KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
09-Mar-2023
A day after the Manikaran incident (Kullu district, Himachal Pradesh), around 100 Punjabi pilgrims protested and shouted pro-Khalistan slogans by blocking the Chandigarh-Manali highway Himachal Pradesh border on March 9. According to reports, the pilgrims brandished swords and clubs, hurled stones at shops and cars, and attacked local people during a fair in Manikaran. Meanwhile, pilgrims also refused to pay the Green Tax at the Manali entry.
09-Mar-2023
According to police sources, during the investigation of the murder case of Jagraon electrician Paramjit Singh, police have found the involvement of Bathinda-based gangster Lucky Khokhar alias Denis. He is currently lodged in a jail in Rajasthan after being arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) from Sri Ganganagar in Rajasthan. Based on the information provided by the shooters arrested in the murder case, Ludhiana police have initiated proceedings to bring Denis on a production warrant for questioning. According to Police, gangster-turned-terrorist Arsh Dalla had assigned Denis to execute the electrician.
09-Mar-2023
Punjab police on March 9 arrested a close aide of Amritpal Singh, identified as Gurinderpal Singh Aujla at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar in Amritsar district. The Jalandhar police were looking for him in a case of allegedly brandishing weapons on social media. Aujla is a United Kingdom (UK)-based NRI (Non-Resident Indian), who was trying to leave the country and travel to UK as per police report.
09-Mar-2023
Khanna police on March 9 busted a module of the Lovejeet Kang gang and arrested six of its members along with 13 weapons, 11 magazines, three live cartridges, and two vehicles in Ludhiana in Ludhiana district. They were involved in the abduction of people and demanded ransom worth several crores across the state. Lovejeet Kang, currently residing in the United States (US), was booked by the Kapurthala police in January 2023 when he had demanded INR 3 crore from an NRI (Non-Resident Indian) after kidnapping the NRI’s father.
09-Mar-2023
The crime branch of the Chandigarh police arrested a drug dealer identified as Amandeep Singh (29) on March 9 from Kapurthala in Kapurthala District. He was earlier arrested by Punjab in a drug seizure case.
09-Mar-2023
The Border Security Force (BSF) shot down a drone and recovered weapons including, an AK series rifle, two magazines, and 40 bullets along the International Border (IB) in the Nabi Nagar village in Gurdaspur district on March 9.
09-Mar-2023
Police on March 9 arrested a Delhi-based drug peddler, identified as Satish Kumar along with 1 kg of heroin from Dera Bassi in the Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar district.
09-Mar-2023
Police on March 9 arrested a drug peddling couple, identified as Buti and his wife Rajni along with 10 grams of heroin and 500 intoxicating tablets from Nakodar city in Jalandhar district.
09-Mar-2023
Police arrested a drug peddler, identified as Gurprit along with four grams of heroin from Shahkot in Jalandhar district on March 9.
09-Mar-2023
On March 9, police arrested a drug peddler, identified as Jagjit Singh with 10 grams of heroin from Lohian Khas in Jalandhar district.
09-Mar-2023
Police arrested one person identified as Rohit Kumar alias Manna and recovered arms including an illegal pistol, along with a magazine and six live cartridges near Gazi Gulla road in Jalandhar in Jalandhar district on March 9.
08-Mar-2023
Giani Harpreet Singh, the Akal Takht Jathedar, on March 8 expressed his disapproval of the formation of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (HSGMC) and accused the Centre of planning to divide the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). He also stated that, "The Sikhs of Haryana have not taken over the reign of HSGMC, but it is the government who has taken its control in reality. The central government knew that major support during the farmer agitation had come from ‘Langar’ (community kitchen) of gurdwaras... The British also adopted this same policy by taking the control of gurdwaras through ‘Mahants’. But Sikhs fought back and freed their gurdwaras,..." He said the SGPC has been “broken” as it is the backbone of the Sikh community. He wondered how a “a country that put efforts to keep its Parliament undivided, did not feel ashamed while dividing the parliament of Sikhs". He then went on to curse the government, saying, " If they have divided the Sikh parliament into two through the Supreme Court, the Almighty would divide such (country’s) Parliament into several pieces...”
08-Mar-2023
Thousands of people in Gujarat on March 8 received bulk messages and pre-recorded calls, purportedly by the head of Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) Gurupatwant Singh Pannun, threatening to “storm into the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium” in Ahmadabad in Gujarat. In the pre-recorded voice message, Pannun stated, “People of Gujarat, on 9th March, stay home and stay safe because pro-Khalistan Sikhs are going to storm Narendra Modi cricket stadium and install Khalistani flag. Do not become a victim between pro-Khalistan Sikhs and Indian police”. The messages were aimed at creating panic amongst people ahead of the visit of the prime ministers of India and Australia.
08-Mar-2023
The Border Security Force (BSF) arrested two intruders, who were trying to enter India by crossing the International Border of Punjab. One man, identified as a Bangladeshi national was arrested when he was intervening on the night of March 8 and 9 in the Rajatal border post area of the Amritsar sector. Another man identified as a Pakistani national was arrested near the Nikka border outpost area of the Gurdaspur sector on March 9.
08-Mar-2023
According to reports, Punjab police started their campaign against the radical group Waris Punjab De, and the arms license of nine of Amritpal Singh's aides were cancelled by the police. According to police sources, the Punjab police are taking up their case with the respective district magistrates and police heads of the state. The Punjab police have also contacted Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) officials as two of Amritpal's nine associates obtained their firearms licenses from J&K.
07-Mar-2023
According to reports, Sikh radicals condemned the deployment of security personnel including eight companies of Rapid Action Force to Punjab prior to the annual Hola Mohalla festival.
07-Mar-2023
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on March 7 said that it has attached five more assets in Haryana and Delhi belonging to gang members of organized syndicates. According to NIA officials, it attached another four properties in Haryana and one in Delhi following investigations into cases involving three significant organized crime syndicates/gangs run by the Pakistan-based Harvinder Rinda, Lawrence Bishnoi, and Bambiha group. These attachments and seizures are a continuation of searches conducted linked to a terrorist-criminal network on March 4. The NIA said that the attached properties were found acquired with funds generated from carrying out different types of terrorist activities and extortion, and were thus "proceeds of terrorism" as they were being used for hatching terror conspiracies and execution of crimes.
07-Mar-2023
The Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Gurdaspur, Himanshu Aggarwal urged the media not to reveal the worth of the drugs that the Punjab Police and Border Security Force (BSF) have seized, to the general public. According to DC, "Once the value is made public, young people become motivated to sell narcotics so that they can enjoy a life of luxury." He also said, "I am also asking my public relations men to fan out in villages to inform youngsters about the punishment they might get if they are found to be carrying or selling drugs".
07-Mar-2023
According to police sources, gangster Lawrence Bishnoi was handed over to the Punjab police on March 7 after a short time period in the custody of the Jaipur police. In order to investigate the involvement of his group in the January 29 G-Club shooting incident, the Jaipur police had brought him on a production warrant from Punjab.
07-Mar-2023
Police arrested seven gang members and seized eight motorcycles and six mobile phones in Barnala in Barnala district.
07-Mar-2023
Balkaur Singh, the late Punjabi rapper Sidhu Moosewala's father, on March 7, protested outside the Punjab Assembly and called for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate the case of his son's death. Singh also complained that no investigation is happening in his favor.
07-Mar-2023
According to reports, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has been preparing a draft representation pertaining to the release of the ‘Bandi Singhs’ (Sikh prisoners) that is to be submitted to President Droupadi Murmu, when she visits Amritsar on March 9. According to SGPC general secretary Gurcharan Singh Grewal, the visit will be an opportunity to talk with the President about "the issue of release of 'Bandi Singhs,'". In addition, the ad hoc Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee will inform her of the "illegal occupancy" of Sikh shrines and institutions, he added.
06-Mar-2023
The executive committee of Dal Khalsa held a meeting at its office in Amritsar on March 6, and decided to submit a letter to G20 members through their embassy prior to their visit to Amritsar scheduled on March 15-17 to draw attention to Bandi Singhs’ (Sikh prisoners) human rights issue. In the letter written to the G-20 countries, the Dal Khalsa stated that India must answer human rights issues.
06-Mar-2023
Australian ambassador Barry O'Farrell on March 6 made it clear that the Khalistan referendum has no legal legitimacy either in Australia or in India. He also stated, "Australia's respect for India's sovereignty is unwavering". He further said that Australia was a successful multicultural, multifaith country and respected freedom of speech. "But freedom of speech does not give you the right to engage in violent protests in hate speech or vandalism. And those matters are taken seriously in Australia," he added.
06-Mar-2023
Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) Chief Gurupatwant Singh Pannun, on March 6 released a video addressing the G20 representatives where he claimed that Punjab is not a part of India and threatened that the railway services will be blocked in multiple locations in front of G20 representatives. In the video, the SFJ leader gave a call for “Rail Roko on March 15-16”. "The Singhs fighting for the freedom of Punjab have installed flags at the Makhu Railway Station which state "G20 nations welcome to Khalistan". Punjab is not a part of India. The red flags put up at the Makhu station said that from March 15 to 16, all the rail services in Amritsar, Ferozepur, Bathinda, and Ludhiana will remain shut," Pannun said in the video. He further asked the people of Punjab to ensure that the railway services are blocked in front of G20 representatives.