KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
04-Sep-2021
The Border Security Force (BSF) fired upon a drone flying into Indian Territory along the border with Pakistan near Rajoke village under Bhikhiwind sub-division in Tarn Taran District. BSF said that alert personnel of the 103 Battalion heard a humming and buzzing sound in the air near Rajoke Border out Post (BoP) at 2am. They fired towards the flying object though a search of the area did not yield anything suspicious.
03-Sep-2021
The Sadar Police had lodged a First Information Report (FIR) against unidentified persons for issuing death threats to Gursimran Singh Mand, joint co-coordinator, Kisan Congress, a wing of the All-India Congress Committee, in Ludhiana District of Punjab on September 3. Mand alleged that he had been receiving threats from pro-Khalistan supporters on social media and WhatsApp. On September 1, he received threatening voice messages and videos on his WhatsApp number, claiming that 88 men were following him and will kill him. They sent him the video of a severed head, threatening to kill him in the same manner, Mand said. He also said he had been raising voice against terrorism and Khalistan, following which he started receiving threats from extremists, and sought security cover for him and his family.
31-Aug-2021
The Punjab police on August 31 registered a First Information Report (FIR) against the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)-backed Khalistan ideologue Sikh for Justice (SFJ) ‘chief’ Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and other members for their continued attempts to promote violence in the State and the recent assassination threat against Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Captain Amarinder Singh. The Director general of Police (DGP), Dinkar Gupta, said that Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and his associates had been found promoting violent extremist action and threatening assassination of the Chief Minister, an elected constitutional Head of government of the State of Punjab.
31-Aug-2021
A special court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Mohali District in Punjab on August 31, framed charges against eight militants of Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) in the killing of Balwinder Singh Sandhu, a Shaurya Chakra awardee, by two unidentified persons at his residence-cum-school on October 16, 2020, in Bhikhiwind in Tarn Taran District of Punjab. "(The) Investigation has revealed that the charge-sheeted accused were part of the conspiracy hatched by Pakistan based leadership of proscribed terrorist organization Khalistan Liberation Force for assassinating comrade Balwinder Singh who was awarded Shaurya Chakra for his brave fight against terrorists at the peak of militancy in Punjab," a statement by the NIA read. The court framed charges against Sukhraj Singh, Ravinder Singh, Akashdeep Arora, Jagroop Singh, Sukhdeep Singh, Gurjit Singh, Inderjit Singh and Sukhmeet Pal Singh for various offences under different sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC), including Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and Arms Act, 1959.
27-Aug-2021
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) special court in Mohali District in Punjab on August 27 framed charges against nine members of the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) in a September 2019 arms drop case from across the Pakistan border using drone. Special NIA judge Karunesh Kumar framed charges against KLF activists. According to the NIA, KLF ‘chief’ Ranjit Singh and Gurmeet Singh alias Baga, are the main accused in the case. The arms and ammunition dropped by drone was received on the Indian side by the nine accused against whom the charges have been framed. Before the NIA took over the case, the case was being handled by Punjab Police special operations cell.
22-Aug-2021
Amritpal Singh, an alleged operative of the banned militant outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), met the UK-based Gurpreet Singh Khalsa, when he went to New Zealand in 2015, this revelation came to light during the interrogation of Amritpal and Sammy on August 22, who are currently in the Police custody. The duo was arrested by the Amritsar (rural) Police on August 15 with two hand grenades and a pistol.
20-Aug-2021
Punjab Police busted a terror module by arresting two persons, including former Akal Takht Jathedar Jasbir Singh Rode’s son Gurmukh Singh from his house in New Hardial Nagar in Jalandhar District on August 20. The other person arrested was identified as Gagandeep Singh of Phagwara in Kapurthala District. According to a Punjab Police spokesperson, the Kapurthala Police recovered two hand-grenades, a box of detonators, two tubes suspected to containing RDX, a roll of wire used in explosives, INR 375,000 Indian currency, a licensed pistol, 14 Indian passports, a .30-calibre pistol and two magazines from Gurmukh’s house. Also, Police seized a tiffin bomb, three hand-grenades, four Glock pistol magazines and packaging material from the Gurmukh’s office near Jalandhar bus stand.
15-Aug-2021
Police on August 15 arrested two suspected Khalistani terrorists, identified as Amritpal and Sammy with two hand grenades and a pistol and later their interrogation led to seizure of four hand grenades and three pistols in Amritsar District. A tiffin bomb was also recovered from Gurnam Singh Brar alias GB, a resident of Hardyal Nagar (Kapurthala), and Gagandeep Singh. The explosives and weapons were allegedly part of larger consignment dropped by drones from across Pakistan-based notorious elements. The Police have been trying to find a link between all the recent seizures.
10-Aug-2021
The Border Security Force (BSF) troops spotted a drone in the Mullankot border outpost area of Amritsar District in Punjab on August 10. The border outpost is a few kilometres from Bachwind village, where the explosives were dropped by a drone on the intervening night of August 7-8.
09-Aug-2021
The Punjab Police on August 9 recovered arms and ammunition including, an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), hand grenades and other ammunition packed in a bag from near the Indo-Pak border in Daleke village in Amritsar District. Police said, the package was delivered using a drone and contains five hand grenades, a hundred 9mm cartridges along with a tiffin bomb and three detonators. The IED was made using two kilograms of Royal Demolition Explosive (RDX) with a switch on it. Director General of Police (DGP), Punjab, Dinkar Gupta, said that terrorist groups were planning a bomb blast during the upcoming Independence Day celebrations on August 15.
07-Aug-2021
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, leader of the pro-Khalistan outfit Sikh for Justice (SFJ), in an audio message, threatened Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Captain Amarinder Singh and Governor VP Singh Badnore of their political death if they hoist the Indian tricolour on the occasion of Independence Day on August 15. In this audio message, Pannun was discussing about the farmers' movement and it has been said that 'Our farmers are dying, in such a situation the hoisting of the tricolour on August 15 will not be tolerated.'
06-Aug-2021
The pro-Khalistan outfit, Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), in an audio message, threatened Uttar Pradesh (UP) Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath that he will not be allowed to hoist the national flag on Independence Day. According to reports, an audio message in the name of SFJ's Gurpatwant Singh Pannun from an international phone number (+6478079192) has been received by UP Police which not only warned CM Adityanath against hosting the national flag on August 15 but also said that thermal plants will be shut down on the same say. It also warned that western areas in Uttar Pradesh i.e., from Saharanpur to Rampur will be taken over by Khalistan.
02-Aug-2021
Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun through recorded phone calls, threatened Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president Jagat Prakash Nadda. The pre-recorded audio calls were received on the phones of journalists based in Una, Hamirpur, Kullu and Solan districts of Himachal Pradesh. The caller, introduced himself as Pannun, said that JP Nadda is personally responsible for the death of thousands of farmers in the country and JP Nadda is associated with the BJP and because of the BJP, no hearing is being given to the agitating farmers.
30-Jul-2021
The pro-Khalistan outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) issued a threat that Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister (CM) Jai Ram Thakur will not be allowed to hoist the national flag on the occasion of Independence Day on August 15. The threat was made through a recorded phone call to a majority of Shimla-based journalists, and the caller identified himself as the general counsel for SFJ, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. In the audio message the person said, “Himachal Pradesh was part of Punjab and we are seeking a referendum in there. We will liberate Punjab, and make sure that we take over Himachal which was part of Punjab". He then, sought the support of pro-Khalistan Sikhs, and the farmers and said, "We will not allow Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur to hoist Indian Tricolour."
21-Jul-2021
The banned Khalistani organization Sikh for Justice (SFJ) threatened the Delhi Police to stay away from the farmers' movement. SFJ leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in an audio message said that “the farmers of Punjab are going to capture the Parliament on July 22. If Delhi Police tries to stop them, the result will be bad.”
20-Jun-2021
Police arrested notorious gangster, Hardeep Singh alias Suraj Raunta, an accomplice of Canada-based Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) operative Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh Dala, and recovered three weapons, including a.315 bore pistol, a .32 bore pistol and a .32 bore revolver, along with live cartridges from his possession from Moga district. According to police, following inputs from three persons arrested by the Samalsar police, the police arrested Raunta.
19-Jun-2021
Shahkot police arrested two persons, identified as Karaj Singh and Gursab Singh who were carrying 1 kilogram and 300 grams opium in their vehicle from near River Sutlej bridge in Shahkot in Jalandhar district.
19-Jun-2021
The Interpol (International Criminal Police Organization) issued a red-corner notice (RCN) against fugitive gangster Lakhbir Singh alias Landa, who is wanted in the Patti shootout in which a Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) worker and his associate were shot dead in broad daylight on May 27. Lakhbir, a native of Harike town who faces 11 criminal cases, including three of attempt to murder, had fled to Canada in 2017.
18-Jun-2021
The local court extended the police remand of alleged weapon smuggler Jagjit Singh. Jagjit was arrested by the State Special Operation Cell (SSOC) with 48 automatic foreign weapons believed to be smuggled from Pakistan a week ago.
18-Jun-2021
Jalandhar rural police busted an inter-city drug racket and arrested a drug smuggler, Lachman Singh along with 1 kg heroin and arms from Adampur in Jalandhar district. Police also recovered 1 kg heroin, two pistols (.32 bore), two pistols (.30 bore), six cartridges 7.65 (.32 bore) and another six cartridges (.30 bore) from him.
18-Jun-2021
A Pakistani drone was noticed by Border Security Force (BSF) troops in Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district at around 4:30 am on June 18. BSF fired upon the drone near BOP Aabad after which the Pakistani drone went back.
17-Jun-2021
A sessions court in Mumbai rejected the temporary bail application of Sunderlal Parashar, retired police officer of Delhi Police, an accused in the Khalistani conspiracy case. Parashar, accused by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) of providing arms to an alleged member Mohinuddin Siddiqui of a pro-Khalistani group, was arrested on April 24, 2019.
16-Jun-2021
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president, Jagir Kaur alleged that the land mafia in Patiala is trying to illegally acquire the land of the Khalsa College Trust.
14-Jun-2021
Amid the Covid-19 threat, the martyrdom day of Guru Arjan Dev was observed in a subdued manner in Punjab.
13-Jun-2021
Police arrested a drug supplier, Mandeep Singh Mannu (26) who had been evading arrest for the past 10 months by taking shelter in different towns in Punjab.