreet Singh alias NP, Shamsher Singh alias Shera Passian and Sandeep Singh alias Goli and seized one 9mm Glock pistol, two .32 bore pistols and one country-made pistol along with 15 live cartridges and three magazines, along with their Hyundai Creta car from their possession, in Khabbe Dogran in Tarn Taran district. The gangsters were planning targeted killings, with weapons supplied by Bhagwanpuria. Investigations are ongoing to trace further connections and crimes linked to the group.
29-Dec-2024
Uttar Pradesh (UP) Police revealed on December 29 that Kulveer Singh Sidhu, an operative of the banned Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) with a INR 10 lakh bounty from the National Investigation Agency (NIA), was the primary financier of the three Khalistani terrorists killed in an encounter in Pilibhit on December 23. Sidhu, who fled India in 2018, is accused of arranging fake Aadhaar cards and facilitating the militants' stay at a Pilibhit hotel. Authorities are now probing the broader network supporting Khalistani activities in the region.
29-Dec-2024
Unidentified assailants opened fire on the car of Sikh activist Bakshish Singh near the Patiala South Bypass in Patiala district on December 29. Singh, known for his advocacy on issues concerning Sikh prisoners, escaped the attack unscathed.
29-Dec-2024
Punjab Police on December 29 dismantled a Pakistan-ISI-backed terror module operated by Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) under the direction of foreign-based operatives Harpreet Singh alias Happy Passia and Shamsher alias Honey, and arrested five operatives, identified as Abhijot Singh, Kuljit Singh, Rohit alias Ghessi, Shubham, and Gurjinder Singh alias Raja and seized one 9mm Glock pistol and one .32 bore pistol in Batala, Gurdaspur district. Investigations are ongoing to trace the network's broader links and activities.
29-Dec-2024
Uttar Pradesh (UP) Police on December 29 filed a First Information Report (FIR) against Gursewak Singh, a Sikh man from Haryana's Sirsa, at Nagar Kotwali Police Station in Bijnor district for allegedly posting pictures of himself carrying weapons on social media and expressing support for Khalistan. The action follows heightened vigilance after the killing of three suspected Khalistan supporters in a joint encounter by UP and Punjab Police in Pilibhit. Authorities have reiterated their commitment to taking strict measures against the dissemination of inflammatory content on social media platforms.