KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
25-Oct-2023
Police on October 25 arrested four members of an arms supply gang, identified as Sorav Kumar, Ranjit Singh, Shivraj Soni, and Kushar Ashis Ram Saroop and seized five pistols, comprising three of .32 bore caliber and two of .315 bore, along with 26 live cartridges and two laptops from their possession in Mohali, Sahibzada Ajit Singh (SAS) Nagar district.
24-Oct-2023
Former Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) head Paramjit Singh Sarna on October 24 accused the current DSGMC body of misusing funds and sought the intervention of Akal Takht Jathedar to scrutinize their finances in Amritsar, Punjab.
24-Oct-2023
The Border Security Force (BSF) and Punjab Police on October 24 recovered a small bottle filled with 356 grams of heroin and a drone from the outskirts of Mastgarh village in Tarn Taran district. The recovered drone was a Quadcopter of model DJI Mavic 3 Classic.
24-Oct-2023
The Punjab Police have made a significant drug seizure of 1,090 kg of heroin in less than 10 months this year, surpassing the previous highest recovery of 759.82 kg in 2020. During this period, they registered 9,571 cases and arrested 13,197 individuals, with around 3,000 of them considered major offenders. The authorities also confiscated 778.36 kg of opium, 32,883.04 kg of poppy husk, 55.44 kg of charas, and 0.07 kg of cocaine. While the crackdown on drug smuggling has intensified, the recorded recovery remains a fraction of the total drug consumption in Punjab, estimated at four to five lakh heroin addicts.
24-Oct-2023
Jamalpur Police on October 24 arrested four drug peddlers, identified as Ashu Mehta, Amandeep Singh, Maninder Singh and Suman Tiwari, and seized 260 grams of heroin, an electronic weighing machine and a Maruti Suzuki Swift car from their possession in Jamalpur in Ludhiana district.
24-Oct-2023
The Barnala police on October 24 revealed that they have arrested four former kabaddi players, identified as Parmjit Singh, Jagraj Singh, Gurmeet Singh, and Wajir Singh, who were allegedly involved in the murder of Head Constable Darshan Singh and seized a country-made .315 bore pistol, two live cartridges, a car, and a motorcycle from their possession in Barnala in Barnala district. During their arrest, Parmjit Singh sustained injuries in a brief encounter with the police, leading to an additional attempt-to-murder case being filed against him.
24-Oct-2023
The Border Security Force (BSF) on October 24 intercepted a drone and recovered 420 grams of heroin near the International Border (IB) near Wan village in Tarn Taran district.
24-Oct-2023
Pro-Khalistan slogans threatening to create 'Khalistan' in Rajasthan and targeting prominent figures, including the Prime Minister, were discovered in the Hanumangarh railway yard in Hanumangarh district of Rajasthan, on October 24. Intelligence and security agencies are concerned about potential unrest in the area due to its significant Sikh population and suspect the involvement of individuals traveling from Punjab.
23-Oct-2023
The Punjab and Haryana High Court (HC) on October 23 rejected the parole plea of Paramjit Singh Bheora, a convict in the assassination case of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh. Bheora had sought parole to attend his niece's wedding in Delhi on October 29, but the plea was dismissed as there is no provision in the Punjab Jail Manual or relevant rules for the release of convicted prisoners to attend family events. Bheora, who led the terrorist organization Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2010 for his involvement in the 1995 car blast that killed the former CM.
23-Oct-2023
The State Special Operation Cell (SSOC) of Punjab Police on October 23 busted a cross-border smuggling racket by arresting a drug trafficker, identified as Rahul along with 12 kilograms of heroin and a Honda Amaze car in Amritsar district. According to the Police, Rahul had direct connections with the notorious drug smuggler Ranjeet alias Cheeta.
23-Oct-2023
Two unidentified masked and armed men shot at kabaddi player Harvinder Singh Bindri in Nihal Singh Wala town in Moga district on October 23. The incident, captured on CCTV, involved the attackers conversing with Singh's mother before shooting him in the foot. Initial investigations suggest that the attackers were sent by someone abroad to intimidate Singh, possibly due to his participation in the upcoming panchayat elections.
23-Oct-2023
According to sources, Canadian diplomats in Chandigarh and Punjab have been abusing their powers to grant visas to individuals with criminal backgrounds who support the Khalistan cause. These visas are being issued to bolster the Khalistan movement. Additionally, Canada's refusal to assist in extradition cases and its perceived interference in India's affairs have strained relations between the two countries.
22-Oct-2023
The Indian External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar on October 22 reiterated India's commitment to maintaining diplomatic parity with Canada and he expressed concerns over Canadian interference in Indian affairs during an event in New Delhi. Despite the diplomatic tensions, Canada's visa services continue to operate in India, although processing times may be affected due to reduced staffing. Canada has a significant Indian-origin population, particularly among Sikhs, and hosts a large number of Indian international students. This diplomatic dispute has significant implications for both nations.
22-Oct-2023
The Indian External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar, in New Delhi, on October 22 subtly blamed Canada's ruling Liberal Party, led by Prime Minister (PM) Justin Trudeau, for strained bilateral relations, citing concerns over Canada's handling of Khalistani extremists.
22-Oct-2023
The Border Security Force (BSF) and Punjab Police on October 22 recovered three packets of heroin weighing 2.916 kilograms and a drone battery with a capacity of 5935 milliampere-hours (mAh) from a nearby paddy field on the outskirts of Mastgarh village in Tarn Taran district. The joint search operation was launched based on specific information regarding the presence of contraband items in the area.
22-Oct-2023
The Border Security Force (BSF) troops recovered a quadcopter in broken condition from the field near Rao Ke Hitar Village in Ferozepur district.
22-Oct-2023
According to police sources, Kapurthala district in Punjab is grappling with an alarming increase in women involved in drug trafficking, with 25 First Information Reports (FIR) filed against women for narcotics peddling in the past year at the Subhanpur police station. Around 40% of drug-related FIRs in Subhanpur involve women. This surge in female involvement in the drug trade has been partly attributed to videos of women selling drugs circulating on social media. Economic incentives, particularly for families, and the incarceration of husbands or family members in drug-related cases are driving factors behind women's participation in this illicit trade. Police have conducted awareness campaigns but face challenges in persuading women to give up drug peddling.
22-Oct-2023
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Gulneet Singh Khurana on October 22 revealed in an attempt to combat drug addiction, a vigilante anti-drug committee took the law into their own hands by kidnapping a suspected drug smuggler identified as Daljinder Singh alias Noor, brutally beating him to death, and disposing of his body in a drain in Ghumman Kalan village in Bathinda district. The Bathinda police have registered a case against 14 committee members, including the head of the committee, and arrested two persons.
22-Oct-2023
The Punjab Police on October 22 busted a gang involved in the smuggling of arms from Madhya Pradesh and supplying them in Punjab by arresting three individuals identified as Anmol Singh, Karandeep Masih and Jagroop Singh and seized 11 pistols — six .32 bore and five .30 bore pistols — along with magazines and 15 cartridges, INR 2 lakh cash and one motorcycle from their possession in Fatehgarh Churian in Batala in Gurdaspur district. The smugglers were transporting illegal weapons from Madhya Pradesh (MP) with funding received through 'hawala' from their accomplices based in the United States (US), identified as Kirandeep Singh Randhawa and Jarmanjit Singh. The police operation was initiated based on secret information, with efforts to uncover the entire network and procurement chain. The gang was also allegedly conspiring to target rival gang members, leading to multiple charges filed against them.The Punjab Police on October 22 busted a gang involved in the smuggling of arms from Madhya Pradesh and supplying them in Punjab by arresting three individuals identified as Anmol Singh, Karandeep Masih and Jagroop Singh and seized 11 pistols — six .32 bore and five .30 bore pistols — along with magazines and 15 cartridges, INR 2 lakh cash and one motorcycle from their possession in Fatehgarh Churian in Batala in Gurdaspur district. The smugglers were transporting illegal weapons from Madhya Pradesh (MP) with funding received through 'hawala' from their accomplices based in the United States (US), identified as Kirandeep Singh Randhawa and Jarmanjit Singh. The police operation was initiated based on secret information, with efforts to uncover the entire network and procurement chain. The gang was also allegedly conspiring to target rival gang members, leading to multiple charges filed against them.
22-Oct-2023
Amritsar City Police on October 22 arrested two individuals, identified as Amarjit Singh and Mani Masih, and seized 100 grams of heroin from their possession near the Metro shopping in Amritsar district.
21-Oct-2023
The Punjab State Special Operating Cell (SSOC) on October 21 arrested four members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, identified as Supreet Singh alias Preet, Armandeep Singh alias Arman, Jajbir Singh, and Hardeep Singh and seized two .32 bore pistols and six rounds from their possession in Mohali, Sahibzada Ajit Singh (SAS) Nagar district. In addition, another gang member, Amandeep Singh alias Mani Topi, was arrested, and the police seized a pistol from his possession. Mani Topi attempted to escape during a pistol recovery operation, resulting in a leg fracture. These accused were operating under the direction of Tarsem Singh alias Saba, who is originally from Abohar, Fazilka, but is currently residing in the United States (US). Tarsem Singh is an old associate of the gangster Lawrence Bishnoi.
21-Oct-2023
The Border Security Force (BSF) on October 21 apprehended a Pakistani national after he had entered the Indian territory near Chaharpur village in Ajnala tehsil in Amritsar district. He was handed over to the Pakistani authorities on October 22 after it was established that he had crossed over inadvertently.
21-Oct-2023
According to sources, India is considering approaching the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to address Canada's alleged inaction against terror funding operations on its soil, particularly those related to Khalistani elements. This move comes as diplomatic tensions between India and Canada escalate, with India seeking to refocus attention on the issues of terror funding and safe havens for terrorists in Canada. India has accused Canada of not cooperating in deporting or extraditing terrorists and aims to pressure FATF to take a tougher stance on Canada in this regard.
21-Oct-2023
According to Police officials, illegal weapons manufacturing units in Madhya Pradesh (MP) have become a growing concern for Punjab Police, as they have discovered organized gangs smuggling 512 illegally manufactured weapons from MP into Punjab over the past two years. The relatively good quality of these arms has made the MP units popular among criminals. Punjab's counter-intelligence unit is actively addressing this issue, especially after a module of the Khalistan Liberation Front (KLF) used these weapons in an attack on a right-wing leader. Various arrests have been made in connection with these illegal weapon-manufacturing and smuggling activities.
21-Oct-2023
The Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, Giani Raghbir Singh, on October 21 emphasized the importance of adhering to the Sikh practice of maintaining uncut hair (kesh) and warned against individuals who spread misleading information to dilute the Sikh identity in Amritsar, Punjab. He called on the Sikh community to remain vigilant against anti-Sikh forces and urged the government to take action against those who spread misleading and divisive propaganda.