KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
24-Jan-2026
Punjab Police records show that of the 61 gangsters wanted by the state and operating from abroad, 18 are hiding in the United States (US), followed by nine in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Six are based in Canada, while 15 are operating from the United Kingdom (UK), Germany, and other European countries. Three gangsters are operating from Australia, two from Thailand or Malaysia, and one each from Greece and Indonesia. Many of these fugitives are linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi and Arju Bishnoi gangs, the Lucky Patial-led Bambiha gang, the Gopy Ghanshampuria gang, and the networks of Pakistan-based terrorists Harwinder Singh alias Rinda and Lakhbir Singh alias Landa.
24-Jan-2026
Punjab Police on January 24 arrested four drug peddlers, identified as Taranpreet Singh, Kuldeep Singh alias Deep, Sukhdev Singh alias Sunn, and Sukhpreet Singh and recovered 305 grams of heroin, a country-made pistol, and four bullets from their possession, after an exchange of fire near Lohara Bridge in Ludhiana district.
23-Jan-2026
Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, in a video message on January 23, threatened to create unrest in the national capital ahead of Republic Day and announced a reward of USD 111,000 for disrupting the Prime Minister’s flag-hoisting on January 26. He also called for placing Khalistan flags on railway tracks in Punjab and other acts of disruption.
23-Jan-2026
Delhi Police on January 23 registered an FIR against Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun for allegedly threatening to create unrest in the national capital ahead of Republic Day on January 26. The action followed a video circulated on social media in which Pannun allegedly issued threats targeting Delhi and claimed that pro-Khalistan posters had been pasted in areas such as Rohini and Dabri through sleeper cells. However, after verification and searches, the Special Cell said no such posters were found. Investigations are ongoing to determine the source of the video and the intent behind the claims.
23-Jan-2026
On January 23, Punjab Police, on day 328 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, registered 96 first information reports (FIRs), arrested 170 drug smugglers and seized 485 grams of heroin, 120 kg of poppy husk, 1184 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 7400 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
23-Jan-2026
The State Special Operations Cell (SSOC), Amritsar, on January 23 arrested a Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) operative, Sharanpreet Singh and seized a P-86 type hand grenade, one 9 mm Glock pistol, five live cartridges, and 65 grams of ICE (methamphetamine) from his possession, in Bundala Morh area in Amritsar district. Preliminary investigations suggest he was acting on the directions of foreign-based BKI operatives Nishan Singh alias Nishan Jaurrian, Adeshbir Singh alias Adesh Jamarai, and Simranjit Singh alias Simma Deol.
23-Jan-2026
Hoshiarpur police, in a joint operation with Counter Intelligence, Jalandhar, on January 23 foiled an imminent attack on a security establishment ahead of Republic Day by arresting four Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) operatives, Diljot Singh Saini, Harman alias Harry, Ajay alias Mehra, and Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh Kandola and seizing a 2.5-kg RDX-based improvised explosive device (IED) and two pistols with cartridges, in Hoshiarpur district. Preliminary investigations revealed that the module was being operated by United States (US)-based BKI handlers and that the recovered IED was intended for a targeted terror attack ahead of Republic Day celebrations.
23-Jan-2026
Police on January 23 arrested a man, identified as Rahul Gill and seized 15 grams of heroin from him Guru Nanakpura Mohalla of Nakodar in Jalandhar district.
23-Jan-2026
The Amritsar rural police on January 23 arrested a drug smuggler, identified as Dilbagh Singh alias Baga and seized 1.523 kg of heroin from his possession, in Galluwal village in Amritsar district.
23-Jan-2026
Police on January 23 arrested one person, identified as Karan Ram alias Alla and seized 15 grams of heroin and five strips of intoxicant tablets from his possession in Kajla, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district.
23-Jan-2026
Police on January 23 arrested two persons, Baljeet Kumar alias Sabi and Prince Kumar and seized 35 intoxicant tablets from them on the Banga–Mahilpur road in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district.
23-Jan-2026
Police on January 23 arrested a man, identified as Sukhmander Singh alias Mikki and seized 30 intoxicant tablets from his possession in Rahon, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district.
23-Jan-2026
Two members of the Himanshu Bhau gang—Vicky alias Mogli, who carried a INR 5,000 reward announced by Haryana Police, and Chander Bhan, wanted in multiple cases including murder, attempt to murder, and extortion—were arrested after an encounter with police in southwest Delhi, New Delhi.
23-Jan-2026
The Punjab and Haryana High Court (HC) on January 23 directed the Punjab government to decide within seven working days on the representation of Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh, who is under preventive detention under the National Security Act (NSA), seeking temporary release to attend the upcoming Budget Session of Parliament.
23-Jan-2026
Classes were disrupted at several schools in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, on January 23 after anonymous emails warning of bomb blasts prompted emergency searches by police and bomb disposal teams; the threats were later confirmed to be hoaxes. The messages reportedly warned against hoisting the national flag on Republic Day, referenced “Khalistan,” and named Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah as “enemies of Khalistan.”
23-Jan-2026
A railway staffer, Anil Sharma, was injured and a freight engine and railway track were damaged in an explosion on a freight corridor near Khanpur village, Sirhind, in Fatehgarh Sahib district on January 23. The blast derailed a goods train, caused minor injuries to the driver, and damaged about 60 feet of track near pole number 1208 between Sirhind and Mandi Gobindgarh, days ahead of Republic Day. Rupnagar Range DIG Nanak Singh ruled out the use of RDX. The damaged track was later repaired and train services restored.
22-Jan-2026
Patna Police on January 23 arrested Lawrence Bishnoi gang operative Parmanand Yadav alias Nepali after an encounter in Patna, Bihar. A day earlier, on January 22, police arrested three other operatives—Neeraj Kumar alias Vicky, Chandan Kumar, and Shivam Anand—in Beur, Bihar, and recovered a country-made revolver, six live cartridges, INR 40,000 in cash, and 5,110 Nepalese rupees. Police said Neeraj Kumar managed the gang’s accounts and financial transactions.
22-Jan-2026
Punjab Police arrested 3,256 individuals linked to drug cartels run by foreign-based gangsters during its three-day campaign against gangsters ‘Operation Prahar,’ which concluded on January 22. Police detained 4,281 people, with 3,256 arrests made after interrogation, including over 80 proclaimed offenders, while more than 25 were placed under preventive custody. The operation led to the seizure of 69 weapons, 6.5 kg of heroin, 10.5 kg of opium, 5,092 intoxicating pills, 72 kg of poppy husk, and INR 2.69 lakh in drug money.
22-Jan-2026
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on January 22 condemned the “trespassing and vandalism” at the Indian embassy in Croatia by “anti-India elements,” asserting that diplomatic premises are inviolable under the Vienna Convention and must be protected. It said the matter was strongly taken up with Croatian authorities in New Delhi and Zagreb, urging them to hold the perpetrators accountable for their illegal actions.
22-Jan-2026
Police on January 22 arrested eight drug peddlers in separate cases and seized 295 intoxicant tablets from them in Hoshiarpur district.