KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
09-Jun-2024
A three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to investigate the alleged incident where Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament (MP) Kangana Ranaut was slapped by Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) woman constable Kulwinder Kaur.
09-Jun-2024
On June 9, several farmer organizations, including the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), participated in a protest march demanding a fair investigation in the case involving Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) woman constable Kulwinder Kaur, who was booked for slapping Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament-elect Kangana Ranaut in Mohali, Sahibzada Ajit Singh (SAS) Nagar district, Punjab.
09-Jun-2024
Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on June 9 directed all senior police officers, from Additional Director Generals of Police (ADGP) to Station House Officers (SHOs), to be present in their offices from 11 am to 1 pm on working days to address public grievances. At the Punjab Police Headquarters (PPHQ) in Chandigarh, senior officers have designated days to meet with citizens: Special DGP (Welfare) Ishwar Singh on Monday, ADGP Security SS Srivastava on Tuesday, ADGP Traffic AS Rai on Wednesday, ADGP Provisioning G Nageswara Rao on Thursday, and Special DGP Law and Order Arpit Shukla on Friday.
08-Jun-2024
According to sources, tensions in Punjab have escalated as Khalistani sympathizers scored election victories, with pro-Khalistan slogans heard at the Golden Temple in Amritsar during the 40th anniversary of Operation Blue Star. Security measures around the temple have been heightened. Notably, Khalistani preacher Amritpal Singh clinched the Khadoor Sahib seat and is linked to violent activities. The Punjab Police are cracking down on his emerging militia, Anandpur Khalsa Fauj (AKF), confiscating firearms and apprehending associates. This renewed pro-Khalistan agitation underscores the enduring impact of Operation Blue Star and ongoing separatist sentiments.
08-Jun-2024
Khalistani preacher and Member of Parliament (MP) from Khadoor Sahib, Amritpal Singh, was visited on June 8 by his parents, Tarsem Singh and Balwinder Kaur, at Dibrugarh Central Jail in Assam, where he has been detained since April 2023 under the National Security Act (NSA). His mother brought sweets and new clothes for his upcoming oath-taking ceremony. They also appealed to the central government to drop all charges against him to enable him to fulfil his duties in the Lok Sabha.
08-Jun-2024
Border Security Force (BSF) troops, on June 8 recovered a packet containing 500 grams of heroin, near the Attari joint check post, near Attari village in Amritsar district.
08-Jun-2024
On June 8, hundreds of activists from the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) (Doaba) staged a protest against the suspension of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) constable Kulwinder Kaur, who had slapped Bollywood actor and newly-elected Member of Parliament (MP) Kangana Ranaut at Chandigarh Airport. The protest took place at Bus Stand Chowk in Goraya, Jalandhar district, Punjab, where slogans were raised against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government and an effigy of Kangana was burnt. BKU (Doaba) leaders warned of escalating their agitation against the BJP and Kangana unless the First Information Report (FIR) against Kaur was withdrawn, asserting that the protest would continue until their demand was met.
07-Jun-2024
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on June 7 filed charges against seven more accused in the high-profile case involving a narcotics haul of over 100 kilograms in Attari, at the Patiala House Court in New Delhi. These individuals were identified as key operatives in an international drug syndicate. Earlier, the NIA had charged four others and established connections to Afghanistan-based Nazir Ahmed Qani and Dubai-based Shahid Ahmed in the smuggling operation. The investigation unveiled the intricate smuggling and distribution network, resulting in multiple arrests.
07-Jun-2024
According to a senior official, India formally raised the issue with Canada on June 7, concerning a float depicting the assassination of former Prime Minister (PM) Indira Gandhi during a pro-Khalistan protest outside its consulate in Vancouver. A formal diplomatic complaint was conveyed to Global Affairs Canada, highlighting concerns over the promotion of violence and anti-India sentiment.
07-Jun-2024
Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) Constable Kulwinder Kaur was arrested and suspended on June 7 for slapping actress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament (MP) Kangana Ranaut at Chandigarh airport. Kaur was allegedly upset over Ranaut’s remarks about the farmers’ protests and has connections to the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC).
07-Jun-2024
Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun praised Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) Constable Kulwinder Kaur on June 7 for slapping Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament (MP) Kangana Ranaut at Chandigarh airport. He also offered a USD 10,000 reward.
07-Jun-2024
On June 7, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) President Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami defended Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) Constable Kulwinder Kaur's assault on actress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament (MP) Kangana Ranaut at Chandigarh airport. Dhami blamed Ranaut's critical remarks about Punjab and Punjabis in a statement, claiming her comments on terrorism in Punjab were inflammatory.
07-Jun-2024
The police on June 7 filed a chargesheet against seven members of Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar gang for planning to kill gangster Bhupi Rana, identified as Sunny alias Maddy Manchanda, Umang, Kailash Chauhan alias Tiger, Anmolpreet Singh, Maya alias Kashish alias Pooja Sharma, Baljeet Singh and Parwinder Singh alias Pindu, in Chandigarh. They were charged under various sections of the Arms Act, Indian Penal Code (IPC), and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
07-Jun-2024
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) Airports (North Sector) Vinay Kajla, in an interview with The Tribune on June 7, attributed CISF Constable Kulwinder Kaur’s assault on Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament (MP) Kangana Ranaut at Chandigarh airport to a "rush of blood," influenced by Ranaut's past statements regarding women in the farmers' protest. He acknowledged the security breach and initiated preventive measures, terming it a "random act" rather than an internal intelligence failure.
07-Jun-2024
A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Mohali, Sahibzada Ajit Singh (SAS) Nagar district, on June 7 sentenced former Punjab Police Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Dilbagh Singh to seven years of rigorous imprisonment and ex-Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Gurbachan Singh to life imprisonment for a fake encounter case dating back to 1993. The court imposed a fine of INR 50,000 on Dilbagh Singh and INR 2 lakh on Gurbachan Singh. The case originated from a complaint filed by the victim's father, Chaman Lal, who alleged that his son Gulshan Kumar, a vegetable vendor, was unlawfully killed in a staged encounter orchestrated by the accused police officers.
06-Jun-2024
On June 6, slogans favouring Khalistan were raised at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab, during the 40th anniversary of 'Operation Bluestar,' with supporters of radical Sikh outfits such as Dal Khalsa and Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) (SAD-A) led by Simranjit Singh Mann participating. Many wore outfits featuring images of Khalistani militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
06-Jun-2024
Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa, son of Beant Singh, one of Prime Minister (PM) Indira Gandhi's assassins, who won the Faridkot constituency in Punjab as an Independent, on June 6 stated that he received offers from both the NDA and UPA blocs but could not decide without consulting his constituents. He emphasized he would never join the Congress and preferred to remain Independent. Upon taking his oath as MP, he stated his plans to address three issues in the Lok Sabha: officially acknowledging Guru Granth Sahib as the ‘living Guru,’ releasing ‘Bandi Singhs,’ and securing guaranteed Minimum Support Price (MSP) for farmers.
06-Jun-2024
On June 6, on the 40th anniversary of Operation Bluestar, Jathedar of Akal Takht Giani Raghbir Singh criticized the government's treatment of Sikhs and called for a humility-based Sikh political approach, in Amritsar in Punjab.
06-Jun-2024
On June 6, Amritsar city remained shut in response to a strike call from the radical organization Dal Khalsa, with nearly all commercial outlets, shops, showrooms, and shopping malls closed. Major markets and commercial hubs were deserted as police maintained vigilance to prevent any incidents.
06-Jun-2024
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), in a statement on June 6, censured actor-turned-Member of Parliament (MP) Kangana Ranaut for her remarks about rising terrorism in Punjab, calling them objectionable. SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami stated that Ranaut's comments, following an argument with a Punjabi Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) security personnel at Chandigarh airport, reflected an anti-Punjab mentality. Dhami demanded an unbiased CISF investigation into the incident to ensure justice.
06-Jun-2024
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted raids on June 6 at nine locations in the districts of Sahibzada Ajit Singh (SAS) Nagar, Patiala, Hoshiarpur, and Fatehgarh Sahib in Punjab linked to associates of designated terrorist Goldy Brar in connection with an extortion and firing case. During the raids, incriminating materials, including digital devices, were seized. The NIA also appealed to the public for information through the numbers 0172-2682901 or mobile number 7743002947 for Telegram/WhatsApp, emphasizing that informers' identities would be kept confidential.
06-Jun-2024
Actress and Member of Parliament (MP) elect Kangana Ranaut issued a video statement on June 6 on social media site X, reassuring her safety after reports emerged of a confrontation at Chandigarh airport, where a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) guard allegedly slapped the actress. Kangana recounted being hit and verbally abused by the guard, who cited support for the farmers' protest as her motive. A source suggested that Kangana was slapped for pushing security personnel during a disagreement over her phone during security check.
06-Jun-2024
According to reports, Khalistani preacher and newly elected Member of Parliament (MP) Amritpal Singh, currently detained under the National Security Act (NSA) in Dibrugarh jail, can only be released if both the state government and the Centre recommend his release. The Punjab Government and the Centre previously recommended extension based on fresh evidence, but details on whether the detention will end or be extended remain unclear. Despite winning the Lok Sabha election from Khadoor Sahib, questions arise on how Amritpal will take oath as an MP while in jail, with the possibility of re-arrest due to multiple FIRs against him in the state.
06-Jun-2024
In the aftermath of the parliamentary elections, the issue of jailed candidates winning seats has come to the forefront after two such candidates, including Khalistani preacher and the chief of Waris Punjab De (WPD) Amritpal Singh, emerged victorious. The constitutional and legal framework allows jailed candidates to take the oath as Members of Parliament but mandates seeking permission from the relevant court. While the Constitution doesn't explicitly disqualify imprisoned individuals from taking the oath, judicial discretion plays a crucial role in determining their participation in parliamentary proceedings.
06-Jun-2024
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) (Non-political) and Kisan Majdoor Morcha (KMM) on June 6 expressed concern over potential punitive measures against CISF constable Kulwinder Kaur, hailing from Mahiwal village in Kapurthala district, Punjab, and warned against adverse actions. The unions demanded a dope test on Kangana Ranaut and cautioned of protests if Kaur's family faced harassment or if she faced punitive actions. Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee's general secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher affirmed support for Kaur's family and threatened protests if they faced any trouble.