KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
13-Apr-2019
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh criticized the Canadian Government’s decision to remove all references to Khalistani extremism in its 2018 report on terrorist threats to Canada. The CM stated that it was clearly aimed at protecting its political interests in a poll year on the pretext of pressure groups in the Sikh community.The Canadian government had removed eight references to Sikh extremism and six references to Khalistan from its terror report.
31-Mar-2019
Punjab Police stated that a militant cell (consisting Harvinder Singh, Sultan Singh, Karamjeet Singh, Lovepreet Singh, and Gurpreet Singh) was busted in an unspecified location in the state in which 32 bore pistol along with a magazine and four live rounds and 15 letter pads of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) were recovered from the arrestees. The accused were planning to kill Hindu leaders and members of Dera Sacha Sauda. They were planning to arrange weapons training in Jammu and Kashmir and were in touch with Khalistani militants including Jagtar Singh Hawara of BKI who is in jail, Ranjit Singh Pakhoke, active member of Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), residing in Germany.
29-Mar-2019
Fake Indian currency notes (FICN) of face value Rs 6,500 was seized from two Indian nationals coming from Pakistan via Samjhauta Express were intercepted by the Customs officials at the Land Customs Station (LCS), Attari in Punjab.
28-Mar-2019
Jalandhar Police arrested a militant identified as Amrik Singh alias Manga reportedly belonging to Khalistan Commando Force (KCF) and Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) from Jalandhar District. He was wanted in twin blasts case at Jalandhar bus stand carried out by Satnam Singh alias Satta Lasuri on April 28, 2006 and May 24, 2006. Pakistan-based KZF leader Ranjeet Singh Neeta and USA-based Balwinder Singh Possi had masterminded the blasts along with Amrik Singh. Amrik had a close association with infamous terrorists Gurdeep Singh alias Deepa Heranwala of KCF.
19-Mar-2019
Indian and Pakistani experts travelled to the border crossing in Punjab for the proposed Kartarpur Corridor to discuss the coordinates for the “zero point” where Sikh pilgrims will cross over. The two sides will meet next on April 2 2019, to take forward plans to complete the corridor in time for the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak.
15-Mar-2019
Punjab Police’s state special operation cell arrested an electrician, identified as Ram Kumar, who was working for Military Engineering Service (MES) under the charge of passing on sensitive military information to a Pakistan-based intelligence operative.
14-Mar-2019
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh stated, in connection with Kartarpur Corridor, that India’s agenda may be religious but Pakistan’s is totally disruptive. He further stated, "While Pakistan Prime Minister talks of peace, their Army Chief continues to promote his evil designs". The plan was to complete the project by November 23, 2019, the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak.
14-Mar-2019
India did not raise the issue of Pakistan supporting the Khalistani movement during delegation-level talks to discuss the modalities of the Kartarpur Corridor. An official stated that ‘We did not want to give Pakistan an opportunity to deviate from discussing the modalities of the corridor, which is a priority for us. Indian security agencies had raised concerns about Pakistan using the corridor to push the Khalistani agenda of secessionist groups, including Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), a U.S.-Canada based group who are planning to organise a convention on ‘Khalistan-Referendum 2020’ at the Kartarpur shrine.
05-Mar-2019
National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested an accused suspected, identified as Amir Nazir Mir, to be involved in 2018 Grenade attack on a Police station in Punjab from Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). On September 14, 2018, four grenades were hurled at the building of Maqsudan Police Station in Jalandhar, in which one police personnel was injured. Further, investigation has revealed that the attack was handiwork of Kashmir-based terror outfit Ansar Ghazawat-ul-Hind (AGH).
27-Feb-2019
Police was notified after public noticed pro-Khalistan slogans like ‘Khalistan Zindabad’ and “Referendum 2020” which were painted on the walls of Ridhi Sidhi Colony and on a mile stone in Alamgarh in Ferozpur District.
22-Feb-2019
National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a charge-sheet against eight people allegedly owing allegiance to the banned Khalistan Liberation Front (KLF), in a case of attempt to murder Shiv Sena leader Amit Arora on February 3, 2016 in Ludhiana. Those charge sheeted include Hardeep Singh alias Shera, Ramandeep Singh alias Canadian, Dharminder Singh alias Guguni, Anil Kumar alias Kala, Jagtar Singh Johal alias Jaggi, Harmeet Singh alias Happy (suspected to be in Pakistan), Gurjinder Singh alias Shastri (suspected to be in Italy) and Gursharanbir Singh alias Pehalwan (suspected to be in UK)
14-Feb-2019
A protest march was taken out at Jalandhar against life imprisonment awarded by the Nawanshahr District Court to three Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) activists for procession of pro-Khalistan literature.
14-Feb-2019
Security has been stepped up for the Additional Sessions Judge Randhir Verma who had sentenced the three BKI activists. Superintendent of Police (SP) Harish Dayama stated that ‘In view of protests in Nawanshahr and around, we have provided more security to the judge’.
12-Feb-2019
Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Gangaram Ahir states in Lok Sabha that Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) and International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) were involved in the November 2018 attack in Amritsar.He also informed that the two people were arrested in connection with the incident and three people residing abroad have been accused in the attack.
12-Feb-2019
Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir states in Lok Sabha that NIA has registered seven cases in Punjab of which five cases were related to murder and two cases related to attempt to murder in Punjab during 2016-17. “The objective of which was to destabilise the law and order situation in Punjab and to revive Khalistan linked terrorism in the state”, he said.
11-Feb-2019
Dal Khalsa announces a sit-down demonstration at the doorsteps of Nawanshahr District Court on February 13 to protest life imprisonment of three youths arrested for processing pro-Khalistan literature. According to the spokesperson of Dal Khalsa, ‘The three youth never indulged in any violent activity neither did anyone else allegedly influenced by them. The court held the trio guilty on mere possession of pamphlets’
07-Feb-2019
A National Investigation Agency (NIA) report state that at least 33 alleged Pakistani terrorists have crossed into India from the Punjab and Samba-Kathua sectors in Jammu &Kashmir since October 2017. According to the report, terrorists may have infiltrated through the same sector that the attackers, who carried out the Pathankot Air Base attack and the Nagrota Army camp attack had used.
05-Feb-2019
Nawanshahr District Court announced life imprisonment to three Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) militants identified as Arvinder Singh, Surjit Singh and Ranjit Singh. They were charged under Section 121 (waging, or attempting to wage war), along with 10 years of imprisonment under Section 121 (a) (Conspiracy to commit offences punishable by section 121) of Indian Penal Code (IPC).
23-Jan-2019
Chief Minister Amarinder Singh protested against Pakistan’s proposal to allow only Sikh pilgrims to visit Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara. He also urged the Union Government to take up the issue with Pakistan when the latter sends its draft agreement for regulating entry into its territory through the Kartarpur Corridor.
14-Jan-2019
Pro-Khalistan slogans were raised in the political conference of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) organised at the Bhai Mastan Singh Road, Amritsar. A number of hoardings and flags with pro-Khalistan messages were also put up at the venue.
06-Jan-2019
An alleged Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) operative and fund raiser, Bhupinder Singh alias Dilawar, wanted in a May 2017 case in Punjab, has been deported to India by Saudi Arabia. He was produced in the court of a duty magistrate and was remanded to six days in police custody.
04-Jan-2019
The BSF arrested a Pakistan national, Riasat Ali resident of Sardakot, for intruding into the Indian territory at India-Pakistan International Border (IB)’s Mullekot Border Outpost.
02-Jan-2019
The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Ahir said in Rajya Sabha that in the recent grenade attack on a Nirankari mission in Amritsar, the involvement of the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF), and the International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) has emerged; and in last two years, 18 Khalistan-inspired outfits were busted with arrests of 95 Khalistani operatives.
28-Dec-2018
The BSF and Punjab Police, jointly in an operation, arrested three persons—Sonu Singh, Gurnam Singh, and Gurjeet Singh, and recovered 1.8 kg of heroin from their possession, nearby the India-Pakistan International Border [IB] near Gatti Bisoke of Fazilka District in Punjab. The officials involved in the operations recovered two plastic bags containing 15 small packets of heroin worth INR 9 crore in the international market.
27-Dec-2018
Concerning the efforts of Pakistan-based Sikh extremist elements to revive ‘Khalistan militancy’ in Punjab the Central government, exercising their powers conferred by the Section 35 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act [UAPA], 1967, added the ‘Khalistan Liberation Force [KLF] and all its manifestations’ as the 40th entry in the First Schedule of UAPA that proscribes terrorist organisations. It is believed that KLF is involved in terrorism as it has committed and participated in various acts of terrorism in India. KLF has also been engaged in radicalisation and recruitment of youth for terrorist activities in India, read the notification released by the UMHA.