KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
18-Mar-2020
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a charge sheet against nine members of Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) terrorist group for their alleged involvement in a case relating to dropping of arms and ammunition in Punjab by drones from Pakistan. According to NIA, all accused, including two senior citizens, were charged with relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Arms Act and Explosives Substances Act. The nine KZF members named in the charge sheet are Akashdeep Singh (21), Balwant Singh (48), Harbhajan Singh (65), Balbir Singh (70), Maan Singh (43), Gurdev Singh (40), Shubhdeep Singh (21), Sajanpreet Singh (22) and Romandeep Singh (20). The case relates to the information that Pakistan-based chief of KZF, Ranjeet Singh in connivance with Gurmeet Singh have smuggled arms, ammunition, explosives and fake Indian currency notes into India via drones from Pakistan, the NIA said. These consignments were received by their associates Akashdeep, Balwant, Harbhajan, Balbir and Shubhdeep in India in order to revive terrorism in Punjab and carry out a terror attack in the country, the NIA spokesperson said.
17-Mar-2020
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) special court in Mohali framed charges against three Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) operatives, identified as Ravinderpal Singh alias Ravi, Jagdev Singh alias Sonu (both belong to Punjab), and Harcharan Singh (Delhi), who were arrested for disturbing communal harmony in Punjab. However, the court discharged Nishan Singh alias Punia, as the NIA failed to file challan against him. The court will begin the trial in the case on April 9. The court had declared Kulwinderjit Singh alias Khanpuriya, who is now in Malaysia and mastermind in the case, as a proclaimed offender (PO) in February 2020. Ravinderpal and Jagdev were arrested in May 2019 for planning a terror strike in Punjab. Later, Punia and Harcharan were arrested from Amritsar district.
17-Mar-2020
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) failed to produce in court the death verification report of Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) ‘chief’ Harmeet Singh alias Happy PhD, who was allegedly killed in Pakistan in January. The NIA special court, which was hearing the 2016-17 targeted killings case, fixed March 24 as the next date of hearing. Harmeet Singh was one of the main conspirators in the targeted killings case which took place in Punjab between 2016 and 2017.
17-Mar-2020
Police arrested two persons, identified as truck driver Bohad Singh (29) and his assistant Jagtar Singh (22) and recovered 160 kg of poppy husk from their possession outside Ratanpura village near Hanumangarh in Rupnagar district. During the search operation, 160 kg of poppy husk, packed in eight bags, was found hidden under the bags of red chilli inside their truck.
16-Mar-2020
The Moga police froze assets of five drug peddlers of Badhni Kalan area in Moga district. The drug peddlers, identified as Pardeep Kumar, Sadhu Singh, Boora Singh, Dalip Singh, and Pritam Kaur, were convicted by the sessions’ court under various sections of the NDPS Act.
15-Mar-2020
Punjab Police has created a Special Operation Group (SOG) on the lines of the National Security Guards (NSG) to tackle any exigencies like 'fidayeen' attacks, hostage situations, armed infiltration attempts and break the militant-gangster nexus in Punjab jails. To strengthen the second line of defence, the police has also equipped its force with BP morchas, thermal imagers, BP tractors, body protectors, micro UAVs, etc. Punjab Police has also formed a separate 'Internal Security Wing' to specifically focus on anti-terrorism and anti-internal insurgency operations.
15-Mar-2020
According to sources, as many as 23 Shiv Sena leaders in Ludhiana were provided 37 gunmen following the attack on Shiv Sena (Hindustan) president Amit Arora on February 22. Police had also started reviewing the security cover of the leaders following the attack on Honey Mahajan, the youth wing president of Shiv Sena (Hindustan)’s Punjab unit, in Gurdaspur on February 10. The Joint co-ordinator of the All India Congress Committee (Kisan Congress), Gursimram Singh Mand, has also got a security cover, after he complained of threats.
15-Mar-2020
Police arrested a truck driver Gurnam Singh (50) and his assistant Jassa Singh (29) along with 20 kg of poppy husk and 3 kg of opium from the National Highway-52 in Abohar in Fazilka district. According to Police, poppy husk was hidden under the bags of vegetable and the preliminary investigation reportedly indicated that the duo had arranged the contraband from Neemach in Madhya Pradesh to further supply it in Sangrur.
15-Mar-2020
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) said that pilgrimage and registration for Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara in Pakistan will be suspended beginning March 15 midnight in view of the Coronavirus outbreak. The government has also suspended movement of all types of passengers through international border points with Pakistan from 00:00 hours of March 16 in view of the threat from coronavirus.
14-Mar-2020
The Border Security Force (BSF) recovered a packet of heroin weighing 1 kg, one pistol (9 mm) and a magazine during a search operation near border out post Raja Mahattam in Ferozepur on March 14.
13-Mar-2020
The National Investigating Agency (NIA) and Organised Crime Control Unit (OCCU) of Punjab police in joint operation busted a terror module with the arrest of one suspect, identified as Surinder Singh alias Sikender in Mohali on the intervening night of March 13 and March 14. Sources said that the agencies recovered one AK-47, one sniper rifle, hand grenades, two pistols and few lakhs of fake currency from the possession of the accused, who is a suspect of being a part of the terror module in Punjab state. The agencies also believe that the accused might be involved in the target killings and recent attacks on RSS leaders in Punjab.
13-Mar-2020
Amid scare around the spread of the Coronavirus infections, India and Pakistan have decided to keep open Kartarpur Corridor that Indian pilgrims use to visit the revered Sikh shrine in Pakistan. However, Indian officials have indicated increased screening of people coming back through the corridor to prevent infections from spiking in India.
13-Mar-2020
The Akal Takht acting Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh along with the officials of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) released the Nanakshahi calendar 2020-21 in Amritsar. This is an amended version of the original calendar that was introduced in 2003 and was later amended in 2010 and was christened as ‘Bikrami’ calendar. However, the SGPC did not acknowledge it as Bikrami calendar. The calendar has courted controversy among the Sikh community as the same events related to the Sikh Gurus were mentioned twice a year.
12-Mar-2020
Police arrested a cross-border drug peddler, identified as Davinder Singh along with 10 kg of heroin from the outskirts of Kakkar village under Lopoke police station in Amritsar district. IG (Border Range) SPS Parmar said that the seizure was made from across the border fence following the interrogation of Davinder Singh. “Davinder and his accomplices had been in contact with Pakistan-based smugglers to receive the drug consignment from across the border fence,” said the IG.
12-Mar-2020
Police arrested a person, identified as Jaspal for peddling drugs and recovered one kg of opium from him in Jalandhar district.
12-Mar-2020
The Phillaur police arrested a drug peddler, identified as Sunny Sethi and recovered 250 intoxicating capsules from him in Jalandhar district.
11-Mar-2020
Another memorial, dedicated to those laying down their lives during dark days of terrorism, would soon come up in Punjab, said Khanna MLA Gurkirat Singh Kotli. “The people of Punjab would always remember the sacrifices made by the martyrs who laid down their lives during the dark decade of terrorism in the State,” said the MLA while unfurling a ‘Flag of Unity’ at Tolemajra village in SAS Nagar district. The ‘Flag of Unity’, was installed in the memory of Narpinder Pal Singh Prince who was martyred on March 11, 1992. The MLA further said that the State is witnessing peaceful atmosphere only because of the untold number of sacrifices made by the people from all sections of the society who opposed extremist tendencies tooth and nail.
11-Mar-2020
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a charge sheet against nine accused including a juvenile in September 4, 2019 Tarn Taran district blast case. The charge sheet was filed in the Special NIA Court in Mohali, against Massa Singh alias Mandeep Singh; Harjit Singh alias Harjit; Gurjant Singh; Manpreet Singhalias Maan; and Bikramjit Singh Panjwaralias Bikkar Baba (absconding); Chandeep Singh alias Gabbar Singh; Malkit Singh alias Shera; Amarjeet Singh alias Amar Singh; and one juvenile under Sections 120 B read with 153 A of IPC, Sections 13, 18, 18 A, 20 of the UAPA, and Sections 3, 4 and 5 of Explosive Substances Act. Two accused Vikram Singh alias Vicky and Harpreet Singh alias Happy had died in the explosion that took place in a vacant plot at the outskirts of Pandori Gola village in Tarn Taran. The accused were digging a pit to retrieve concealed explosives.
10-Mar-2020
The Shahkot police arrested a person, identified as Pavneet Singh alias Jony along with 1 kg of opium in Jalandhar district. The accused told the police that he had brought the contraband from Jharkhand to further supply it in Shahkot.
10-Mar-2020
The Mehatpur police arrested two persons, identified as Aashish and Vikas for allegedly selling intoxicant tablets and injections in Jalandhar district. According to Police, 80 intoxicant tablets, four injections and four vials were recovered from them.
10-Mar-2020
The Nakodar police arrested a person, identified as Kamal Kumar, a resident of Meva village, for peddling drugs from Jalandhar district. Over 60 intoxicant tablets were recovered from him.
09-Mar-2020
A Shiv Sena leader in Punjab, Mahant Kashmir Giri escaped unhurt after two unidentified motorcycle-borne men opened fire at him at his house in Khanna in Ludhiana district in the morning. Giri said that he was raising a voice against pro-Khalistan elements and was getting threat calls from international numbers. Recently, police had provided a gunman to Giri after he complained of receiving threats. However, the policeman deployed for his security was at the temple when shots were fired.
08-Mar-2020
Several families that were affected by militancy in Punjab sought an increase in the pension amount. At present, these families are getting Rs 5,000 per month. An NGO, Rashtriya Suraksha Samiti, which took up the cause of victims, has demanded that the monthly pension should be linked with price index. There has been a 15-fold hike even in the price for LPG cylinder over the years, but no hike in pension was granted, Samiti secretary Sita Ram Sharma said. The victim families maintain that the successive governments had failed to provide justice to the militancy-hit people in Punjab. Their demand of suitable compensation had not been met till now, they said.
08-Mar-2020
As per data from an official of department concerned, 59,318 pilgrims visited the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur, Pakistan, from the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor in November 9 last year to March 8. No considerable surge was witnessed in the footfall of the pilgrims using the corridor, even though India had raised the demand before Pakistan to allow 5,000 pilgrims per day and 10,000 on special occasions. In the opening month, the footfall was 11,192, which increased to 23,383 in December last year. Daily average pilgrims in these months remained 508 and 754, respectively.
08-Mar-2020
The Border Security Force (BSF) recovered 2 kg of heroin near the Mohar Sona border outpost in Fazilka district. According to source, on hearing a noise, the BSF troopers launched a search and recovered two plastic bottles buried in the fields across the barbed wire fencing. The bottles were filled with 2 kg of heroin worth Rs10 crore.