KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
17-Jan-2024
The Special Task Force (STF) of Ludhiana range on January 17 arrested three men identified as Davinder Singh alias Lovepreet, Dharminder Singh and Iqbal Singh alias Bunty, and seized 1.07 kg of heroin and a .32-bore illegal pistol, an electronic weighing machine, and live cartridges from their possession, in Singhpura Munana village in Moga district. The STF seized 515 grams of heroin, the electronic weighing machine and 20 pouches from possession of Davinder, 290 grams of heroin from Dharminder, and 265 grams of heroin and a .32-bore pistol from Iqbal.
17-Jan-2024
The Crime Branch of Chandigarh Police on January 17 arrested Gagandeep Singh alias Gagan, a notorious and wanted criminal associated with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and seized a revolver from his possession in Sector 36 in Chandigarh. Gagandeep has a criminal record with over 21 cases, including murder, attempted murder, dacoity, theft, extortion, and Arms Act violations in Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh.
17-Jan-2024
A special court in Mohali declared Lakhbir Singh Landa, chief of the banned Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF), an absconder, and ordered the confiscation of his associates' properties, in Mohali in Sahibzada Ajit Singh (SAS) Nagar district. Landa faces charges of sedition, conspiracy, and unlawful activities. Designated a terrorist by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), he is accused of orchestrating terror attacks in India, including the 2018 grenade blast in Amritsar, Punjab. Landa is also associated with the Khalistani terror outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and has been hiding in Canada since 2017. He was involved in RPG attacks on the Punjab Police Intelligence Headquarters and the Sarhali police station in Punjab and is deemed the mastermind in various terrorism cases.
17-Jan-2024
A member of the Sikh Nihang sect, Ramandeep Singh, was sent to a week-long police remand by a court for allegedly killing a youth at Gurdwara Chhevin Patshahi Chaura Khooh in Phagwara, Kapurthala district. Singh had claimed that the victim intended to commit desecration, but preliminary investigations found no evidence of such an incident. The victim remains unidentified, and no one has claimed the body. Ramandeep Singh faces charges under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 304 (culpable homicide) and section 295A (outraging religious feelings), with the possibility of further charges pending investigation.
17-Jan-2024
Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann on January 17 responded to veiled threats from designated Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, stating that such intimidation won't deter him from ensuring peace and prosperity in the state while speaking at Municipal Bhawan in Chandigarh. He attributed the threats to the government's zero-tolerance policy against anti-Punjab forces and vowed to bring the masterminds hiding abroad to justice. Pannun, designated as a terrorist in 2020, had urged gangsters to join his banned Khalistani terror outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) and disrupt Republic Day events.
16-Jan-2024
Punjab Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President, Sunil Jakhar, on January 16, urged External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar, via a post on the social media site X, to prompt the United States (US) administration to take action against Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who had threatened Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann and Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav. Jakhar emphasized the need for swift US action to maintain credibility and friendships.
16-Jan-2024
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on January 16 filed a charge sheet against five individuals identified as 'designated individual terrorists': Lakhbir Singh Rode alias Baba, Ranjot alias Rana, Taranjot Singh alias Tanna, Gurjit Singh alias Paa, and Pakistan-based smuggler Rehmat Ali alias Miyan, in a case pertains to the cross-border smuggling of arms into Punjab via drones, at the NIA special court in Mohali, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar (SAS) district. The charge sheet revealed connections between members of the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) and individuals in Pakistan. The investigation uncovered plans for targeted killings, extortion, and fundraising for banned organizations such as KLF and the International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF).
16-Jan-2024
The police on January 16 brought Charat Singh on production warrants from Hoshiarpur jail to Faridkot in the Faridkot district, in relation to a drugs and arms smuggling case. Charat is an accused in the May 2022 rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) attack on the Punjab Police intelligence headquarters in Mohali, Punjab. He was arrested in October 2022 in a joint operation with the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS). The police had nominated Charat and his associate, Nishan Singh, in a case involving four other individuals identified as Kuldeep Singh alias Keepa, Sukhchain Singh, Sukhmander Singh, and Sewak Singh. They were arrested for smuggling, arms possession, and links to the escaped gangster Gurpreet Singh Sekhon. Charat, who was initially serving a life sentence, provided support to the RPG attackers and was on parole during the incident.
16-Jan-2024
Slogans supporting Khalistan, linked to Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun's Republic Day threats, were discovered on the walls of Chander Vihar area in West Delhi on January 16. The graffiti read 'SFJ, January 26, Khalistan.’ Later, Delhi Police removed the slogans and filed a case. Pannun had also warned of hoisting the Khalistani flag on January 26, urging sympathizers of the banned terrorist outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) to write slogans calling for a referendum and voting for a separate Khalistan. Before Republic Day and Independence Day, SFJ’s sleeper cells were reportedly linked to such activities.
16-Jan-2024
Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun issued a threat on January 16 to Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann and Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav, urging gangsters to join the banned outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) and disrupt Republic Day events, preventing Mann from hoisting the national flag. The threat was delivered via a video message sent by email to some journalists. Pannun compared CM Mann to the late assassinated CM Beant Singh and Yadav to the assassinated officer Gobind Ram. Additionally, Pannun issued threats to Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, daring him to attend Republic Day without security. He also called for a referendum on Khalistan.
16-Jan-2024
The Jammu and Kashmir High Court clarified on January 16 that being recognized as a Sikh doesn't require having "Singh" or "Kour" as surnames, dismissing a petition challenging the District Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee elections in Akhnoor, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir. The petitioner contested the inclusion of non-Sikh voters on the rolls who didn't have these surnames, citing a violation of rules defining a Sikh by belief and appearance. The court upheld the appellate authority's decision, stating that the petitioner's claims contradicted legal definitions.
16-Jan-2024
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia on January 16, appeared before the Punjab Police's Special Investigation Team (SIT) for questioning in a drug case, in Patiala in Patiala district.
15-Jan-2024
On January 15, a Nihang Sikh, Ramandeep Singh killed a young man, claiming sacrilege as the motive, at the Chaura Khooh gurdwara in Phagwara town in Kapurthala district in Punjab. Singh posted a video on social media platforms, taking responsibility and asserting that the victim confessed to committing sacrilege. This incident follows a previous violent episode involving Nihang Sikhs in November 2023, where a policeman was killed during a dispute at another gurdwara in Kapurthala. Nihangs, recognized by their blue robes and weapons, have been linked to various killings, often associated with sacrilege.
15-Jan-2024
According to sources, security measures at temples in Punjab, including the Golden Temple in Amritsar, have been significantly heightened in response to undisclosed potential threats. Law enforcement agencies, without specifying the nature of the threats, have increased personnel and vigilance to protect culturally significant landmarks. Notably, AI-powered security measures such as JARVIS technology are being used to fortify the security services. Recent incidents, including the recovery of Chinese-made drones near Amritsar, Punjab, underscore the urgency and importance of proactive security measures to ensure the safety of these places of worship.
15-Jan-2024
Punjab Police on January 15 registered two First Information Reports (FIRs) against travel agent Tarsem Singh in connection with the 'donkey flight,' which carried nearly 200 Punjabis bound for Nicaragua. Complainant Kanwarman Singh alleged that Tarsem defrauded him on the pretext of sending him to the United States (US), while Damanpreet Singh claimed that Tarsem promised a route to the US in exchange for INR 42 lakhs. Authorities are urging more victims to come forward, with the aim of apprehending Tarsem Singh and dismantling the immigration nexus.
15-Jan-2024
Police, on January 15, solved a theft case involving the theft of 16 weapons from Chanchal Gun House near the DC office in Sangrur, Punjab, by arresting five persons identified as Pavandeep Singh alias Pamma, Malwinder Singh, Sandeep Singh alias Giani, Amandeep Singh alias Aman, and Gurmeet Singh from Todarpur village in Mansa district. The police seized 14 weapons—five pistols, five revolvers, three guns, and a rifle—along with 30 cartridges, a motorcycle, an electrical cutter, a hammer, and a rod from their possession. Two guns are yet to be recovered. Among those arrested, Pavandeep Singh had a criminal record with nine prior cases, while three of the accused were in Nihangs' attire during the crime.
15-Jan-2024
The Bathinda police on January 15 arrested two persons, identified as Sukhdev Singh and Surjit Singh and seized 22 quintals of poppy husk from their possession near the ring road in Bathinda district. The poppy husk was brought by them from Kota, Rajasthan.
15-Jan-2024
According to sources, the Indian Army is set to enhance its border surveillance in Punjab by deploying indigenous Drishti-10 medium-altitude, long-endurance drones. Manufactured by Adani Defence, the Army has ordered two of these drones under emergency provisions, requiring over 60% indigenization. The deployment aims to bolster monitoring capabilities across the Punjab sector, covering a vast area, including the desert region and areas to the north. The drones are expected to be inducted within the next two to three months.
15-Jan-2024
Gurmail Kaur, the wife of former Akal Takht acting Jathedar Gurdev Singh Kaunke, filed a complaint with Jagraon police in Ludhiana district on January 15, demanding the registration of a criminal case against 21 police personnel, including two former Directors General of Police (DGPs), for her husband's alleged murder in 1992. Gurmail Kaur claims that Gurdev Singh was unlawfully taken into custody on December 25, 1992, and was subsequently killed by the Jagraon police. She alleges that her husband was kidnapped, never formally arrested or produced in court, and questions the role of senior police officials in shielding the responsible officers.
14-Jan-2024
According to sources, Gujrat Police have booked 14 agents involved in the alleged human trafficking to Nicaragua in connection with the ongoing investigation into the grounded chartered flight carrying 303 Indians in France. Reportedly, these agents advised Indians to pose as Khalistanis seeking asylum. Passengers were instructed to keep videos of Khalistani extremist Amritpal Singh’s crackdown, news articles on internet suspension, and detentions to support their asylum claims.
14-Jan-2024
Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Brinda Karat, in her memoir, revealed that in the 1980s, CPI(M) leader Harkishan Singh Surjeet had warned of Sikh extremists finding support in Canada. He had also emphasized the need for political solutions to address genuine demands in Punjab, criticized the Congress party's role, and highlighted the danger of communal sentiments fuelled by the Hindu Suraksha Samiti, a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) backed platform. Brinda Karat also recounted instances where the party, led by Surjeet, stood against violence, protecting Sikh families and homes from retaliation in the aftermath of Prime Minister (PM) Indira Gandhi's death.
14-Jan-2024
The Nawanshahr police, on January 14, arrested seven members of an 11-member inter-state gang of drug peddlers and thieves and seized six motorcycles, five cars, gold, and various stolen gadgets from their possession in Jalandhar district. The gang targeted secluded homes, gyms, and vehicles parked outside homes during the night. The police had previously arrested four other members of the gang, identified as Sonu Chaurasia, Ramandeep Minhas alias Rammi, Ravi Kumar, and Dalveer Singh, with 300 grams of heroin in their possession.
14-Jan-2024
Awan Kumar Khullar alias Sonu Cheema, the sarpanch (head of the Panchayat, village level local self-Government institution) of Adda Chabal village, was shot dead in broad daylight in Tarn Taran district on January 14. The assailant believed to be the Germany-based gangster Amritpal Singh Batth, shot Sonu Cheema while he was getting a shave. The gangster has around 18 criminal cases registered against him.
14-Jan-2024
Amritsar (Rural) police on January 14 recovered 5 kg of heroin and a tractor from Ranian village in the Amritsar district. Acting on a tip-off, the police conducted a raid at the residence of Jagdeep Singh alias Hira, who had been implicated in cross-border drug trafficking by sources. Reportedly, he was smuggling heroin on his tractor. Though Hira managed to slip away during the raid, the police successfully recovered the heroin and impounded his tractor.
14-Jan-2024
Police on January 14 arrested the right-hand man of the notorious gangster Harpreet Singh alias Happy Jatt and the prime suspect in the Jandiala Guru double murder, identified as Sahil and seized 3 kg of heroin, a .45 bore pistol with four live cartridges, and a .32 bore pistol with five live bullets from his possession in Jandiala Guru in Amritsar district. Earlier, two other individuals, Rahul and Gagandeep Singh, alias Gagan Haddi, were arrested in connection with the murders. Ongoing investigations aim to uncover their criminal links.