KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
06-Feb-2018
Reacting to the recent edition of the Outlook India that featured a photo of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau with the headline ‘Khalistan-II: Made in Canada’, the Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan and a fellow Minister Amarjit Sohi—called the magazine’s heading ‘ridiculous’ and ‘offensive’ for accusing Canada for its involvement in the rise of Sikh terrorism. The published article depicts several alleged connections between the Canada and Khalistan movement along with accusing Sikh-Canadians exploiting Canada’s political system. “I have been a Police Officer and served my country [Canada] and such allegations are absolutely ridiculous and extremely offensive, said Harjit Sajjan.
03-Feb-2018
The BSF recovered seven kilograms of heroin from an unidentified area near the border outpost New Dona Rai Dina Nath (DRDN) at the India-Pakistan border in Forezepur Sector, Ferozepur District in Punjab. The heroin was wrapped in seven packets, each of a kilogram, of polythene and was concealed under the grass near the International border.
25-Jan-2018
Acting upon an Intelligence input from the Military Intelligence (MI) unit in J&K, the Punjab Police in Batala of Gurdaspur District arrested a man identified as Gian Singh as a part of an espionage ring that supplied the sensitive Military information to Pakistan’s ISI. The Police have recovered a mobile phone and two SIM cards from Gian Singh. The preliminary interrogation has revealed that Gian Singh was in contact with an ISI agent based in Pakistan and his task was to provide photos and videos of the Indian Army and the BSF deployment and movement along with India-Pakistan border. Gian Singh also revealed that Shamsher Singh alias Shera introduced him with an ISI agent. The Punjab Police of Batala is in close pursuit of Shamsher Singh.
25-Jan-2018
Putting forward ‘the facts’—a letter about the 1984 Sikh riots, the Indo-Canadians formed a group in December 2017 named as the Harmony Committee to counter the propaganda disseminated by pro-Khalistan groups active in Canada and mailed that letter to every elected representatives of the Canada’s Parliament and members of Provincial Assemblies across Canada. The letter highlights that then-Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, who is a Sikh, had offered an apology on the issue in the Parliament. It also gives details of the different commissions of inquiry that examined the violence following the assassination of former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. “The total number of Police officers indicted by the two committees was 147. In all, 3170 people were arrested out of which 442 people were convicted for their participation in the riots in Delhi. In Haryana, 15 people were convicted, and in other states, 13 were convicted,” as stated in the letter.
23-Jan-2018
Investigation has revealed the involvement of pro-Khalistan module in the target killings of religious-political leaders over the past two years in Punjab. The module had paid more than INR 40 lakh to the alleged killers—Hardeep Singh alias Shera and Ramandeep Singh alias Canadian, to carry out the killings. When Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) visits India, other NRIs from their country hand-over some money and other things to give to relatives or friends in India. In their modus-operandi, instead of using direct transfer to bank accounts, the handlers paid to killers through such NRIs. We are trying to reach the NRIs,” said an officer on the basis of anonymity. These handlers were supported by the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) and used to communicate the addresses of those NRIs through a messaging application—Signal, said another unnamed senior officer.
19-Jan-2018
The pro-Khalistan movement posters with the slogans of ‘Khalistan Zindabad’ (Long live Khalistan) and ‘Khalistan Referendum 2020’ were spotted on in Banga town and its adjacent villages of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar District of Punjab. The ‘Khalistan Zindabad’ slogan was written in Punjabi language whereas ‘Khalistan Referendum 2020’ was in English language. The state Police has removed many such posters and reached-out to the CCTV footage of nearby areas to trace the persons involved in this activity.
09-Jan-2018
According to unidentified sources in Punjab Police, the foreign-based pro-Khalistani groups are luring the young, educated, suave men and women from families with no prior links with Khalistan movement and radicalising the ‘new brand’ of Sikh militancy in Punjab. This is a new medium of spreading terrorist propaganda. The young men and women are getting radicalised via cyberspace. All investigations in such cases are handed over to the NIA. It is unclear as of how many such pro-Khalistani modules have been prepared for further anti-national activities, said Punjab’s DGP Suresh Arora. A British citizen—Jagtar Singh alias Jaggi Johal was arrested by Punjab Police on November 4, 2017 and during preliminary interrogation he revealed that top leaders of the Khalistan Liberation Front (KLF)—Harminder Singh Mintoo and Harmeet Singh alias PHD, are recruiting young Sikhs with support of Pakistan’s ISI to revive the Sikh militancy and other anti-India activities, said an unnamed Punjab Police official.
07-Jan-2018
The BSF had recovered 20 kilograms of heroin worth INR 100 crores along with the Adhain India-Pakistan border outpost in Gurdaspur District of Punjab.
06-Jan-2018
The NIA will seek support from the Interpol in providing information regarding Pakistan’s ISI involvement in the ‘targeted’ killings of Hindu leaders at various places in Punjab during the last two years., The ongoing investigation and interrogation of gangsters and Sikh radical group members had revealed that the financial support was routed from Pakistan to various members of radical groups based in the UK, Italy, France, Germany, Canada, the US, and UAE in a proposal to revive Sikh militancy in the state of Punjab, said an unnamed official of Punjab Police. Some specific intelligence input does support that ISI was keen to establish allegiance between Khalistani outfits and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The NIA had confirmed that Harmeet Singh alias PHD— who is based in Pakistan, was an essential link between ISI and Sikh militant outfits, said unidentified sources.
04-Jan-2018
Addressing the threat of ongoing radicalisation and to interact directly with the citizens, the Punjab Police has aspired to launch its own Facebook, Twitter and YouTube accounts in the month of January, said Punjab DGP Suresh Arora. Providing the details of Punjab Police’s achievements of 2017 and further plans in 2018, the Punjab Police had dismantled eight terror modules with the arrests of 47 persons and seizure of 43 different weapons. Around 21 foreign nationals were accused of providing logistics and financial assistance to these terror modules, said DGP Suresh Arora
04-Jan-2018
Terming it as a ‘knee-jerk reaction’, India has dismissed the threat posed by the UK based ‘The Sikh Federation’ to encourage the Gurudwara (Sikh temple) diasporas to place a ban on the visits of officials representing the Indian Government. The announcement by The Sikh Federation is a sign of fear about the strong relation between the Indian Government officials and the Sikh Diaspora dispersed globally, said India’s Deputy High Commissioner to London, UK Dinesh Patnaik. The Sikh Federation believed to have support of around 70 Gurudwaras based in UK and around 300 organisations outside India supporting this ban.
27-Dec-2017
The Indian Government informed the Rajya Sabha about the involvement of Pakistan's ISI in revival of the Khalistan movement in Punjab, through moral and financial support to the pro-Khalistan entities. Responding to the situation, the Government has implemented an integrated approach to counter such anti-India attempts via strengthening the vigilance along the borders and mechanisms of gathering and sharing of intelligence inputs, said Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Gangaram Ahir.
25-Dec-2017
Burhan Wani—a ‘militant’ poster boy of Hizb-ul Mujahideen (HM) – who was killed in July 2016 has been adopted by the Sikh radical groups and posed as a ‘Hero of Freedom of Kashmir’ on the cover-page of the August 2016 issue of magazine—Vangaar, which went on sale at the Shaheedi Jor Mela in Fatehgarh Sahib District in Punjab. Reportedly, the magazine was being sold at a big-stall managed by supporters of Siromani Akali Dal (SAD) of Amritsar, near the Rauza Sharif along with other radical material including books, car-stickers, badges of Khalistani militants including Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.
12-Dec-2017
India’s NIA has been assigned six cases to investigate which are related to the Khalistan movement. Out of six, four cases are registered in Ludhiana and two in Khanna (Punjab). So far, the Punjab Police was investigating the case but now-on the NIA teams will investigate the matter. The NIA team has already reached the location, Ludhiana and Khanna to take over the investigation, said the NIA statement.The modus operandi in all six cases is similar therefore, regarding the possibility of domestic and international ramifications of the conspiracy in the matter, the Punjab Government had decided to hand-over the investigation to the NIA. After the discussion with top officials of the Punjab Police, the decision of transfer of the cases to the NIA team led by its Director Y.C. Modi, earlier this month.
09-Dec-2017
Desperate to create disturbances in India, Pakistani spy agency ISI is trying to revive terrorism in Punjab by recruiting radicalised youth from Canada and Europe while allegedly training them for sabotage activities in countries like Canada, Dubai and Thailand. Investigations by intelligence agencies have revealed that the ISI is using the annual pilgrimage to Nankana Saheb (birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev) to scout the radicalised Sikh youth and facilitate meetings with Sikh militants in Pakistan. "During the annual festival in Nankana Sahab in Pakistan, people from all over the world visit there and the ISI uses this occasion to facilitate meetings between Pak-based terrorist and their sympathisers who come from all over the world in guise of pilgrims," sources in the security agencies said.
05-Dec-2017
An NIA probe into a series of targeted killings, including those of RSS workers, Dera Sacha Sauda followers and a pastor in Punjab in the last two years has revealed that Pakistan's ISI is using Khalistani extremists to try and stoke communal unrest in the state. The plan was to foment tension by killing key people and revive militancy. ISI turned to Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) led by Harminder Singh Mintoo, lodged in Moga jail, and Harmeet Singh, said to be living in Pakistan under ISI cover. Details of the conspiracy were revealed during questioning of two hitmen — Ramandeep Singh alias Canadian and Hardeep Singh alias Shera — by the NIA in the case relating to the murder of Ravinder Gosain, an RSS pracharak, in Ludhiana in October 2017.
04-Dec-2017
The Punjab Police filed a chargesheet against 11 Khalistan Zindabad Group (KZG) extrimist. Those named in the chargesheet included Harwinder Singh, Mohkam Singh Barnala, Amritpal Kaur, Tarsem Singh, Jarnail Singh, Satnam Singh, Sukhpreet Singh, Parminder Singh, Gaurav Kumar and Ramandeep Singh. They all were arrested in May 2017. However, one terrorist was not identified. During their arrests, the Punjab Police had recovered the letterhead of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and four weapons. The militants had formed the KZG and were planning to initiate another militant outfit — Jatha Veer Khalsa (JVK) - on the anniversary of the 1984 Operation Blue Star. These terrorists were financed by the Khalistani sympathisers based out in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom (UK), said an unnamed police official.
29-Nov-2017
Security Forces arrested some pro-Khalistani militants from Punjab on November 4, which includes Jagtar Singh Johal alias Jaggi—a citizen of the UK, allegedly using the Internet to lure youth to revive Sikh militancy in Punjab, Allegedly Jagtar Singh was in touch with Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) ‘chief’ Harminder Singh and other members of the outfit. Adding to the role of Pakistan’s Inter-Service Intelligence Directorate (ISID), Chief Minister of Punjab—Amarinder Singh claimed that ISID always looks for the opportunity to disturb the internal security and peace in India, whether through Khalistan issue or anything else.
27-Nov-2017
In connection with RSS leader, Ravinder Gosain murder case, the NIA special court extended the custody of two accused—Ramandeep Singh alias Canadian and Hardeep Singh alias Shera. The investigation has some ramifications that suspects the role of Pakistan in this conspiracy, said senior special Public Prosecutor. Both the accused have links with the UK based banned Khalistan separatist groups—International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) and the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF), said an official on condition of anonymity.
25-Nov-2017
A year after the sensational Nabha jailbreak in Punjab’s Patiala, wherein two terrorist and four gangsters escaped from the prison with the help of 15 other gangsters, the Punjab Police have failed to nab eight accused, including two escapees and a Hong Kong-based handler. Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) ‘chief’ Harminder Singh Mintoo, another militant Kashmir Singh and gangsters Vicky Gounder, Gurpreet Singh Sekhon, Neeta Deol and Amandeep Dhotian had escaped on the morning of November 27, 2016. The daring act, the kind of which was never seen even during the heydays of militancy in Punjab, had rocked the nation.
24-Nov-2017
A three-member team from the British High Commission met UK national Jagtar Singh Johal, arrested in connection with targeted killings in Punjab, to ascertain whether he was subjected to any human rights violation. The team from Delhi remained with Johal for about an hour, said DCP Dhruman Nimble. The commission officials asked the accused whether he was being given facilities available to all prisoners. He was also whether he was being tortured. Johal alias Jaggi is among five persons arrested in connection with the killing of RSS leader Jagdish Gagneja.
22-Nov-2017
Frustrated by the failure of terrorist activities in J&K and other places, Pakistan's ISI is now planning to target Hindu leaders in India to create communal tensions with other communities, top Government sources said. Sources said that the ISI carried out the first such attack in Punjab, where RSS leader Ravinder Gosain was shot dead in Ludhiana in broad daylight on October 17 by gunmen hired using money routed through Europe, Dubai and Mumbai. According to sources, investigation has revealed that the Pakistani spy agency would try to follow the same modus operandi in other parts of the nation as well. Eight Hindus at the local level have so far been targeted by terrorists in Punjab. Investigation into these cases has been handed over to the NIA. ISI has been employing petty criminals to target leaders to trigger riots and violence in India in the run-up to 2019 polls. Security of key leaders has been tightened to thwart the ISI's plans, sources said.
17-Nov-2017
Punjab Police are investigating the role of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) member Gursharan Bir Singh in the series of targeted killings of religious leaders in the state over the past two years. Gursharan is also wanted in the murder of Rashtriya Sikh Sangat head Rulda Singh in Patiala on July 28, 2009. Punjab DGP Suresh Arora said that the State Police has got some leads about Gursharan's involvement while interrogating the men arrested for their alleged role in the killing of at least eight people, including former Punjab RSS vice-president Brig Jagdish Gagneja (retd) in Jalandhar. The State Police had recently arrested UK resident Jagtar Singh Johal alias Jaggi in the targeted killings case. He was arrested from Jalandhar. DGP Suresh Arora said the Police are investigating the alleged links between Pakistan-based Harmeet Singh who is believed to be running Inter Services Intelligence (ISI)-back International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) and another fugitive Rampreet Singh alias Romy who is in Hong Kong. Romy is believed to have links with gangsters in Punjab and has been named as an accused in the 2016 Nabha jailbreak case as well. Police believe Harmeet trained the men involved in the targeted killings.
15-Nov-2017
A local court at Baghapurana in Moga District of Punjab extended the Police remand of the alleged hitman Ramandeep Singh and Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) ‘commander’ Harminder Singh Mintoo arrested in connection with a series of targeted killings in Punjab. Ramandeep’s Police remand has been extended for three days till November 18 and Mintoo’s for two days till November 17.
13-Nov-2017
Absconding gangster Saraj Sandhu, in a post on a social media website, Facebook claimed to have killed the Hindu Sangharsh Sena leader Vipan Sharma in Amritsar on October 30. The Punjab Police had not included Vipan Sharma's murder in the list of targeted killings of religious leaders in the State which they had solved a week ago by busting a terror module managed by Pakistan's ISI agency. Saraj Sandhu, who is main accused in the Amritsar case, has been on the run after the murder. He allegedly also posted on his Facebook account on November 13 that the 'killing should not be linked with any religion.' "I want to tell my friends that the murder of Vipan Sharma which took place on October 30 on Amritsar-Batala road was committed by me," Sandhu allegedly admitted in his Facebook post, which has now been deleted. The incident comes just days after a Punjab gangster-turned-activist uploaded a Facebook video from Faridkot jail.