KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
14-Aug-2020
Just a day before the Independence Day, two miscreants managed to reach the terrace of the four-storeyed district administrative complex in Moga in the morning and put up a saffron flag with Khalistan written on it, while their accomplice filmed the incident from a distance. The miscreants, while fleeing, took away the Tricolour on the ground floor and allegedly tore it. Later, Police personnel put up a new Tricolour and removed the saffron flag from the roof of the building. Moga Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Harmanbir Singh Gill said that two youngsters brought along the saffron flag at 8.15am. “It was a normal flag with the Khanda symbol but they had written Khalistan on it with paint.” Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kaustubh Sharma said, “We have CCTV footage of the accused and will arrest them soon.”
14-Aug-2020
Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Amarinder Singh directed police to take strict action against the miscreants responsible for hoisting a 'Khalistan' flag in the Moga administrative complex. He also appealed to youngsters not to get swayed by the vicious propaganda of anti-India elements like terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and his Sikhs For Justice (SFJ). "You try to come to Punjab and I will teach you a lesson," the CM warned Pannun, adding that any attempt to disturb the state's peace would be dealt with an iron hand. The CM said that he directed Director General of Police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta to ensure that the two miscreants identified in the Moga incident are arrested at the earliest so that deterrent action can be taken against them, as per the law. Punjab Police has announced a reward of Rs 50,000 for the duo, whose CCTV grabs have been released.
12-Aug-2020
The security agencies are on high alert as the banned Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) is learnt to have announced a $125,000 reward for anyone who hoists a Khalistan flag at the Red Fort on Independence Day on August 15. Delhi Police was busy coordinating with different security establishments ahead of Independence Day when it was alerted to the SFJ offer.
11-Aug-2020
The security agencies are on high alert as the banned pro-Khalistan group, Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) have announced a $125,000 reward for anyone who hoists a Khalistan flag at the Red Fort on Independence Day on August 15. Delhi police along with different security establishments were alerted after the SFJ offer. Over 45,000 security personnel will guard every nook and corner of the city on Independence Day, besides over 2,000 snipers deputed at specific locations on high-rise buildings in the 5-km periphery around the Red Fort. Meanwhile, the security agencies have assured that it is "just an attempt by the SFJ to create panic".
11-Aug-2020
Police arrested five drug peddlers and seized drug money amounting to Rs 22.50 lakh from them at Verka in Amritsar district. Police claimed that the arrested persons used to smuggle heroin and opium from Jammu and Kashmir and sell in Punjab. The accused have been identified as Savinder Pal Singh alias Shind, Jagdeep Singh alias Kaka, Karamjit Singh alias Mana, Paramjit Singh alias Pamma and Rajwinder Singh alias Raju.
10-Aug-2020
The World Punjabi Organisation president Vikramjit S Sahney will organize chartered flights to evacuate over 400 Sikhs and Hindus in Afghanistan in next few days in coordination with DSGMC and Indian Embassy in Kabul.
10-Aug-2020
The Punjab and Haryana high court said that persons accused of peddling drugs need to be dealt with firmly and no sympathy can be shown to them lest that should prove to be counter-productive and result in increased drug trafficking.
09-Aug-2020
Police arrested two drug peddlers, identified as Harwinder Singh and Balwinder Singh after they recovered five kilograms opium and fifty kilograms poppy husk from the onion laden truck from near Boparai Kalan in Sudhar area in Ludhiana district.
09-Aug-2020
Some media persons informed Lucknow Police that an audio message in a female voice was doing the rounds in which a woman is heard urging people to protest against Ram temple construction terming it a step towards making India a ‘Hindu Rashtra’. The message further instigates the followers of a certain faith to demand a separate country on the lines of Khalistan.
09-Aug-2020
The anti-terror unit of Delhi Police Special Cell, which is probing a series of hate calls made to people ahead of Independence Day, has lodged an FIR of sedition and conspiracy and is trying to track down the caller. Complaints about VoIP calls being made from international numbers were made to police stating that the caller, a man, was inciting members of some communities to take “steps” towards dividing the country into smaller nations. The caller asked people to make a start by not allowing Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hoist the national flag at Red Fort on Independence Day. He also called for the formation of “Urdustan” on the lines of Khalistan.
07-Aug-2020
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) charged eight people of an International narco-terror gang, operating from Pakistan and Dubai, in connection with alleged smuggling of 500 kg heroin, through Gujarat sea route. NIA, in its charge sheet, said its probe showed that the heroin was brought in three trips from Pakistan through the sea route at Gujarat by the gang which was acting in conspiracy with Pakistani nationals. All three consignments were clandestinely transported to Punjab, NIA spokesperson Sonia Narang said.
07-Aug-2020
The Jathedar of Akal Takht, Giani Harpreet Singh said that, “The place where Ram Temple is being built up is important for Hindus. Equally important are the Gurdwaras for Sikhs, which were demolished in India.” He said, “I congratulate Hindu society for construction of Ram Temple, but I would like to say that Gurdwara Gian Godri (Haridwar), Gurdwara Dangmar Sahib (Sikkim) and Gurdwara Mangu Mutt (Puri) are as important and sacred places for Sikhs as Ram Temple for Hindus.”
06-Aug-2020
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) decided that the entire cost of bringing the Sikhs living in Afghanistan to India would be borne by the SGPC.
03-Aug-2020
After getting bail, the 65-year-old NRI Joginder Singh Gujjar claims he has nothing to do with pro-Khalistan group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) or its campaign for Khalistan ‘Referendum 2020’. He got bail after four weeks of being arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) after police told the court that they could not find any evidence against him. About a picture with SFJ leader Avtar Singh Pannun, Gujjar says that in 2019, Pannun had come to a Guruwara in Italy. Gujjar, who was president of the Gurudwara committee, says the committee decided to honour Pannun and others. “I was asked to give siropa (robe of honour) to Pannun. I don’t know him personally till date and not aware of his profile or activities,” he claims. He said that he had been living in Italy for the past 25 years and running a small shop there. He insists he is not involved in any political or secessionist activities.
03-Aug-2020
A Delhi court directed the city police to provide a man with a copy of an FIR registered against him. The man, identified as Rajkumar alias Lovepreet Singh is accused of being a Khalistan sympathiser who, along with others, was planning to execute people and extort others for money in various north Indian states on the directions of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)-sponsored Khalistan leaders.
03-Aug-2020
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust invited Giani Harpreet Singh, the acting Jathedar of the Akal Takht, to the bhoomi pujan ceremony being organised in Ayodhya on August 5 for the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya in Faizabad district of Uttar Pradesh.
03-Aug-2020
Pro-Khalistani group, Dal Khalsa wrote a letter to the Akal Takht Jathedar saying that no Sikh must attend the event as a community representative. The letter from general secretary Parmjit Singh Tanda says, “Sikhs are a third religio-political entity in this sub-continent. They should not become part of any celebrations of one religion at the cost of other’s sentiments, especially in an event that has a history of controversy. For us, keeping cordial relations with both the communities (Hindus and Muslims) on equal grounds is in our quami (community) interests.”
02-Aug-2020
Police seized 261 kg of poppy husk from three vehicles in Abohar in Fazilka district. However, the occupants managed to flee taking advantage of the dark.
02-Aug-2020
Punjab police busted another Pakistan-backed cross border drugs and weapons smuggling racket, with the arrest of two smugglers including a BSF constable, posted along the Pakistan border in Tarn Taran district. According to Director General of Police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta, the Jalandhar rural police had recovered a .30 Bore Pistol (made in China), along with 5 live rounds and ₹24.50 lakh as drug money, from the three, identified as Surmail Singh, Gurjant Singh and BSF constable Rajendra Prashad.
02-Aug-2020
India is preparing to bring back around 700 more Sikhs who are being 'tortured' in Afghanistan. These Sikhs will be brought back in several batches. Earlier, the first batch of 11 Sikhs reached India on July 26.
02-Aug-2020
According to reports, the past few months have seen much intimidation and threats meted out to the Sikhs in different parts of Pakistan. Sikh girls have been kidnapped and converted and attempts were made to convert a Gurudwara. Ironically, this is happening at a time when the Pakistan government has put in an extra effort to woo the Sikhs and invite them across the border from India to the Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara. This comes at a time when Pakistan is encouraging and funding the revival of a nascent Khalistan movement.
01-Aug-2020
The Border Security Force (BSF) troops seized 2.9 kg heroin near border outpost (BOP) Old Mohammadi Wala in Ferozepur district in the wee hours.
01-Aug-2020
Police arrested a person after recovering 2,000 intoxicant capsules and 175 intoxicant injections from his possession in Phillaur in Jalandhar district.
31-Jul-2020
India praised Canada for disavowing the Punjab Referendum 2020 campaign organized by the pro-Khalistan group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ). India believes that in clearly disavowing the referendum the Canadian Government has set a precedent that should be emulated by other countries, particularly in the West. A senior official said, “Canada taking a lead is good start,” adding that the position was that this stand now “put pressure” on others to follow suit.
30-Jul-2020
The Punjab government informed the Punjab and Haryana High Court that all websites being launched by outlawed Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) are being banned soon after they are noticed by the authorities. The court was also informed that 116 WhatsApp groups related to SFJ had been banned and 16 FIRs had been registered against the organisation.