KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
07-Mar-2024
The Border Security Force (BSF) and Punjab Police, on March 7, in a joint operation, recovered one packet of heroin weighing 565 grams from a farming field adjacent to Sanktara village Tarn Taran district.
06-Mar-2024
Bihar Police arrested two shooters of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, identified as Sunil Karolia and Sahil, on March 6 and seized contrabands from their possession near the toll plaza in Runni Saidpur, Sitamarhi district in Bihar. Preliminary investigations suggest their involvement in multiple murders across Rajasthan, Punjab, and Madhya Pradesh.
06-Mar-2024
The Border Security Force (BSF) on March 6 arrested a Pakistani national loitering near the International Border (IB) and seized PKR 570, a wristwatch, one earphone, and 3 Pakistani national identity cards, and a mobile phone from his possession in the Amritsar sector of Amritsar district. The individual was caught while attempting to escape towards the Pakistani side after being spotted by BSF troops. He was subsequently handed over to the Punjab Police.
06-Mar-2024
On March 6, the Akal Takht constituted a sub-committee to address the issue of shifting detainees from Dibrugarh Central Jail to Punjab, following concerns raised by family members during a meeting with Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh. The detainees, including Khalistan preacher Amritpal Singh and nine others charged under the National Security Act (NSA), have been on a hunger strike since February 16, citing privacy violations due to surveillance cameras installed without their consent.
06-Mar-2024
According to sources, intelligence agencies have warned of potential disruption by pro-Khalistani elements during Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi's rally, scheduled for March 7 at Bakshi Stadium in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). Khalistan terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the chief of the banned outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), has reportedly called for raising pro-Khalistan and Pakistan flags. Despite doubts about SFJ's presence in J&K, security forces are on high alert.
06-Mar-2024
Giani Raghbir Singh, Jathedar of Akal Takht in Amritsar, issued a warning on March 6 to the government and administration regarding serious consequences if any harm befalls Amritpal Singh and his family, who are currently on a hunger strike. Singh emphasized the lack of government response to the hunger strike, expressing concern about biased treatment and the growing alienation among Sikhs. He also demanded the immediate transfer of Sikh detainees from Dibrugarh Jail in Assam to Punjab, citing deteriorating health due to the hunger strike.
06-Mar-2024
The Punjab Police on March 6 arrested arrest of two individuals, identified as Ajit Singh alias Golu and Mandeep Kumar alias Vada, in connection with a gun house theft case in Amritsar and seized 12 weapons and 21 cartridges from their possession in Amritsar in Amritsar district. The stolen weapons, ammunition, and cash were taken from the gun house on February 21-22, 2024.
05-Mar-2024
The Kapurthala police on March 5 busted an inter-district gang of criminals by arresting three persons identified as Sukhwant Singh, Roshan Singh and Ajay Kumar along with seven pistols and 35 live cartridges and a car, near Gaunspur village in Kapurthala district.
05-Mar-2024
Two jailed associates of Waris Punjab de (WPD) leader Amritpal Singh, identified as Kulwant Singh and Gurmeet Singh, were hospitalized on March 5 with health issues at the Assam Medical College and Hospital (AMCH) in Dibrugarh in Assam. Kulwant reportedly experienced an epilepsy attack, while Gurmeet was hospitalized for undisclosed ailments. Amritpal Singh, a radical preacher with pro-Khalistan views, was arrested in April 2023 under the National Security Act (NSA) with alleged connections to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and involvement in arming a private militia.
05-Mar-2024
Professor Mark Juergensmeyer, an expert on Punjab, stated during the second and final day of the international seminar 'Punjab at Crossroads' held in New Delhi on March 5, that the 1980s uprising in the state was driven by religious nationalism, although not all participants sought Khalistan. Highlighting unresolved issues, he also stressed the need for economic growth. The historical context of Punjab's territorial identity and language complexities was discussed, alongside unaddressed grievances such as the lack of truth commissions for both militancy and the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
05-Mar-2024
The Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa-led Shiromani Akali Dal-Sanyukt (SAD-Sanyukt), on March 5, merged with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) led by Sukhbir Singh Badal in Chandigarh. The merger aims to unify the Sikh community ('panth') and revitalize the SAD's relevance in Punjab politics, given its recent electoral setbacks, ahead of the Parliamentary elections.
05-Mar-2024
The Punjab and Haryana High Court on March 5 criticized the handling of drug cases by state agencies in Punjab and Haryana, deeming their investigations 'extremely faulty.' Consequently, the court directed the Directors General of Police (DGPs) of Punjab and Haryana to send batches of investigating officers to the Police Training Centre (PTC) in Daroh, Himachal Pradesh, for a three-month period.
05-Mar-2024
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Cheema stated on March 5 that the state Budget 2024-25 would emphasize modernization and infrastructure improvement for the Police Department, allocating INR 10,635 crore for initiatives such as the Sadak Surakhya Force. He also highlighted the procurement of top-of-the-line vehicles, with 1,396 provided in the last two years out of 1,993 purchased over five years.
04-Mar-2024
According to sources, the global drug trafficking crisis implicates Pakistan, allegedly involving Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and retired military officers, with links to the Khalistan movement in Canada. Routes span from Afghanistan to North America, necessitating international cooperation for dismantling networks. There is an urgent need for a holistic approach addressing socio-economic factors alongside law enforcement efforts. These factors highlight a complicated network taking advantage of geopolitical conflicts.
04-Mar-2024
According to sources, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Khalistani terrorist and the chief of the banned Khalistani terror outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), is reportedly orchestrating a plan to incite violence within the farmer's movement in India. He allegedly encouraged supporters through text messages to take up arms against Indian security forces and revealed plans to smuggle weapons from Pakistan via Kartarpur and across the Rajasthan border. Pannun's scheme includes using social networks in the United States (US), Canada, Australia, and Pakistan to spread propaganda and destabilize the movement. Despite stringent security measures, concerns persist about potential support from Pakistan, prompting heightened vigilance by intelligence agencies.
04-Mar-2024
Dal Khalsa, on March 4, extended warm greetings to Pakistan's new Prime Minister (PM), Shehbaz Sharif, expressing optimism for positive changes in Pakistan and South Asia. They acknowledged the challenges ahead while emphasizing the potential for progress under Sharif's leadership. They reiterated that the Sikh community anticipates increased opportunities for social, religious, and political engagement, hoping for attention to their identity and aspirations.
04-Mar-2024
Police on March 4 arrested two drug peddlers, one of whom was a dismissed cop from Punjab identified as Amardeep Singh alias Kala and the other as Parveen and seized 70 grams of heroin from their possession in Ferozepur district in Punjab and Chandigarh. Parveen was arrested in Chandigarh, and confessed to sourcing the contraband from Amardeep Singh, the dismissed cop, leading to the latter's arrest in a subsequent raid in Ferozepur in Ferozepur district in Punjab.
04-Mar-2024
A gangster, identified as Rajesh Dogra alias Mohan Chir, was shot dead by four unidentified persons outside a shopping mall in Sector 67 in Mohali, Sahibzada Ajit Singh (SAS) Nagar district in Punjab. According to the police, the shooting was the result of a fallout from a gang war.
04-Mar-2024
On March 4, Shiromani Akali Dal - Amritsar (SAD-A) president and Sangrur Member of Parliament (MP), Simranjit Singh Mann, was confined to his residence in Baguana Enclave in Sangrur district, by the police amid the 'rail roko' agitation. The protest revolves around the release of 'Bandi Singhs' and alleged atrocities against farmers.
04-Mar-2024
Around 25 Shiromani Akali Dal-Amritsar (SAD-A) workers, led by organizing secretary Gurnaib Singh Rampura, were detained by the police in Mullowal village in Sangrur district in Punjab, while en route to the agitation on March 4.
03-Mar-2024
A high-level delegation of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) met Governor Banwarilal Purohit in Amritsar on March 3 to address three key issues: the firing incident at a gurdwara in Sultanpur Lodhi, the hunger strike by detainees at Dibrugarh jail, and the release of 'Bandi Singhs'. The delegation urged the Governor to promptly address these issues, seeking the intervention of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) to transfer the detainees to Punjab jails and uphold human rights.
03-Mar-2024
According to sources in the Indian intelligence agencies, there has been a reduction in terrorist infiltrations along the western borders and in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) ahead of the national elections in Pakistan. Activities facilitating infiltration by Pakistani authorities have decreased, with a noticeable shift in tactics to avoid international and domestic backlash. Pakistani forces, which previously assisted terrorists in tunnel construction and drug trafficking, have scaled back in the past six months.
03-Mar-2024
The Commissionerate Police on March 3 busted an international drug trafficking syndicate involved in the illicit trade of narcotics across four countries using courier services, with the arrest of three people identified as Aman, Sunny and Shejal, and seized 5 kg of opium from their possession, in Jalandhar in Jalandhar district. Led by kingpin Manish alias Mani Thakur in the United Kingdom (UK), the cartel sourced opium from Jharkhand and used courier services in Hoshiarpur and Jalandhar to send shipments abroad. The syndicate's operations spanned four countries, with investigations uncovering approximately 300 recipient addresses and implicating Customs officials and India Post in facilitating the trade.
03-Mar-2024
The city police on March 3 arrested two persons, Naveen Kumar and Sajan Singh and seized 15 gm of heroin from their possession, in Abohar in Fazilka district.
03-Mar-2024
Police on March 3 arrested two men, identified as Sukhdev Kaur and Veerpal Kaur and seized 2 kg of poppy husk from their possession, in Abohar in Fazilka district. They were returning to Punjab from Bikaner in Rajasthan.