KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
05-Nov-2022
According to reports, Media accessed a video that showed the accused murderer of Shiv Sena leader Sudhir Suri, Sandeep Singh, taking the blessing of pro-Khalistan hardliner Amritpal Singh. As per the media report, the meeting between Amritpal and Sandeep allegedly occurred just days before Suri's murder. Earlier, the Shiv Sena leader's family accused Amritpal Singh. They alleged that the pro-Khalistan hardliner had given death threats to Suri.
05-Nov-2022
Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann, during his roadshow in Gujarat's Ahmedabad, issued a statement saying that the accused (Sudhir Suri murder case) has been rounded up. Bhagwant Mann said, "The accused has been rounded up. The investigation is in the preliminary stage. Police are carrying out an investigation. There will be justice."
05-Nov-2022
In a video, which was widely circulated on social networking sites, Gopal Singh Chawla, a pro-Khalistan leader hidden in Pakistan had threatened to kill Hindu outfit leader Amit Arora and national joint coordinator of All India Congress Committee (Kisan Congress) Gursimran Singh Mand. The video was released after the murder of Hindu outfit leader Sudhir Suri. Arora is already on terrorist groups’ target and had survived an attack in 2016. Police restricted these leaders from stepping out from their houses. Police have also increased vigil outside residences of various Hindu outfit leaders.
04-Nov-2022
According to report, the Border Security Force (BSF) troops deployed near the Jagdish border outpost (BOP) in Ferozepur sector in Ferozepur district spotted another drone. According to official sources, the troops heard humming sound of the drone near the Indo-Pakistan border. As per information, the drone first entered the Indian territory at around 10.05 pm, followed by another sortie at around 10.32 pm.
04-Nov-2022
The head of Punjab-based right-wing outfit called Shiv Sena (Taksali), Sudhir Suri was shot dead by a local shopkeeper in the middle of a public protest in Amritsar. According to police, Suri was staging a protest outside a temple in Amritsar’s Kashmir Avenue when he was shot at five times by Sandeep Singh alias Sunny, who ran a garment shop outside the same temple. Later, Singh was arrested by the police. Police didn’t immediately attribute a motive but said that they will swiftly move to investigate all aspects of the crime. “The accused told the police that he had never met Suri before. What triggered the accused to kill the Shiv Sena leader is part of the investigation. We are probing the case from all angles and interrogation of the accused is underway,” the Director general of police (DGP) said. However, a car was also parked near the crime spot with stickers on its windows that appeared to be linked to Waris Punjab De Chief Amritpal Singh, who has courted controversy in the past for his comments backing the creation of Khalistan. But the police refused to confirm if the crime was linked to the outfit.
04-Nov-2022
According to officials, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a charge sheet against six suspected terrorists of the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) in a case related to the seizure of arms and explosives from a vehicle in Haryana in May. The charge-sheeted accused included Pakistan-based Harwinder Singh Sandhu alias Rinda of the proscribed terrorist organization, BKI, who has sent the weapons through drones into the Indian territory for executing terrorist acts in India, a spokesperson of the NIA said. According to officials, the case was initially registered on May 5 at Madhuban police station in Haryana under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Explosive Substances Act and the Arms Act, and re-registered by the NIA on May 24.
03-Nov-2022
In a joint operation with Maharashtra Police, Punjab Police arrested three drug smugglers wanted in the 72.5-kg heroin seizure case in Gurdaspur district. Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav in a tweet said, "In a crucial breakthrough, Gurdaspur Police arrests three high profile drug smugglers wanted in 72.5 kg heroin seizure case at Nhava Sheva Port, Mumbai effected jointly by ATS Mumbai and Punjab Police on July 22."
03-Nov-2022
Stressing the need for solving the Sikh issues, farmers under the banner of Kirti Kisan Union organised a rally at the local Gandhi Municipal Park in Tarn Taran district on Novemebr 3. They also took out a protest march in different parts of the town.
03-Nov-2022
India reiterated its concern over certain forces planning a so-called Khalistan referendum in Canada on November 6 and asked to prevent anti-India activities by individuals and groups. The pro-Khalistan group, Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) has proposed the referendum in Mississauga, near Toronto, on November 6. India has also urged Canada to designate as terrorists under its laws those individuals and entities who have been declared as terrorists under Indian laws. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, "I think we have made our position clear a couple of times. Our position on the efforts by anti-India elements to hold a so-called Khalistan referendum is well known. It has been conveyed to the Canadian government both in New Delhi and in Canada." The Canadian government has conveyed to India that Canada will not recognise the objectionable 'Khalistan' referendum organised by the proscribed organisation Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) in Ontario on November 6, the MEA said.
02-Nov-2022
The High Commissioner of Canada to India, Cameron MacKay, said that Canada “does not support and does not recognise” the so-called ‘Khalistan referendums’ being carried out frequently in that country by banned Sikh outfits and supports a “united India”. MacKay, said in an interview that holding of such so-called referendums are considered to be a “private activity” in that country and according to Canadian laws “people have right to freedom of assembly, people have the right to freedom of expression”. However, the High Commissioner also said that the Justin Trudeau government strongly believed in and stood for a “united India”.
02-Nov-2022
The Jalandhar rural police have got a five-day remand of five persons associated with Canada-based gangster Lakhbir Singh Landa. They were arrested after an encounter and a massive search operation on November 1 from a Bhogpur village in Jalandhar. The police are still on the lookout for another associate, who could not be traced after he went into hiding in sugarcane fields near the house where the six gangsters were staying.
02-Nov-2022
The Punjab and Haryana High Court recently observed that the drug peddlers have successfully destroyed the social fabric of society and led youth to the wrongful path. "Such type of persons need to be dealt with firmly and sternly and no sympathy can be shown to them lest that should prove to be counterproductive and result in increased drug trafficking," Justice Ashok Kumar Verma said, while ruling that the petitioner does not deserve the concession of regular bail.
02-Nov-2022
A Pakistani drone was spotted thrice inside Indian territory near the SS Wala border outpost area in Jalalabad subdivision of Fazilka district. According to official sources, soldiers of the Border Security Force (BSF) 52 battalion heard humming sound of drone inside the Indian territory on the intervening night of November 2 and 3. They fired some rounds after which the drone returned to Pakistan. A similar sound was again heard by the BSF personnel after some time and they fired upon the object, which again escaped. The sources said the drone was spotted again by the BSF personnel, who fired on it for the third time but it again returned to Pakistan.
01-Nov-2022
Jalandhar Rural police and the Delhi Police in a joint operation arrested five persons having links with Canada-based gangster Lakhbir Singh Landa at Chak Jhandu village of Bhogpur in Jalandhar district. Those arrested were identified as Sanjeev Kumar alias Nanu, and Sandeep Kumar alias Sabi, both of Kartarpur in Jalandhar; Gurbir Singh alias Ginni, of Adampur; and Manpreet alias Mann, and Lovepreet Singh alias Chinni, both of Chheharta in Amritsar. The gangsters, six in all, were reportedly hiding inside a vacant house when the police raided the village around 6 am. As the cops were about to enter the house, a brief encounter took place. The accused managed to escape after firing three rounds and hid in sugarcane fields. Using drones, ropes and dog squads, the police managed to arrest five of them, while the sixth managed to flee. One Glock pistol, two .32 bore revolvers, cartridges and three motorcycles were seized from their possession.
01-Nov-2022
Police arrested one person, identified as Balwinder Kumar and recovered 5 gm of heroin from his possession at near the Kangdiwal flyover in Jalandhar.
01-Nov-2022
Police arrested two suspects, identified as Anil Raju Powra (29) and Anveer Jam Singh Powra (24), for allegedly manufacturing and supplying weapons to gangsters in Mohali and recovered 20 country-made pistols and 20 live rounds from them at Kalalda village near Sedwa city in Madhya Pradesh. Police also recovered 20 (.32 and .30 bore) country-made pistols from them. Mohali Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Vivek S Soni and Superintendent of Police (SP) (Investigation) Amandeep Singh Brar said at least 70 weapons had been seized from Mohali district alone that were supplied by this gang. They have been sent to a five-day police custody.
31-Oct-2022
Inspector General of Police (Headquarters) Sukhchain Singh Gill on October 31 said that Punjab Police have arrested 6,997 drug smugglers since July 5 and the police have registered a total of 5,346 first information reports (FIRs) of which 580 are related to seizure of commercial quantity of drugs. According to him, police teams had recovered 259.7 kg heroin from across the state after carrying out cordon and search operations in drug-affected areas besides laying nakas at vulnerable routes across the state. Additionally, 147.5 kg heroin was recovered by the teams of Punjab Police from seaports of Gujarat and Maharashtra, taking the total effective recovery of heroin to 406.5 kg in just four months, he said.
31-Oct-2022
The Dal Khalsa has announced that it will observe 38 years of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots by organizing a ‘march’ in Kapurthala on November 3. The Dal Khalsa leaders said that the march will highlight the state-sponsored violence unleashed on Sikhs in November 1984 in Delhi and other states, the role of leaders in engineering the carnage, the mockery of justice and the failure of the United Nations in holding this country accountable for the killings. The leaders also urged the SGPC to make pictures and paintings depicting the 1984 November horrendous event part of the Central Sikh Museum.
31-Oct-2022
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) has awarded the 16-member team of Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), Punjab with the “Union Home Minister’s Special Operation Medal” for the year 2022. The awardees include the AGTF chief ADGP Promod Ban and his team members. Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav, while congratulating the AGTF Team, expressed gratitude to the UMHA for recognizing the services of these officers. “This recognition will boost the morale of the entire Punjab Police force and encourage them to work with more dedication and devotion,” he said.
28-Oct-2022
A drone was spotted by the Border Security Force (BSF) coming from the Pakistan side along the International Border (IB) near Joginder Border Outpost (BOP) in Ferozepur District on the intervening night of October 28 and October 29. Reportedly, the BSF troops fired almost 18 rounds towards the drone with INSAS (Indian Small Arms System) assault rifles but it managed to return to Pakistan.
20-Oct-2022
The Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) in a joint operation with the Delhi Police, arrested three operatives of a terrorist module and recovered one AK-47 assault rifle and three pistols along with ammunition from their possession from a hotel at Ghee Mandi area in Amritsar District on October 20. The arrested operatives were identified as Balraj Singh of Bhikhiwind in Tarn Taran, Aatish Kumar and Avinash Kumar, both residents of village Sarhali Kalan in Tarn Taran. All three accused were working as security guards at a Tile Factory in Gujarat. Few days earlier the Delhi Police had arrested Harminder Singh of Kot Isse Khan in Moga District who revealed that he had picked a consignment of one AK-47 and three pistols on the directions of Landa and handed it over to Balraj, Aatish and Avinash.
14-Oct-2022
The Border Security Force (BSF) troops shot down a drone that entered India in Gurdaspur sector in Gurdaspur District of Punjab from the Pakistan side on the International Border (IB) in the early hours on October 14. A senior BSF officer said that the drone was spotted at 4.35 am by BSF troops on patrolling duty. They immediately opened fire and it was shot down.
10-Oct-2022
According to the Police Punjab, they have busted five terrorist modules in the State and also arrested 17 terrorists in the last 10 days. The Police have also recovered four rifles including AKs/MP-9/MP-5 and 25 revolvers/pistols from their possession. Apart from this, the Police teams have also recovered three hand grenades and one Improvised Explosive Device (IED), said a Police official.
24-Sep-2022
The National Investigation Agency (NIA), on September 24, filed a supplementary ‘challan’ in the designated court at Mohali District of Punjab in the case of the targeted killing of a Hindu priest by terrorists in Phillaur Tehsil (revenue unit) in Jalandhar District in January 2021. The NIA has in its charge sheet named one Gagandeep Singh alias Gaggu resident of Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, who is a member of banned Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) led by Canada-based Hardeep Nijjar. Gaggu, on the instructions of Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh, an associate of Nijjar, extended help to other assailants in executing the plan for the targeted killing. Gaggu was the supplier of arms and ammunition to the gang members who were charge-sheeted in July 2022.
23-Sep-2022
The Punjab Police, on September 23, claimed to have busted an Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)-backed Khalistan terror module with the arrest of its two operatives, identified as Baljit Singh Malhi (25) and Gurbaksh Singh alias Gora Sandhu, from Ferozepur District of Punjab. Director General of Police (DGP), Punjab, Gaurav Yadav said the two were considered to be close aides, who had joined hands with Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), and they had ties with the ISI. The Police teams also recovered one AK-56 assault rifle along with two magazines, 90 live cartridges and two bullet shells from a location pinpointed by Gurbaksh from his village Buh Gujran in Ferozepur District.