KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
24-Nov-2023
A Sikh Jatha from India departed for Pakistan on November 24 to celebrate the 554th birthday of Baba Guru Nanak Dev. Around 3,000 visas have been issued by the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi for Sikh pilgrims participating in the event, which will take place from November 25 to December 4.
23-Nov-2023
The Anti Narcotic Cell-2 of Ludhiana Police Commissionerate, on November 23, arrested a man identified as Gurtej Singh and seized four illegal pistols of .32 caliber, each with one magazine, along with eight live cartridges and four empty magazines from his possession near Civil Hospital in Ludhiana district. Gurtej, who admitted to working as a courier for a Meerut-based weapon smuggler, sells each weapon for INR 60,000, with a commission of INR 20,000 for the supplier. He has a history of supplying weapons in Sirhind and Uttarakhand, with multiple First Information Reports (FIR) filed against him.
23-Nov-2023
According to reports, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a designated Khalistani terrorist and the chief of the banned Khalistani terror outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), is under investigation by Indian agencies in 35 cases, with efforts underway to extradite him from the United States (US). Declared an 'individual terrorist' under the Unlawful Activities Prevention (UAPA) Act, Pannun faces charges related to a larger Khalistani conspiracy. SFJ, banned as a terror organization in 2019, is accused of engaging in anti-national activities, supporting violence, and attempting to carve out a sovereign Khalistan. Pannun's involvement in inciting violence against Indians abroad and attacking Indian missions is also under scrutiny.
23-Nov-2023
A Punjab Home Guards constable identified as Jaspal Singh was killed, and fourteen policemen were injured on November 23 in a clash with Nihang Sikhs at Gurudwara Akal Bunga in Sultanpur Lodhi, Kapurthala district of Punjab. Mann Singh's Jatha Nihang group had forcibly taken possession of the gurudwara on November 21, leading to a police attempt to evict them. The Nihang members fired indiscriminately, resulting in casualties. The heavily armed Nihangs have barricaded the Gurdwara, and police are in talks to resolve the situation before Guru Nanak Dev's birth anniversary on November 27. Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann announced INR 1 crore as ex gratia relief and additional insurance money for the deceased home guard's family.
23-Nov-2023
According to sources, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has decided to record statements from individuals arrested for creating 'pro-Khalistan' graffiti and slogans, as well as those accused of removing locks from a railway track in Bathinda, Punjab. Many of the arrested individuals were reportedly in direct contact with Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the chief of the banned Khalistani terror outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), who was recently booked under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). The move aims to strengthen the case against Pannun, who is accused of promoting terror acts in India by creating a false narrative around Sikh issues in Punjab.
23-Nov-2023
On November 23, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) in Amritsar expressed dissatisfaction with the Pakistan Embassy for cancelling visas for 788 devotees recommended by the SGPC for a pilgrimage to historic gurudwaras in Pakistan during Gurpurb.
22-Nov-2023
Canadian Prime Minister (PM) Justin Trudeau on November 22 indirectly addressed the reported threat to the life of Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a US-Canadian dual citizen, during the virtual G20 summit hosted by Indian PM Narendra Modi. Trudeau highlighted the importance of upholding the 'rule of law' and mentioned working closely with allies, including the US.
22-Nov-2023
The Lucknow Gurdwara Management Committee in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh (UP), has appealed to Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi for intervention following the circulation of a video depicting a dance party near Pakistan's Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara on social media. The committee seeks PM Modi's denouncement of the incident and assurance that Sikh religious sites receive due respect in Pakistan.
22-Nov-2023
The Khalistani terror outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) recently called for a picket of Air India's outbound flights from Toronto and Vancouver airports in Canada on December 1, following charges filed against its general counsel, Gurpatwant Pannun, by India's National Investigation Agency (NIA). The situation has prompted high alerts and investigations by security forces in Canada and India, with the Indian High Commission formally raising the threat with the Canadian government.
22-Nov-2023
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on November 22 conducted raids at several locations linked to individuals associated with the banned Khalistani terror outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), in Punjab.
22-Nov-2023
According to reports, the Khalistani movement has a history of exploiting vulnerable individuals, particularly from marginalized communities, by offering promises of wealth and recognition in return for acts of violence. Once radicalized, these individuals become pawns for the cause, only to be abandoned and left to face the consequences alone once their utility diminishes. The cycle of empty promises and exploitation underscores the opportunistic nature of the Khalistani movement, leaving behind a trail of broken lives and shattered aspirations.
22-Nov-2023
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on November 22 carried out raids at 14 locations in Punjab and Haryana in connection with its probe into attacks on the Indian Consulate in San Francisco in the United States (US) in March 2023. The raids aimed to uncover the complete conspiracy behind the incidents, involving criminal trespass, vandalism, and attempts to set the consulate on fire. The NIA seized digital data and documents during the crackdown, part of its ongoing investigation to identify and prosecute the attackers.
22-Nov-2023
A National Investigation Agency (NIA) team on November 22 raided the house of Harpreet Kaur, a widow of a granthi (Sikh priest), questioned her for more than two hours, and seized a mobile phone and some documents in Jhande Wala village in Moga district. The NIA suspects her connection with Chacha Baghel Singh, a United States (US)-based associate of Khalistani preacher Amritpal Singh. Harpreet has been asked to appear before the NIA in Chandigarh for further questioning regarding a social media post she uploaded.
22-Nov-2023
The Additional District and Sessions Court of Chandigarh on November 22 acquitted Jagtar Singh Hawara, one of the assassins of former Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Beant Singh, in a 2005 case, which included the charges of waging war against the Government of India and violations of the Arms and Explosives Acts. The court is yet to release the detailed order. Beant Singh was assassinated in a bomb blast in 1995, resulting in death sentences for Hawara and Balwant Singh Rajoana. However, Hawara's sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment till death.
22-Nov-2023
The Punjab and Haryana High Court on November 22 rejected the plea of Sarabjit alias Daljit Singh Kalsi, a financier and close aide of radical Khalistani preacher Amritpal Singh, to appear before the Ajnala court in Amritsar district for a case related to an attack on a police station. Currently held in Dibrugarh jail in Assam under the National Security Act (NSA), Kalsi sought permission to expedite the trial, but the Punjab government opposed the plea, citing serious charges against him. The court dismissed Kalsi's request, and a detailed judgment is expected within 15 days.
22-Nov-2023
The Qaumi Insaaf Morcha (QIM) on November 22 organized a 'Khalsa march' from Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib to Chandigarh, advocating for the release of 'Bandi Singhs' in jails, in Fatehgarh Sahib district. The marchers, accompanied by supporters, performed 'ardas' at the gurdwara and voiced grievances against the Central and state governments, emphasizing that the prisoners had served their sentences but remained incarcerated.
22-Nov-2023
The Counter-Intelligence (CI) team of Punjab Police on November 22 arrested three men connected to a Pakistan-based terror module, identified as Rajbhupinder Singh, Raman Kumar, and Jagjit Singh and seized five .50-bore pistols and three .30-bore pistols, along with nine magazines, 30 cartridges, and a stolen car from their possession in Bathinda in Bathinda district. According to the police, the accused were tasked with carrying out targeted killings in Punjab and had brought weapons from Madhya Pradesh (MP). Further investigations are underway.
22-Nov-2023
Punjab Police and the Border Security Force (BSF) on November 22 recovered a black bag containing 5.2 kg of heroin dropped by a drone that sneaked into Indian airspace from Pakistan, from fields near Attari village in Amritsar district.
22-Nov-2023
Border Security Force (BSF) troops on November 22 intercepted a drone and recovered the broken drone along with 534 grams of heroin from fields near Mianwala village in Tarn Taran district.
22-Nov-2023
During a joint search operation, the Border Security Force (BSF) and Punjab police on November 22 recovered a drone and 524 grams of heroin from fields near Rajoke village in Tarn Taran district.
21-Nov-2023
The Indian External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on November 21 informed Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong about India's perspective on the strained relationship with Canada, during the India-Australia Foreign Ministers' Framework Dialogue, in New Delhi. Jaishankar emphasized concerns about the space given to extremism and radicalism in Canada, responding to Prime Minister (PM) Justin Trudeau's allegations in September. The discussion aimed to provide Australia with India's viewpoint on the issue.
21-Nov-2023
The Border Security Force (BSF) along with Punjab Police on November 21 intercepted a drone near the International Border and recovered 565 grams of heroin near Mode village in Amritsar district. The drone dropped the contraband before returning to Pakistan.
20-Nov-2023
Police busted a hawala racket involved in making payments for drugs, by arresting nine individuals and seizing INR 14.55 lakh in drug money along with 110 grams of heroin, a pistol, five mobile phones, a dongle, and five vehicles from their possessions during a 10-day operation across Punjab. The arrested individuals are identified as Baldev Singh, Gurjant Singh, Tanvir Singh, Sandeep Singh, Jaswant Singh, Kuldeep, Bhagwan Singh, Yogesh, and Ajay. Further arrests are anticipated as the probe continues.
20-Nov-2023
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on November 20 registered a case against Khalistani terrorist and the chief of the banned Khalistani terror outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) Gurpatwant Singh Pannun for threatening passengers flying with Air India on November 19 in New Delhi. The NIA charged him with criminal conspiracy, promoting enmity, criminal intimidation, and various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, highlighting Pannun's history of promoting terrorism.
20-Nov-2023
India's External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh are likely to meet with their Australian counterparts, Penny Wong and Richard Marles, in a 2+2 ministerial dialogue. The talks are expected to focus on deepening defence collaboration, including discussions on defence technologies and joint exercises. Sensitive topics may include Canadian Prime Minister (PM) Justin Trudeau's allegations against India regarding the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.