KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
27-Jul-2024
In a joint operation on July 27, the Border Security Force (BSF) and Punjab Police arrested two unidentified individuals and seized a packet containing 540 grams of heroin along with one pistol, a magazine and five bullets from their possession, in Agwan village in Gurdaspur district.
26-Jul-2024
Police on July 26 arrested two accomplices of a drug peddler, identified as Pawan Kumar and Dilpreet Singh, and seized INR 12 lakh in drug money from their possession in Amritsar, Amritsar district. Earlier, on July 23, the police had arrested Sukhdev Singh, alias Manga, and seized 567 grams of heroin from his possession.
26-Jul-2024
Bathinda police launched ‘Mission Nigraani,’ an initiative aimed at engaging village chowkidars with local police stations in about 70 drug-affected villages in Bathinda district. This initiative aims to revive the traditional role of chowkidars in intelligence gathering and community policing, providing them with uniforms and tools to aid their participation.
25-Jul-2024
Spokesperson of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Randhir Jaiswal, while addressing the media in New Delhi on July 25, criticized Canada's response to threats against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, highlighting a perceived double standard in handling threats from pro-Khalistan elements against Indian leaders. Jaiswal called for equivalent action against threats targeting Indian diplomats and institutions, condemning the recent vandalism of a temple in Edmonton, Canada, and urging Canadian authorities to address the rising incidents of extremism and violence to uphold the rule of law and respect for pluralism.
25-Jul-2024
The Congress party distanced itself from remarks made by Member of Parliament (MP) Charanjit Singh Channi on July 25 regarding radical Khalistani preacher and jailed MP Amritpal Singh, where he criticized Amritpal’s arrest under the National Security Act (NSA) as an ‘undeclared emergency’ by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government during a Lok Sabha session in New Delhi. Congress labelled Charanjit’s views as his personal views and not representative of the party's stance.
25-Jul-2024
In Punjab, a civilian movement against drugs has gained momentum, with 2,439 villages passing resolutions to fight the drug menace. This initiative, supported by the Punjab Police, follows a spate of drug-related deaths in the state. Banners and community meetings are being organized in villages to discourage drug use and report suspects to authorities. The state's Health Minister, Dr. Balbir Singh, noted that around 10 lakh people in Punjab are addicted, with a significant number using heroin.
25-Jul-2024
A court on July 25 granted bail to Harpreet Singh Happy, the brother of radical Khalitani preacher and jailed Member of Parliament (MP) Amritpal Singh in Phillaur in Jalandhar district.
25-Jul-2024
An anti-narcotics cell team of the police on July 25 recovered 220 kg of poppy husk from a canter in Abohar, Fazilka district. The police revealed that the canter had entered Abohar from Sadulshahar in Rajasthan.
25-Jul-2024
The Police on July 25 arrested four individuals, identified as Dimple Kumar, Sukhbir Singh, Gurbalraj Singh alias Fauji, and Arshdeep alias Arsh Singh, and seized 525 grams of heroin from their possession in Panjawa Mandal village in Abohar in Fazilka district.
25-Jul-2024
The Mohali Police on July 25 arrested three members of an armed robbery gang, identified as Jaspreet Singh alias Jassi, Gurpreet Singh and Balkaran Singh, and seized one pistol, two cartridges, five mobile phones, two motorcycles along with other stolen items, from their possession, in Mohali in Sahibzada Ajit Singh (SAS) Nagar district.
25-Jul-2024
Police on July 25 arrested an active member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, identified as Dinesh Singh Rawat, in Gopalganj in Gopalganj district in Bihar. This follows the July 21 arrest of two other gang members, Shantanu Shivam and Kamal Rawat, at the Bihar-Uttar Pradesh (UP) border, where authorities seized Austrian pistols. Rawat, identified during their interrogation, was arrested with the assistance of Rajasthan police and admitted his gang affiliation.
25-Jul-2024
Member of Parliament (MP) Charanjit Singh Channi on July 25 caused controversy by expressing support for radical Khalistani preacher and MP Amritpal Singh, currently imprisoned under the National Security Act (NSA), during a Lok Sabha speech in New Delhi. This remark stirred significant political tension. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Union Minister Giriraj Singh criticized Channi's remarks, calling it an attack on India's integrity and questioning Congress's stance on Khalistan sympathizers. Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann and BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla demanded the Congress clarify its position on Amritpal Singh. The Congress distanced itself from Channi's views, clarifying they do not reflect the party's stance.
24-Jul-2024
Actor Manjot Singh, known for his comedic roles in films like Fukrey and Dream Girl, expressed his desire to break stereotypes about Sikh actors in the industry. Highlighting the success of Diljit Dosanjh, Singh emphasized that Sikhs should not be typecast into light-hearted roles and can portray serious characters as well. He shared his personal journey of challenging the industry's perceptions and his satisfaction with the positive reception of his recent authoritative role in Wild Wild Punjab.
24-Jul-2024
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on July 24 submitted a written explanation to Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh, addressing allegations made by rebel SAD leaders, in person at the Akal Takht in Amritsar, Punjab. The rebel SAD leaders had accused Badal of various failures during his tenure as Deputy Chief Minister, including mishandling the 2007 blasphemy case against Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the Bargari sacrilege case, and police firings in Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan. The Akal Takht had summoned Badal for clarification, asserting that he did not represent Panthic sentiments.
24-Jul-2024
Punjab Police and Army personnel conducted a search operation in Pathankot district on July 24 after a woman reported seeing seven suspicious men in Fangtoli village. A sketch of one suspect was released, and authorities maintained a high alert.
24-Jul-2024
Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit announced cash prizes for drug-free villages on July 24 in Amritsar, while emphasizing the need for strict action against drug smugglers and peddlers following his visit to the state's border districts. Purohit also addressed the issue of drug and weapon smuggling from Pakistan, urging public vigilance and cooperation. He highlighted the importance of securing border districts, including Pathankot, Gurdaspur, and Amritsar, and praised the coordination between security agencies in combating the drug menace.
24-Jul-2024
A team from the Wahabwala police station on July 24 arrested a drug peddler identified as Navneet Garg and seized 20 kg of poppy husk from his possession in Abohar, Fazilka district. The police revealed that the poppy husk was smuggled from Sadulshehar in Sriganganagar district, Rajasthan.
24-Jul-2024
The Crime Investigation Agency (CIA-1) of the Police on July 24 arrested three drug peddlers, identified as Gurpreet Singh alias Gopi, Kuljinder Singh and Jodhbir Singh alias Jodha, and seized 500 grams of heroin and .32 bore pistol from their possession, in Amritsar in Amritsar district.
24-Jul-2024
Gate Hakima police on July 24 arrested a drug peddler, identified as Abhishek Kumar and seized 508 grams of heroin from his possession in Amritsar in Amritsar district.
24-Jul-2024
The Police on July 24 arrested a drug peddler, identified as Sukhdev Singh alias Manga and seized 567 grams of heroin from his possession in Chheharta Sahib in Amritsar district.
24-Jul-2024
According to reports, Bollywood actor Salman Khan has informed the police that he believes the Lawrence Bishnoi gang was responsible for a firing incident at his residence in April, which was intended to kill him and his family. In his statement, Khan recounted hearing a gunshot-like sound and learning from his bodyguard about the attack. The gang later confessed to the attack on social media, and Khan noted previous threats and attempts against his family. The Mumbai Police's charge sheet, now under court review, includes six accused: Vickykumar Gupta, Sagarkumar Pal, Sonukumar Bishnoi, Anujkumar Thapan (now deceased), Mohd Rafiq Choudhary, and Harpal Singh, with Anujkumar having committed suicide in custody.
24-Jul-2024
Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit, on July 24 in Amritsar, expressed concern over frequent drone intrusions from across the border used for drug and arms smuggling and announced that anti-drone technology will be deployed along the Pakistan border within a year. Additionally, he proposed setting up a special panel of lawyers for drug cases and offered rewards for those who assist in capturing drones.
23-Jul-2024
Member of Parliament (MP) from Faridkot and son of Beant Singh, one of the assassins of the late Prime Minister (PM) Indira Gandhi, Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa, called for the creation of a new Panthic outfit in Punjab on July 23 in New Delhi. He plans to discuss this initiative with radical Khalistani preacher and Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh, who is currently jailed under the National Security Act (NSA) in Assam. Citing voter support for himself and Amritpal, Khalsa criticized existing Sikh political groups like the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) for failing to provide effective leadership and intends to contest the upcoming Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) elections.
23-Jul-2024
Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit met with members of Village Defence Committees (VDC) and residents of the border area in the Bamyal sector of Pathankot district on July 23. During his visit, he praised the VDC's dedication and stressed the need for enhanced vigilance to tackle the drug crisis and bolster border security.
22-Jul-2024
Radical Khalistani preacher and jailed Member of Parliament (MP) Amritpal Singh's election from the Khadoor Sahib parliamentary constituency was challenged on July 22 by petitioner Vikramjit Singh in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The challenge was based on grounds of concealment of required particulars in the affidavit, violation of election expenditure rules, and corrupt practices, including seeking votes on religious grounds and using religious places for campaigning.