KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
16-Mar-2026
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has granted bail to an accused in a case related to propagating the “Khalistan Referendum 2020,” observing that over seven years of pre-trial incarceration was excessive. The court directed the accused to surrender any weapons, firearms, and ammunition within 15 days of release. It further held that continued detention at the pre-trial stage would amount to “grave injustice,” noting that the accused had already spent more than seven years in custody while the trial remained ongoing.
16-Mar-2026
According to reports, some schools in Jalandhar district, including Apeejay School and Delhi Public School (DPS), received a threatening email warning of bomb blasts at multiple locations on April 14, prompting authorities to place the administration on high alert. The email, sent in the name of a group calling itself “Punjab Ul Khalistan,” mentioned specific timings for alleged explosions, including schools in Jalandhar at 1:11 pm, the Punjab Legislative Assembly at 2:11 pm, and Delhi-bound trains at 9:11 pm. It also named Bhagwant Mann as one of the prime targets.
15-Mar-2026
On March 15, the 54th day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangsters Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahaar—the police conducted 529 raids, arrested 196 persons and recovered four weapons from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 70 individuals, while 107 persons were verified and released after questioning. Three proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
15-Mar-2026
On March 15, Punjab Police, on day 379 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 80 drug smugglers, and seized 9 kg of heroin, 700 grams of opium, 5 kg of poppy husk, 2457 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 10,400 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
15-Mar-2026
The Punjab Police’s Amritsar Commissionerate on March 15 arrested two arms smugglers, identified as Karan Singh and Gurpreet Singh and seized two TISAS pistols, magazines, and 20 live cartridges from their possession, in Amritsar district.
15-Mar-2026
The Punjab Police’s Amritsar Commissionerate on March 15 arrested an arms supplier, Makhandeen and seized a TISAS pistol, one 9 mm pistol, two .30 bore pistols, and 40 live cartridges from his possession, in Amritsar district.
15-Mar-2026
Punjab Police on March 15 arrested two persons, identified Rakesh and Chamkor Singh and seized 1 kg of heroin from their possession, in Amritsar district.
15-Mar-2026
Punjab Police on March 15 arrested one person, identified as Jasbir Singh and seized 2.5 kg of heroin from his possession, in Amritsar district.
15-Mar-2026
Punjab Police on March 15 said that four persons have been arrested in connection with the daylight murder of Harvinder Singh alias Happy, the sarpanch (village head) of Patto Hira Singh village in Moga district on March 6. The suspects were apprehended in Leh, Ladakh, where they had allegedly fled to evade arrest. They were subsequently flown to Chandigarh and brought to Moga on the evening of March 14. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Dalveer Singh said the assailants allegedly used a rented SUV to carry out the crime before abandoning it and escaping in another vehicle. According to officials, the investigation indicates that the murder was driven by personal enmity rather than gang-related activity.
15-Mar-2026
Punjab Police on March 15 arrested a person, identified as Satpal Singh alias Goga, and seized 7.61 grams of heroin from his possession near the Dargah Nogajja Pir Road area in Nurmahal in Jalandhar district.
15-Mar-2026
Punjab Police on March 15 arrested a person, identified as Harmukh Singh alias Laddu, and recovered 18 intoxicating tablets from his possession near Sandhawal in Jalandhar district.
15-Mar-2026
Punjab Police on March 15 arrested a person, identified as Amrik Singh alias Amrika, and seized 15 intoxicating tablets from his possession near the railway bridge at Kotli Gajran village in Jalandhar district.
14-Mar-2026
The Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) of Hanumangarh Police on March 14 arrested Vishal Kumar alias ‘Bhaiya’, an accused wanted under the Arms Act and the Amritsar-based main arms procurer for the Bambiha gang, from Hanumangarh in Rajasthan. Vishal, a native of Amritsar, is reportedly involved in around 30 criminal cases, including charges of murder, attempt to murder, robbery, dacoity, assault, and violations of the Arms Act.
14-Mar-2026
Punjab Police on March 14 arrested a suspect, identified as Dharam Singh alias Dharma, and seized one 7.65 mm country-made pistol from his possession near Fattivindi village in Kapurthala district.
14-Mar-2026
Punjab Police on March 14 arrested three persons, identified as Aksar alias Akshay, Jatinder alias Kalu, and Vishal and seized 750 intoxicant pills from their possession near Sheetla Mandir Road in Phagwara in Kapurthala district.
14-Mar-2026
Punjab Police on March 14 arrested a youth, identified as Lovpreet Singh alias Luv, and seized 10 grams of heroin from his possession during a patrol operation near Bilga in Jalandhar district.
14-Mar-2026
On March 14, the 53th day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangsters Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahaar—the police conducted 581 raids, arrested 186 persons and recovered one weapon from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 82 individuals, while 73 persons were verified and released after questioning. Two proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
14-Mar-2026
On March 14, Punjab Police, on day 378 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 92 drug smugglers, and seized 526 grams of heroin, 515 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 9540 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
13-Mar-2026
Punjab Police on March 13 arrested two persons, identified as Amarjeet Singh alias Rohit and Gursewak Singh and seized one AK-47 assault rifle, two magazines, 36 rounds of AK-47 ammunition, three Glock pistols, four magazines, and four cartridges from their possession, in Amritsar district. Police said the weapon consignment was dropped by a Pakistani drone near the Muhawa border village in the Attari sub-division. According to investigators, the weapons were intended to be delivered in Gurdaspur district to target senior police officials in the aftermath of the state government and Punjab Police’s flagship anti-gangster programme, “Gangster te Vaar.” The module was reportedly backed by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), with the accused allegedly in contact with two foreign-based handlers.
13-Mar-2026
On March 13, the 52nd day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangsters Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahaar—the police conducted 587 raids, arrested 241 persons and recovered 11 weapons from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 103 individuals, while 102 persons were verified and released after questioning. Three proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
13-Mar-2026
On March 13, Punjab Police, on day 377 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 64 drug smugglers, and seized 13 kg of heroin, 2.6 kg of opium and 443 intoxicant tablets/capsules from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
13-Mar-2026
The Border Security Force (BSF), in a joint search operation with Punjab Police on March 13, recovered 12.8 kg of heroin from agricultural fields near the Pachharian border outpost in Ferozepur district.
12-Mar-2026
The Punjab Police Special Task Force (STF), on the intervening night of March 12–13, arrested three individuals, identified as Prem, Karandeep, and Deepak, and recovered 388 grams of heroin from their possession in Phagwara in Kapurthala district.
12-Mar-2026
On March 12, the 51st day of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangsters Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahaar—the police conducted 505 raids, arrested 219 persons and recovered seven weapons from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 80 individuals, while 115 persons were verified and released after questioning. Three proclaimed offenders (POs) were also arrested during the operation.
12-Mar-2026
On March 12, Punjab Police, on day 376 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 83 drug smugglers, and seized 330 grams of heroin, 25 kg of poppy husk, 514 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 5800 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.