KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
17-Dec-2024
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on December 17 filed a chargesheet against Jaspreet Singh and Baljeet Singh, aides of Khalistani terrorist Lakhbir Singh alias Landa of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), in a Punjab terror conspiracy case before the NIA Special Court in Mohali, in Sahibzada Ajit Singh (SAS) Nagar district.
17-Dec-2024
According to sources, India is re-evaluating its visa and OCI policies following strained ties with Canada after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations of Indian involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India will continue denying visas to pro-Khalistani Canadians despite criticism, signalling a shift from its earlier efforts to reintegrate pro-Khalistan individuals, as it now prioritizes caution amid escalating tensions.
17-Dec-2024
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) chief Harjinder Singh Dhami faced backlash on December 17 after his derogatory remarks against former SGPC chief Bibi Jagir Kaur went viral. A group of women, including SGPC members, filed a complaint at the Akal Takht seeking his removal, while some SGPC members and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders defended him, citing his public apologies.
17-Dec-2024
Police revealed on December 17 that six terror incidents targeting police establishments have occurred in Punjab's Majha region since November 23. Terror groups, reportedly backed by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), are enlisting gangsters for these attacks, which involved explosives and weapons smuggled via drones. Several operatives, including gangsters and a juvenile, have been arrested, and grenades and pistols seized. Counter-intelligence efforts have pre-empted further strikes, with officials affirming their readiness to protect the state.
17-Dec-2024
On December 17, panic erupted in Amritsar's Islamabad area after reports of a loud sound near the Islamabad police station around 3:15 am, in Amritsar in Punjab. Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar dismissed claims of a blast, stating that a heavy object likely fell on a temporary sentry post, causing minor damage. The incident comes amid a series of recent explosions and the discovery of an IED outside police stations in the Amritsar region.
17-Dec-2024
Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav on December 17 visited Amritsar to review the law and order situation and held a meeting with officers from Amritsar Commissionerate, Amritsar Rural, Batala, and Tarn Taran. He stressed counter-terrorism, organized crime, and drug trafficking as key policing priorities, urging professional and scientific investigations to secure convictions.
16-Dec-2024
A Chandigarh court on December 16 sentenced Poonam, a 39-year-old woman, to 15 years of rigorous imprisonment for drug peddling, while her accomplice, Sandeep Khatri, received a 10-year sentence. The duo was arrested in January 2022 with 610 grams of heroin. Poonam, known as 'Bhabi,' has been linked to multiple drug cases involving her family in the illicit trade.
16-Dec-2024
Khalistani terrorist and chief of the banned outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, recently threatened Indian envoy to the United States, Vinay Kwatra, accusing him of collaborating with Russia to suppress pro-Khalistani Sikhs. Pannun also warned Russia of protests targeting its diplomats and missions globally, sparking speculation that Russia may ban SFJ and other pro-Khalistani groups.
16-Dec-2024
On December 16, a local court in Amritsar, Punjab, sent ex-militant Narain Singh Chaura, who attempted to assassinate former Deputy Chief Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sukhbir Singh Badal, to judicial custody until December 30. Police obtained CCTV footage showing Chaura with suspected accomplice Dharam Singh at the Golden Temple complex prior to the attack.
16-Dec-2024
On December 16, Basant Singh, a key associate of Khalistani preacher and Waris Punjab De (WPD) chief Amritpal Singh, was returned to Dibrugarh Central Jail in Assam after brief parole to attend a family member's last rites in Punjab. Basant, the first among 10 WPD detainees granted parole, was escorted back under strict surveillance. Pro-Khalistan leaders, including Amritpal Singh, remain detained under the National Security Act (NSA).
16-Dec-2024
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, while chairing a Tourism Department review meeting in Chandigarh, on December 16, announced events to commemorate the 350th martyrdom day of Guru Tegh Bahadur and develop related sites. He approved the ‘Rangla Punjab’ festival in February to boost tourism, employment, and Punjab’s cultural heritage. Mann also proposed heritage festivals and ultra-modern convention centres in major cities like Amritsar, Ludhiana, and New Chandigarh.
16-Dec-2024
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, chief of the banned Khalistani outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), on December 16 via a video message, threatened to target MahaKumbh 2025 and challenge 'Modi’s Hindutva ideology' in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. Pannun also offered a USD 25,000 bounty for targeting the Statue of Unity in Gujarat and urged Canada to take action against Hindu organisations.
16-Dec-2024
The Punjab Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), in a joint operation with the Mohali police on December 16 arrested four operatives of Canada-based terrorist Arsh Dala, identified as Gagandeep Singh, Navjot Singh alias Nishu, Lakhwinder Singh and Vipanpreet Singh, and seized three .32 calibre pistols and 16 cartridges from their possession, in Mohali in Sahibzada Ajit Singh (SAS) Nagar district.
15-Dec-2024
On December 15, Sukhjit Singh, a 26-year-old Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-backed sarpanch of Chhana Gulab Singh village, was killed after being attacked with sharp weapons by villagers allegedly supporting drug peddlers in Barnala district. Sukhjit had been vocal against drug abuse and had refused to support the peddlers.
15-Dec-2024
Mahorana Police on December 15 arrested a Nigerian national, identified as Godwin Samuel and seized 505 grams of heroin from his possession, at a naka (checkpoint) near Mahorana village in Malerkotla in Sangrur district. Samuel was residing in New Delhi under the guise of a student, and Police revealed his involvement in a similar case earlier in Roop Nagar district in Punjab.
15-Dec-2024
Amritsar Rural Police on December 15 busted a trans-border drug trafficking module, arresting eight individuals and seizing 4.5 kg of heroin, six weapons—including two Glock pistols and a .30 bore Zigana pistol—14 live 9 mm bullets among 16 rounds, INR 1.5 lakh in drug money, a car, a bike, three weighing machines, and 10 mobile phones from the Kabir Park area in Amritsar district. Police revealed that the module was actively involved in retrieving drugs and weapons smuggled across the International Border using drones. Jagroop Singh, one of the arrested, is a known associate of Pavitar Chaura, a gangster operating from abroad, who is closely linked to Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) member Lakhbir Singh Landa.
15-Dec-2024
The Abohar police on December 15 arrested two individuals, identified as Amarjeet Singh and Raj Singh and seized 435 grams of heroin from their possession, near Dhani Kadaka Singh village in Abohar in Fazilka district.
15-Dec-2024
Punjab Police on December 15 busted an inter-state gun-running racket, arresting two individuals identified as Satnam Singh alias Prince and Manjit Singh, and seizing 10 country-made pistols, 20 magazines, and ammunition in Amritsar district. The accused were linked to U.S.-based handler Sunny Masih, who directed them to procure illegal weapons from Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand for supply to Punjab-based gangsters.
14-Dec-2024
Police on December 14 arrested three individuals associated with the Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF), identified as Yugpreet Singh alias Yuvi, Jaskaran Singh alias Shah, and Harjot Singh alias Jot, and seized two weapons—a country-made pistol and a revolver—along with six live cartridges from their possession in Nawanshahr, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district. Police revealed that the group had received INR 4.5 lakh in funding over six months from KZF handlers in the United Kingdom (UK) and Germany to target police establishments and minority leaders. The arrests were made in connection with the December 2 grenade attack on Police Post Asron.
14-Dec-2024
On December 14, the police remand of ex-militant Narain Singh Chaura, accused of attempting to assassinate former Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sukhbir Singh Badal, was extended by two days in Amritsar, Punjab. Authorities cited the need to analyze complete CCTV footage from the Golden Temple to identify accomplices, including Dharam Singh, who remains absconding. Investigations are ongoing.
13-Dec-2024
Dal Khalsa senior leader Paramjit Singh Mand, speaking in Amritsar on December 13, announced a gathering of Sikh organizations and leaders at the main gate of Sri Darbar Sahib on December 18 to oppose the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee's (SGPC) proposal to excommunicate former militant Narain Singh Chaura. Mand criticized the SGPC's move as divisive and influenced by the Shiromani Akali Dal leadership, calling for unity among Sikhs to counter such tactics.
13-Dec-2024
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, speaking in New Delhi on December 13, dismissed Canadian media reports alleging that Indian visas were being used as tools of repression, describing them as “disinformation” and “akin to foreign interference.” Jaiswal reaffirmed India’s sovereign right to deny visas to individuals undermining its territorial integrity and advised Indian students in Canada to exercise vigilance in light of the deteriorating security environment.
13-Dec-2024
Punjab Police on December 13 dismantled a Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)-backed terror module operated by Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), arresting two operatives, Jashandeep Singh alias Danny and a juvenile and seizing two Chinese-made P86 hand grenades, a Turkey-made 9MM Zigana pistol with ammunition, and a motorcycle in Amritsar district.
13-Dec-2024
Damdami Taksal spokespersons in Amritsar recently issued a stern warning against individuals using foul language or spreading propaganda against their head, Baba Harnam Singh Dhumma, following his support for the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance in the Maharashtra assembly elections. They specifically named critics, including Amrik Singh Ajnala, cautioning them of “dire consequences” if their opposition persisted, and also warned journalists criticizing Dhumma of serious repercussions.
13-Dec-2024
Akal Takht in Amritsar, on December 13, accepted Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sukhbir Singh Badal's 10-day tankha (religious punishment), absolving him of the tag of tankhaiya (guilty of religious misconduct). Sukhbir atoned for his past actions by performing voluntary service at gurdwaras, including the Golden Temple, while SAD leaders repaid INR 90 lakh spent on controversial advertisements justifying a 2015 pardon granted to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim.