KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
27-Jan-2023
Ludhiana Police busted a gang of drug peddlers with the arrest of two accused, identified as Amandeep Singh alias Romi (30) and Gurpreet Singh (26) and recovered 100-gram heroin, four pistols of 0.32 bore along with 18 live cartridges of 0.32 bore, four magazines, INR 7.70 lakh in cash drug money and Hyundai Verna car from their possession in Ludhiana.
27-Jan-2023
A gangster, Jagtar Singh alias Jagga suffered a bullet injury in an exchange of fire with the Jagraon police on January 26 near Kothe Khanjuran village in Ludhiana. Later, he was arrested, but his aide managed to escape on a motorcycle. It has been alleged that Jagga along with his accomplice had come to collect extortion money from a Jagraon-based businessman on behalf of Arsh Dalla. Dalla has been declared a ‘designated terrorist’ by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA).
27-Jan-2023
Punjab Police arrested two weapon smugglers, identified as Banna Ram and Mukesh and recovered as many as eight pistols and Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) from their possession in Fazilka city in Fazilka district.
27-Jan-2023
Gagandeep Singh Kainth, who is president of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s youth wing (rural), said that on January 27 he received threat calls from an international number on his WhatsApp number, but he did not answer the calls. He said that later he received WhatsApp messages from the same number. “The sender threatened me for supporting the BJP and threatened to shoot me dead. The accused also sent him pictures of weapons to threaten him. He also said that anyone who would speak against Khalistan would face dire consequences,” Kainth said.
26-Jan-2023
The Border Security Force (BSF) claimed to have seized 3 kilograms of heroin in Ferozepur on January 26. According to BSF, in the morning, during a search of the area falling near Tindiwala village, BSF troops recovered three packets heroin (weight 3 Kg) wrapped with yellow adhesive tape.
26-Jan-2023
India on January 26 strongly condemned the incidents of recent attacks on Hindu Temples in Australia and said these were clear attempts to sow hatred and division among the peaceful multi-faith and multi-cultural Indian-Australian community. New Delhi also urged the Australian authorities to ensure safety and security of Indians living there. Registering its condemnation, the Indian High Commission in Canberra said in a strongly worded statement "The frequency and impunity with which the vandals appear to be operating are alarming, as are the graffiti which include the glorification of anti-Indian terrorists. The High Commission highlighted "that pro-Khalistan elements are stepping up their activities in Australia, actively aided and abetted by members of proscribed terrorist organisations such as the Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) and other inimical agencies from outside Australia."
26-Jan-2023
Punjab governor Banwari Lal Purohit expressed concern over cross-border Narco activities. The governor said that it was a matter of concern in the six districts situated on International Border (IB). He urged people to be vigilant for the internal security of country and the state.
26-Jan-2023
According to reports, unknown persons painted pro-Khalistan slogans on the board of Beant Singh Memorial at Sector 42 in Chandigarh on Republic Day. The slogans were written in Punjabi on both sides of the board installed on the road opposite the furniture market. The suspects also wrote SFJ (Sikhs for Justice) Zindabad on the board.
26-Jan-2023
A protest march took place in Mohali on January 26 demanding the release of Sikh prisoners who are allegedly lodged in different prisons despite having completed their sentences. The protesters, including Nihangs and members of several Sikh bodies, from different parts of Punjab gathered under the banner of 'Kaumi Insaaf Morcha'.
25-Jan-2023
A red alert was sounded across the state on January 25 on the directions of Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann to ensure peaceful celebrations of the Republic Day.
25-Jan-2023
The pro-Khalistan outfit, Dal Khalsa, along with its allies, took out a march on January 25 to demand referendum in Punjab under the United Nations (UN) in Amritsar. Carrying placards and flags, the marchers raised slogans highlighting political resolution to Punjab ‘conflict’ through the right to self-determination. “The Sikhs of Punjab have been struggling for sovereignty and independence since the 1980s and they want international community to respect and recognise their aspirations,” a Dal Khalsa statement said.
25-Jan-2023
Police arrested one person, identified as Amin Khan and recovered 20-gm opium from him in Abohar in Fazilka district.
25-Jan-2023
Police recovered 70-gm heroin from two persons identified as Rajinder and Sukhjit Singh outside Kaminpura village in Fazilka district.
24-Jan-2023
The Punjab Police arrested notorious gangster Jagdeep Singh alias Jaggu Baghwanpuria, allegedly been associated with the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and Sikh For Justice (SFJ), from Delhi’s Tihar Jail. He was taken to Punjab on transit remand and was later sent to police custody by a court there.
24-Jan-2023
A local court in Amritsar on January 24 remanded drug peddler Sonu Masih, a resident of Khanwal village, in four-day police custody. Sources said the STF found Masih’s links with Pakistan-based smugglers and he used to supply the contraband in different parts of the state.
24-Jan-2023
The Lambi police on January 24 arrested a person, identified as Gourav and seized 4.4-kg heroin from near Balochkera village on the Malout-Sitto Gunno road in Sri Muktsar Sahib district. According to police, a car was intercepted at a naka near Balochkera village and 4.4-kg heroin was found in it. One of the occupants in the car was arrested, while the other managed to flee from the spot.
24-Jan-2023
Khalistani graffitis were found on January 24 at the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) complex, Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Technical University, National Fertilisers Limited, and Mata Kali temple in Punjab. According to reports, the outer walls of five local places were smeared with Khalistani graffiti. Later, the pro-Khalistani outfit Sikh For Justice (SFJ)’s head Gurpatwant Singh Pannun uploaded the graffiti's video on social media, where he asked people not to attend the official function in Bathinda on January 26 and warned the Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann against unfurling the national flag. The same scare tactics were used in several other towns of Punjab, said the report.
23-Jan-2023
The Supreme Court (SC) advocate Vineet Jindal on January 23 filed a complaint with Delhi police against an unknown person linked to the Khalistani terrorist organisation Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) for giving life threats on calls and WhatsApp. In his complaint, Jindal said that he had received death threats from terrorist organisations, including Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), SFJ and Islamic terrorists as well. He recently filed a complaint against SFJ for propagating the Khalistani movement in India and threatening terrorist activities on Republic Day. According to sources, Jindal received death threats from two international numbers +61474268548 and +15105841217. Later, he also received a death threat in messages on WhatsApp from +61474268645. In the message, there was a video message from Khalistani supporters who burnt an effigy. There was a message with images of the gun firing at a mat.
23-Jan-2023
Controversial former Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee SC cell leader Karamjit Singh Gill, who was booked and later arrested for hurting religious sentiments, urged the police to provide him with security as per the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. A controversy erupted when he had entered the Golden Temple complex wearing a T-shirt of former Congress MP and the alleged accused of 1984 anti-Sikh riots, Jagdish Tytler. Gill said that following the instance, Sikh radical organisations had threatened to kill him. He said due to the threat to his life, he was kept in a barrack at Mansa jail following his arrest. He said even there, he was attacked by some persons in the jail complex and sustained injuries. He said before the Golden Temple incident, he had two gunmen for his security who were withdrawn later.
23-Jan-2023
Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) -Intelligence- asked all deputy commissioners to monitor government buildings round the clock for three days ahead of Republic Day to prevent activists of Sikh For Justice (SFJ) from ‘indulging in illegal activities’. Activists of the banned organisation, SFJ, often write Khalistan slogans or hoist the Khalistani flag on government buildings on important occasions like Independence Day and Republic Day. DGP – Intelligence- in a letter said, “Sikh for Justice activists may indulge in illegal activities and hoist Khalistani flags or write Khalistani slogans on the vacant buildings.”
22-Jan-2023
Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi suggested roping in veteran police officers to deal with Khalistani terrorism at the All India Conference of Directors General and Inspectors General in New Delhi on January 22. According to sources, the PM said intelligence agencies and officers should talk to former officers who were on duty and tackled the Khalistani terrorism. Sources said senior officials will ensure PM’s suggestion is implemented by different anti-terror agencies and police in states and Union Territories. The Indian Police Service (IPS) officers from cadres where states were earlier affected by Khalistani terrorists will be called for a discussion. Investigators who probed cases are likely to be contacted, sources added.
22-Jan-2023
According to reports, Khalistan extremism emerged as a key security concern at the annual All-India Conference of Director Generals/Inspector Generals of Police in Delhi and was discussed by the Border Security Force (BSF), Intelligence agencies, National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Punjab police. “It was told that there has been an increase in smuggling of weapons from Pakistan and attempts are being made to destabilise Punjab by activating the front of Khalistan extremism. Even NIA and Punjab police have found in their investigations that Pakistan and abroad-based terrorists are using local gangsters to execute their terror plans,” a source said. Overhauling the jails in Punjab, scrutiny of radical funding and check on weapon proliferation from across the border were some of the suggestions discussed by intelligence agencies on ways to tackle Khalistan extremism.
22-Jan-2023
Security agencies warned that separatist groups sitting in Pakistan, Canada and America are hatching dangerous Khalistani conspiracies against India. A large number of fake handles on social media are engaged in spreading this conspiracy. According to sources, a large number of fake handles from Pakistan are active on social media regarding Khalistan and Punjab Referendum. Articles against India are posted on these fake social media handles. Sources said, on December 29, 8,332 posts in the name of Khalistan were posted on social media, out of which the locations of most of the posts were found in Pakistan. Similarly, on December 15, there were a total of 8707 posts in the name of Khalistan, out of which the location of most of the posts was Pakistan and America. The special thing is that on most of the social media handles from which posts are being made in the name of Khalistan, wrong things were written against India regarding Kashmir.
22-Jan-2023
According to report, the State Special Operation Cell (SSOC) of Punjab Police booked five people including gangster Jagdeep Singh alias Jaggu Bhagwanpuria for their alleged links with the terror outfits. The accused also include some people based in foreign countries who have been involved in terror activities in the past. Apart from Bhagwanpuria, those booked were identified as Amritpal Singh, UK-based Paramjeet Singh alias Pamma, USA-based Darmanjot Singh Chahal and Pargat Singh. It was alleged in the First Information Report (FIR) that Bhagwanpuria and Pargat Singh had ties with proscribed outfits Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) to carry out terror related activities in Punjab.
22-Jan-2023
Punjab Police on January 22 carried out raids on suspected hideouts of persons linked with Canada-based gangster-turned-terrorist Lakhbir Singh alias Landa of Harike village of Tarn Taran district. The simultaneous raids were conducted at the residential and other premises linked to Lakhbir landa, in all the districts of Punjab in the ongoing cases. The operation was aimed at disrupting the nexus between terrorists, gangsters and drug smugglers based in India and Abroad.