KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
06-Aug-2024
Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann on August 6 criticized Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal's call for 'unconditional forgiveness' over the 2015 sacrilege incidents, stating that apologies are for mistakes, not crimes. While addressing a gathering at a State Van Mahotsav event in Hoshiarpur, Punjab, Mann also asserted that his government is gathering new evidence on the desecration of Guru Granth Sahib and vowed that those found guilty will face exemplary punishment. He emphasized that crimes require justice, not mere apologies.
06-Aug-2024
The Border Security Force (BSF) reported neutralizing a Pakistani intruder and apprehending 24 individuals in response to increased infiltration attempts across the Punjab sector as of July 31 this year. Of those detained, 12 were handed over to Punjab Police for further investigation, while the remaining 12 were turned over to Pakistan Rangers. The BSF also highlighted the growing security threat from drones, having seized 134 drones used for smuggling and confiscated 164 kilograms of heroin, with 46 smugglers arrested by July 31, 2024.
05-Aug-2024
Police on August 5 arrested three individuals identified as Manpreet Singh, Harshdeep Singh, and Manpreet Singh, and seized 402 grams of heroin and a car from their possession in Bathinda district. The suspects revealed they had sourced the heroin from Tarn Taran and intended to distribute it in various villages.
05-Aug-2024
According to Pakistani media, a recent debate erupted on social media about the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) alleged posting of officers in Thailand to monitor Sikh dissidents. Reports suggest that rogue elements within India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) are targeting Sikh activists abroad. Concerns have also been raised by the Canadian government, complicating diplomatic relations. The Khalistan movement, which seeks a separate Sikh homeland, continues to be influential, particularly within the Sikh diaspora. These allegations underscore ongoing tensions surrounding Sikh activism and international human rights.
05-Aug-2024
On August 5, Akal Takht, the supreme Sikh temporal authority, made public the apology letter submitted by Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal to Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh on July 24. In his letter, Badal offered an unconditional apology for the allegations made against him by a rebel faction of the party, expressing his acceptance of any decision by the Akal Takht.
05-Aug-2024
Acting on information from the Crime Investigation Department (CID), a joint team from the health department and police arrested a medical store owner, Rajat Gaba, and seized 5,270 banned tablets, 260 capsules, abortion kits, and INR 10.61 lakh in drug money from his house in Faridkot district on August 5.
05-Aug-2024
Punjab Police on August 5 busted a cross-border smuggling module with the arrest of Rajwant Singh, alias Raju, an operative of Pakistan-based smuggler Rana Dyal, and seized two sophisticated 9mm Glock pistols, along with two magazines and a motorcycle, from his possession near Khurmanian Morh in Khur Manian village, Amritsar district.
05-Aug-2024
Amid heightened security for Independence Day, Punjab Police conducted cordon and search operations (CASO) at district and sub-divisional courts across Punjab on August 5. Following directives from Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav, the checks, conducted between 11 am and 2 pm, involved frisking 1,421 suspicious individuals and inspecting 1,850 parked vehicles, resulting in 62 challans and one impounded vehicle. Special DGP (Law and Order) Arpit Shukla emphasized the need for operational metal detectors and CCTV cameras, and urged increased police patrolling around vulnerable areas.
05-Aug-2024
A City-1 police team arrested an individual identified as Sonu on August 5 and seized 1,300 Pregabalin capsules from his possession near the new grain market in Abohar, Fazilka district. According to the police, Sonu was illegally distributing tablets to daily-wage labourers while posing as a medical practitioner.
05-Aug-2024
On August 5, an individual identified as Sunil Singh died from a drug overdose in Gurusar Jaga village, Talwandi Sabo, Bathinda district. The police arrested a suspect, identified as Mani Singh, for providing drugs to the deceased.
04-Aug-2024
On August 4, an individual identified as Mandeep Singh died from a drug overdose near Tarkhan Wala village in Talwandi Sabo in Bathinda district. Another individual, identified as Jagdev, was arrested in connection with the case.
04-Aug-2024
The emergence of the drug 'Ice' (methamphetamine) signals a significant shift in Punjab’s drug market, highlighted by the recent arrest of Harpreet Singh, elder brother of radical Khalistani preacher and jailed Member of Parliament (MP) Amritpal Singh, for allegedly possessing and consuming crystal methamphetamine. The rise in Ice usage is linked to a decline in heroin supplies following the Taliban's ban on opium cultivation in Afghanistan. Punjab Police have reported a dramatic increase in Ice seizures, from 0.54 kg in 2023 to 16.9 kg in 2024, while heroin recoveries have decreased. This trend is raising concerns among de-addiction specialists about its potential impact on addiction patterns and public health.
04-Aug-2024
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Badal reorganized the party’s core committee on August 4 in Chandigarh, amidst dissent from a rebel faction advocating for reforms under the Shiromani Akali Dal Sudhar Lehar (SAD-SL). The newly constituted 23-member core committee includes Harjinder Singh Dhami, Balwinder Singh Bhunder, Naresh Gujral, Maheshinder Singh Grewal, Daljit Singh Cheema, and Bikram Singh Majithia, among others.
04-Aug-2024
Pro-Khalistan graffiti was discovered on the walls of a government girls' school in Goriwala village, Dabwali, Sirsa district, Haryana, on August 4. A worker alerted the village sarpanch, who then informed the police. The graffiti was promptly removed by Dabwali police, who also found a liquor bottle and sharp-edged weapons at the scene. An investigation is underway to identify and apprehend the suspects.
03-Aug-2024
On August 3, Dal Khalsa announced plans to hold a 'Freedom March' on August 13 in Hoshiarpur to mark its 46th foundation day. The march will honour Khalistan terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was killed in Canada last year, and Dal Khalsa founder Gajinder Singh Khalsa, a Khalistani terrorist who recently passed away in Lahore, Pakistan.
03-Aug-2024
On August 3, several Sikh activists—Parminder Pal Singh Khalsa of the Sikh Sewak Society International (SSSI), Santokh Singh of the Bhai Gurdas Institute of Advanced Sikh Studies, and Harsimran Singh, Prof. Balwinder Singh, and Baljit Singh of the Sikh Missionary College—appealed to the Akal Takht to convene a Sikh convention before making any decisions regarding the crisis within the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in Amritsar, Punjab. They recommended forming a Panthic council led by the Akal Takht to address the issues.
03-Aug-2024
According to sources, the Indian Government has established an Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal to review the extension of the ban on the pro-Khalistan group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), following a Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) notification that declared SFJ an unlawful association under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and extended the ban for an additional five years from July 10, 2024.
03-Aug-2024
Punjab Police on August 3 launched a special operation, OPS Seal-VII, to enhance security ahead of Independence Day in Punjab. The operation included thorough checks of all vehicles entering and exiting the state, focusing on monitoring drug traffickers, bootleggers, and other anti-social elements. The Police reported that over 1,100 personnel had established coordinated checkpoints at 91 entry and exit points across 10 border districts.
03-Aug-2024
Kapurthala police on August 3 arrested four Special Task Force (STF) personnel—Sub-Inspector Salvister Masih, Constable Gurvinder Singh, Constable Sham Masih, and Head Constable Major Singh—on the orders of the High Court in Kapurthala district. The arrests are related to allegations that these personnel fabricated a Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) case in 2019.
03-Aug-2024
Recent government data indicate that Pakistan-based terrorists are shifting tactics, with a significant increase in drug trafficking cases in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K). In 2023, over 2,400 cases were registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in J&K, up from nearly 1,660 in 2022. Officials report that Punjab has emerged as a new route for arms supply and infiltration, as terrorists adapt their methods and routes. Previously, Punjab was primarily used for drug trafficking, with local criminals aiding in smuggling operations from Pakistan.
02-Aug-2024
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Jalandhar Member of Parliament (MP) Sushil Rinku met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on August 2, requesting that the Adampur airport be named after Guru Ravidas. Rinku reminded Shah of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's promise made during a May 30 rally regarding the airport renaming. He also briefed Shah on the deteriorating law and order situation in Punjab, including issues such as robbery and gang violence, as well as the ongoing development work in Jalandhar district.
02-Aug-2024
According to sources, the Indian government has requested the social media platform X to block the accounts of Mocha Bezirgan and Journalist V, who have been actively critiquing and addressing pro-Khalistan propaganda in Canada. The removal demand, based on India's Information Technology Act, 2000, is effective in India, although the accounts remain accessible elsewhere.
02-Aug-2024
Faridkot Member of Parliament (MP) Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa and Tarsem Singh, father of radical Khalistani preacher and jailed Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh, announced a Panthic conference focusing on key Sikh issues, including alleged government atrocities and the release of Sikh political prisoners, to be held on August 19 at Baba Bakala in Amritsar district, Punjab. They also called for the withdrawal of the National Security Act (NSA) from Sikh prisoners, including Amritpal, and criticized the state government's handling of sacrilege cases.
01-Aug-2024
Gurpartap Singh Wadala, convener of the rebel Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) group, dismissed concerns about the return of terrorism in an interview with The Tribune, stating that there is no demand for Khalistan in Punjab. He attributed the recent victory of condemned radical Khalistani preacher and jailed Member of Parliament (MP) Amritpal Singh to a leadership vacuum in the state. Wadala criticized the current SAD leadership for not addressing Punjab's issues and suggested that while the slogan of Khalistan may resonate with some Sikhs abroad, it does not reflect the broader sentiment in Punjab. He also condemned Amritpal’s actions at the Ajnala police station but acknowledged his efforts against drug abuse.
01-Aug-2024
The Muktsar police on August 1 arrested two unidentified persons who attempted to extort INR 20 lakh from Dr. Bansal, who runs a hospital in Sri Muktsar Sahib, Punjab. The arrests followed a complaint from Dr. Bansal about an extortion call he received on July 28, demanding the payment or facing severe consequences.